Rob Bradley - Writing

Rob

Bradley

AIM High Writing

Summary

Age range KS2 to KS5
Books Yes
DBS Checked Yes

Booking
+44 (0)1535 656015
aimhigh@caboodlebooks.co.uk

Rob Bradley is a rapper, poet and songwriter.

About Rob
Rob Bradley is a world champion rapper, poet, and songwriter from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Known for his improvised freestyle raps, insightful verses, and narrative songs, Rob has captivated audiences globally, from clubs in New York to festivals across Europe.  As a lifelong writer, he began writing poetry at age 8 and started creating rap music at 13 so he deeply understands the value of early exposure to creative experiences.

Rob believes that everyone has a story but not always a way to tell it, which inspired him to deliver workshops aimed at helping young people express themselves and discover a love of language. He has worked with thousands of students across hundreds of schools and educational settings around the world.

In addition to his workshop work, Rob has delivered TED talks, published poetry, and continually releases music under the pseudonym Jack Flash. His passion for rap and spoken word performance is evident in everything he does, and he is dedicated to inspiring any group he works with.

Rob’s AIM High Writing Days

A day with Rob starts with a welcoming introduction and a run down of the day’s activities. Here, Rob tells his own story of how his journey into writing began and how it has taken him around the world. He talks about his love of language and his appreciation of how words work. It is an inspiring start designed to enthuse the students and prepare them for a day full of writing and rapping.

Many of the students may not know each other and may not feel comfortable so Rob uses a series of warm-ups designed to make the students relax and feel a sense of contribution. This will be their first chance to get involved by using their minds, body and voices. A particular favourite warm up is ’The Human Beatbox’ in which the group create a collective rhythm by imitating the different sounds in a drum kit. This also serves as an introduction to Rhythm, a key component in the session.

Rob demonstrates why he is a freestyle rap world champion and an expert improviser by performing an off-the-cuff freestyle rap by using random words given to him by the students.

Through a series of games and discussions the group then explore another key component, Rhyme. Here, students will learn how to bend and shape rhyming words, how to use multisyllabic rhyme and why more things rhyme together than you may think.

In a guided exercise, the group chose and discuss a topic (this may be a theme that your school want to explore), and then they write their first group rap. This will introduce students to creative writing techniques and practises which will prove valuable for later in the session. When the rap has been written, everyone will have a chance to perform the piece to a rap backing track.

Improving language is next on the agenda, and after a refresher about poetic techniques and language intensifiers the students will have the opportunity to try and improve a pre-written piece. ‘And then’, ‘really’ and ‘good’ are banned here, students are challenged to use descriptive, evocative and rhythmic language.

Students will have a chance to learn how to freestyle and can take advantage of some of Rob’s tips to improvise lyrics. This will lead them to think quickly and appreciate how crucial focus is in performance. Students will receive performance pointers and gain insight into how to be a more confident and authentic performer.

To culminate, students will take everything they have learned, observed and practiced throughout the day and write their own individual lyrics. They will then perform them to each other over a range of different backing tracks.

By the end of the day students will have explored creative and alternative ways to use rhyme, rhythm, syllables, and a range of language and poetic techniques. They will have written collaboratively as a group as well as individually. They will have performed as a group as well as individually to an audience. They will have learned important cultural and genre specific conventions and gained a knowledge and appreciation for a new skill.

It’s an incredibly engaging, fun, informative and inspiring day.

Rob works with KS2, KS3 and KS4. Content is suitably adapted at each stage.

Bookings
To book Rob Bradley please contact
aimhigh@caboodlebooks.co.uk

Rob also offers visits to schools and other settings, click here for more information.