War Stories: A Resource for Lifelong Learning

 

War stories are a versatile resource for all learners, including children, young people, and adults with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) who want to continue exploring lifelong learning. Communities can also access and contribute to the resource.

 

Each story has been carefully adapted to support learners with PMLD, taking into account communication styles, sensory needs, and cognitive abilities. Teachers can use these stories to make wartime experiences accessible, meaningful, and engaging.

​

How the Stories Work

​

The stories use simple narratives combined with multisensory materials, objects, or real/replica artifacts.

These help learners:

 

• Engage with the story

• Connect tactile experiences to abstract ideas

• Participate actively and safely

​

The stories are emotionally safe and can be adapted to suit the needs of each learner.

 

Drama and role-play are built into the stories, but teachers can adapt them further. For example, learners might “send a parcel” to a character, which encourages emotional engagement and experiential learning.

Storytelling and drama activities support:

 

• Turn-taking

• Choice-making

• Collaboration

• Connection with history

​

Themes Explored in the Stories

​

The resource helps learners explore:

 

• Friendship and loyalty

• Courage and fear

• Home and family

• Peace and remembrance

​

Learning Opportunities Across the Curriculum

​

Social Studies

 

• Explore time, place, and society and understand the impact of past events.

• Learn cause-and-effect through historical storytelling.

​

Communication and Literacy

 

• Support listening, communication, choice-making, turn-taking, and responding to narratives.

• Multisensory stories foster engagement, connection, understanding, and fine motor skills.

 

Health and Well-being

 

• Explore emotions, loss, resilience, empathy, and teamwork.

• Link war stories to family history or local communities to support personal identity and self-awareness.

​

Expressive Arts

 

• Inspire music, art, and crafts, offering creative responses to the stories.

• Encourage exploratory drama inspired by wartime imagery, supporting tactile and immersive learning.

​

Extending the Learning

​

Teachers and learners can create sensory objects or materials to accompany the story.

This helps:

 

• Reinforce story themes

• Deepen understanding and engagement

• Make learning interactive and enjoyable

​

The focus is on exploring and learning through the process, rather than just producing an object.

​