How do we know if our words are helpful? (Or “why it’s not always good to talk”)
published 31 May 2019 by Us in a Bus in Practice category with 0 comments
published 31 May 2019 by Us in a Bus in Practice category with 0 comments
By Anne Laney, Practice Manager
The sound of conversation using words, the ebb and flow of voice intonation and the rhythm of speech can be motivating, reassuring and foster feelings of inclusion for all of us, even if in a language we do not speak ourselves.
There seems little doubt that some of the people we visit (some for many years and some who do not speak) appear to enjoy a good ‘natter’. It is part of their relationship with us. It sets the tone for our relaxed and safe time together.
Our purpose is always to support the people we see to feel (and be) heard, building their confidence to communicate however they wish in the knowledge that we are listening, and exploring how to maximise opportunities for them to connect socially with us and other people.
It seems relevant then to consider just how the addition of our words to an interaction effects our relationships.
As most people who use Intensive Interaction understand, using our own words is not only unnecessary, but is potentially unhelpful. It can move focus away from the personal communication style of those we are there to see. It might be seen as a way of easing the flowof an interaction in those moments when we’re not quite sure which direction the conversation is moving in.
With this in mind, our team of practitioners explored the concept of using fewer words during their sessions, embracing the concept fully and in some cases extending the idea of “not speaking” to include the communication between practitioners.
This meant cutting out, or reducing the words we spoke, not stifling the communication for the people we were visiting. We also kept important safeguarding talk for instance “I am moving your wheelchair now”.
The team kept records during the Fewer Words Fortnight and we thought some of you might find it useful and interesting.
They were asked to give words to describe their experiences and they said…
Profound (x2), limiting, playful, curious, challenging (x4), enlightening, tricky, interesting (x2), unusual, eye-opening worthwhile, Isolating, clarifying, exciting, moving.
What was hard?
What was Easy?
What did you notice about…?
The way you responded to the people in the session
How they responded to you
We also asked them to take note of any feedback they received from parents, staff and observers. In general, and one suspects because we communicate often and in depth with these people, the team noticed little difference in levels of interaction with them. It perhaps encouraged observers to attend a little more closely to what was happening, and there were one or two positive comments about levels of interest being shown by the people in the people we were there to see.
Finally, we were keen to find out how the experience might influence practitioners work in the future. Here are some of their thoughts.
From this wide variety of responses it is clear there are several aspects of our sessions that can be affected by using words.
It highlights the importance, perhaps for Us in a Bus Practitioners more than others as we routinely work in pairs, the importance of being able to communicate with each other. As strong as the partnerships are, no-one is psychic and the need to express an intent, idea or concern cannot always be conveyed without words. Using a commentary which incorporates these thoughts in a subtle and respectful way is invaluable.
Another thing that stands out is the concern that those with visual impairments may not be receiving the highest level of inclusion when words are not used to convey information. There is even a feeling we are “denying” them a sensory experience. Many of our sessions are group-based and the techniques we use to link people in the group, increasing their awareness of each other and themselves, often involve speaking.
I think the following phrase, adapted from a feedback comment, stands out as possibly the best description of how our words should be used within our Intensive Interaction sessions and it is this:
“I will ensure my use of speech is guided by purpose”.
The requirement for us to always hold in our head the purpose for our time together, is fundamental to the way we work, and having the knowledge that reducing our speech is often a clarifying, focusing event (for both us and the people we visit) is important to remember.