Event: 2025 Fall Conference: Rooted in Care

E14: How to Improve Your Day: Use Visuals! & Use of Drama and Role Play to Support Emotional Growth

Morning Session: How to Improve Your Day: Use Visuals! with Janet Campbell and Erica Ross Using visuals provides predictability and reassurance throughout the day. They offer a sense of certainty, helping children understand what’s happening and what’s expected. For educators and SLPs, visuals are a powerful tool to ensure that our messages are being received clearly—they’re an additional layer of communication that supports comprehension. Visuals aren’t just about managing behavior—they’re about supporting understanding, expression, and engagement. They help children process language, express themselves, and participate meaningfully in classroom routines and play. Afternoon Session: Use of Drama and Role Play to Support Emotional Growth with Nicole MacRae For several decades research has been investigating how various forms of prosocial play supports child development. Through this research, we have uncovered that using imaginary role play and drama based interventions can significantly improve a child’s social, emotional and cognitive development. Skills such as enhanced communication, problem solving, processing and regulating emotions improved self-confidence and self-awareness have all been observed. Additionally, kids who engage in these creative interventions in their learning environments also develop increased empathy, cooperation, and conflict resolution skills. This session will be evidence-based and will walk participants through the importance of Drama and Role Play, as well as creative ways to utilize these play-based interventions in their day to day work. Participants will be asked to participate in small and large group activities during this session, as well as have the opportunity to discuss real life case examples and how Drama and Role Play might support the kids they are working with.

Date: November 7, 2025
Time: 8:30 AM
Location: Morning Session: Atlantic Technology Centre

Afternoon Session: Quality Inn & Suites