Inspired performances for all abilities with English Touring Opera (ETO) and Widgit Symbols

While I currently work as Learning and Participation Producer for English Touring Opera (ETO), I spent a year teaching in a special school in north London where Widgit was used everywhere. Writing Social Stories™ was a normal part of my day, and Widgit Symbols were a familiar language among the pupils that I worked with. When I arrived at ETO, I realised we had nothing in place to support what for many pupils could prove an anxiety-inducing experience. What we do is very exciting, but it can also be overwhelming for some children as well as causing a sudden change in routine. It can also unsettle staff to a degree as they’re not always aware of how pupils are going to react, making it difficult to prepare. Widgit was my lightbulb moment!

It was in spring 2023 that we worked with Widgit to create our first Social Story™ for ETO. We always make three available to support our operas, which include ‘What is an opera?’, ‘The opera comes to my school’, and the story of the touring performance at the time as part of our Accessibility Pack. We never assume that young people know what opera is, so these resources have really helped us in preparing children at a basic level that is clear and easy to understand. Widgit soon became an important part of the wider package of support we offer, including videos of the cast using Makaton signing to introduce their characters. These resources are used by teachers every season to prepare their classes, so we know the demand is there. It’s a great feeling to know that we’re able to support staff in meeting the needs of our audience members, keeping all performances as inclusive as possible.

While we do what we can with Social Stories™ to prepare individuals in advance, opera, like any form of live performance, is non-permanent. For this reason, we sought ways to integrate Widgit at a more real-time level, which resulted in a specially made ‘flip chart’ Communication Board that can be turned over to display large Widgit Symbols relevant to that part of the performance. This includes ‘welcome’ symbols as the audience enter to take their seats, as well as symbols bespoke to specific scenes, such as ‘Door’, ‘Forest’, ‘Ocean’, ‘Castle’ or (the very niche) ‘Magical Dancing Bear’; my favourite included a ‘Warthog’ symbol once needed for one of our shows! It’s been great to go beyond the basics in that sense, with specially designed symbols ensuring every unique performance is brought to life.

I think we’ve found our magic formula of Social Stories™ and using Widgit Symbols to support performances as and when they happen. But this is a long-term commitment of ours. As an arts organisation that goes in and out of schools, it’s really important that we continue to speak the same language. As a touring opera, it’s hard to forge those same connections we might have had as a local offering. Therefore, the last thing we want is for schools to feel pressure in making big adjustments to support our performances, inducing anxiety among students as a result. But with Widgit embedded across so many settings already, it’s a quick win for young people, and the teachers, parents, and carers who support them, who are already familiar with symbols.

I would definitely recommend Widgit to any organisation. You can never assume that members of the public, from young people to elderly family members, can always engage with written and verbal forms of communication. It doesn’t matter how bright and shiny your offering is if people can’t access it! Using Widgit Symbols makes experiences like ours accessible in so many ways, while helping to build trust and engagement among families. It doesn’t have to be complicated either. Widgit have always been on hand to support with training, such as writing a Story to Help, which has gone on to make a world of difference. No organisation can ever meet the needs of every individual, but that doesn't mean to say you can't try to meet some. And once you start, it gets easier. You enter the mindset of: ‘if I tweak this, perhaps it becomes a helpful tool for others’. Any small step you can make to help break down those barriers will only ever be a good thing!