These workshops have been developed to help teachers meet the objectives set out in the Primary National Strategy materials "Speaking and Listening Learning:Working with children in Key Stages 1 and 2" issued in 2003
The workshops emphasise the children's own creativity and progress from oral storytelling performances of exciting myths from different cultures to fun activities designed to ensure that classes work on all four strategy strands set out in the materials.By the end of the day the children will produce active storytelling and drama performances themselves. Sessions also include links to the history scheme of work and suggestions for related literacy strategy work.
Workshops are designed to allow for whole class participation in performance and also offer space for children to reflect on their experiences. They may typically by asked to consider choices and dilemmas faced by characters in the stories or to think about aspects of the way in which they work together as members of a group.
The workshops use an integrated arts approach and are designed to encourage and value contributions across a ranger of learning styles.By working with myths and fairy tales from around the world and using these universal structures as story patterns, children soon gain confidence in their own storytelling performance skills and strengthen their understanding of oral narrative structure. Lesley works hard to provide a supportive and encouraging environment within which all children will feel happy to work creatively.
Lesley usually comes into schools for whole or half days, though she is happy to discuss shorter sessions for straightforward storytelling performance sessions. She is very happy to discuss how available performance time is best divided to meet the individual requirements of schools . As a general rule, the total time allocated to a workshop should not be less than one day, preferably in units of one day, though two half-days are workable.
Lesley has worked with children aged three to eleven . With younger age groups she strongly recommends that storytelling takes place in groups of less than thirty-five. Nursery groups need even smaller groups. With children aged nine and older larger groups can work well, though smaller scale work usually works better.
Large classrooms with enough space for children to sit comfortably on the floor work well. School halls can also be a good environment as long as interruptions from people walking through and lunch preparations can be avoided. School halls are very often preferable for workshops as many drama and dance exercises require space for movement as well as for the display of artwork.
To discuss Lesley's charging structure or to discuss any questions you might have, please contact Lesley by email or telephone
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