Social cognition through drama and literature for people with learning disabilities - Keith Park

A practical literature resource for teachers and therapists working with children and adults with learning disabilities, this new book uses the context of Shakespeare's Macbeth to develop the skills of social cognition.

The resource includes practical activities based on the play, a framework for linking skills of social cognition to the drama activities, and case studies of the work in practice with different groups. Through their understanding of the atmosphere, the story line and the language of the play, people with learning disabilities will be able to experience the pleasure and intellectual stimulation of engaging fully with a literary text.

The authors explore the drama within the play and its key themes, such as the tension between trust and betrayal, the origins and consequences of desire, the nature of appearance and in particular the problem of knowing what is in another person's mind. They show how these questions are central to the process of forming a social identity, and to the understanding of a `theory of mind'. Participants are helped to develop the key skills of imitation, joint attention and the understanding of mental states. An essential resource for professionals, this book will enable them to develop social skills with people with learning disabilities in creative and effective ways, and to contribute to the move to bring literature to a wider audience.