Storytelling in schools

Storysmith Storytellers offers 2 types of school programmes: story performance and storymaking workshops.

Storytelling Performance

The stories are offered as dramatic performances which inspire and engage students imagination, giving direct experience of a live performance art and providing a springboard for teachers follow-up work. They are usually 50 minutes pieces, performed to up to 200 pupils at a time, from KS1 upwards.

Popular performances in schools include:

• Tales from Arab Lands (KS1 and above)
• Tales from Around the World (KS1and above)
• Jack Stories from Many Lands (KS1 and up)
• Greek Myths (Creation, the Minataur, Cadmus and Harmony) (KS2 and above)
• Solomon and Sheba (KS2 and above)
• The Life of the Prophet Mohammed (KS2 and above)
• The Life of the Buddha (KS2 and above)
• Buddhist Teaching Tales (Jataka) (KS1 and above)
• Legends of King Arthur (KS1 and above)
• Creation Myths (KS1 and above)
• Fables and Proverbs (KS1 and above)

Chris Smith is co-author of “The Islamic Year” a book of stories and activities through which to understand and celebrate Muslim festivals. (www.hawthornpress.com/iyr-ndx.html)

Storymaking Workshops

Our lives are spent making and sharing stories with one another. Through them we form our sense of self and purpose. These workshops provide participants with a chance to make, tell and listen to each others’ stories in a playful and supportive atmosphere, aiming to encourage and affirm creativity as it develops.

The program offers a cluster of benefits directly related to the National Literacy goals in the areas of fiction, creative writing, traditional tales and communication skills (KS1-3). Beyond Literacy, participants learn confidence in speaking, listening and working in a team: essential skills for life.
Workshops are offered for pupils in year 2 and above, to support speaking, telling, listening, reflecting and writing skills using a mix of drama exercises, games and creative activities.

Examples of 1-2 hour sessions:

• Tell Me More (listening and exploring through questions)
• Fortunately-Unfortunately (tools for plot development)
• Exploring Character (tools to develop ideas on character)
• Storyboarding (formal scaffolding ideas for stories)
• Tell It Again (retelling and re-enacting fictional stories)

These workshops are most effective when sequenced over a several weeks to provide a chance for benefits to develop.

Chris Smith is the author of a national series of “Storysmith Storypacks”, providing stories and active speaking/listening/writing activities for the classroom. (www.holdsworth-associates.co.uk)