A Peek Inside The Studio - Conversations 101

Barrier-Free's Life Skills & Social Studio opened on June 1st and has been jam-packed with energy and great times!

The Studio uses an integrated-arts model to bring life skill and social skill learning to life while maximizing engagement.

Conversations 101 is a Studio segment that blends social skill learning with improvisational acting.  

How it works:

The activity begins as a whole group, with all participants in a circle.  Two participants model a "good conversation," passing a ball back and forth with the dialogue exchanges.  After observing we discuss, "what just happened that made that a 'good conversation'?"

Next, "bad conversations" are modeled, i.e., one-word responses, emotional dumping, being distracted.  After observing we discuss, "what just happened that made that a 'bad conversation'?"

We brainstorm conversation strategies together.  Ideas include using a person's clothes to spark conversation, finding mutual interests, or talking about universal topics like the weather.

Time to employ our skills!  Participants pair off and begin conversating.  Each partner pair passes an "imaginary ball" between them as the dialogue exchanges.  Partners rotate three times.

Finally, we circle back up as a whole group and process.  "What went well?  What was difficult?  What strategies helped you?"

Conversations 101 is a fast-paced activity, keeping participants engaged as they actively participate in their learning and practice.  These conversations are then reinforced and referenced throughout the Studio session as we converse during breaks and other activities.

The Life Skills & Social Studio serves neurodiverse adults 18+ with no age cap, including those with intellectual/developmental disabilities and autism.

We are located in vibrant Historic Downtown Sykesville, at 7520 Main St #103 Sykesville, MD 21784.

The Studio is currently welcoming new members!  Get started today!

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