Literacy and Storymaking for Key Stage 1 and 2

"In all my years of teaching that is the best workshop I have ever seen" - Reception teacher at Hassocks Infants School

These 1 hour workshops are a fun and engaging way to enhance pupil’s speaking and listening skills and build vocabulary and self confidence. The excitement generated by the story making can then be channelled towards more formal literacy based activities.

The one Hour Workshops consists of:

• A storymaking session during which we lead the children as a group in making their own unique story
• A verbal retelling of the story by the children, illustrated with shadow puppets and illuminated with drawings on an overhead projector
• A dramatised re-telling of the story, using auditions and hot seating of characters, ending in a full costume drama!

The workshops support the children’s learning of:

• Speaking and listening
• Collaborative work
• Communication skills
• Storytelling skills and different element of narrative (character, plot, setting, resolution etc)
• Drama
• Empathy

Children will gain confidence in expressing their ideas and be enthused about exploring further methods of retelling their story.

Some comments from teachers following our literacy workshops:

 

“My year 6 children were so excited by the story that they asked to write it down as soon as we got back to the classroom – that’s the first time that I can remember them actually ASKING to write anything!” Year 6 teacher, Whitehawk Primary, Brighton

“I liked the way you used shadow puppets to combine simultaneous oral and visual learning – they were really effective and fun! Afterwards the children were eager to go and draw pictures and make a “storyboard” of our story. Some even went straight for the lined paper to write it down. They were retelling the story to their parents at home and still referring to their invented characters several days later”
Year 2 teacher, Our Lady of Lourdes School, Rottingdean

“The children loved it and were bursting with ideas for the story”.
Year 2 teacher, Our lady of Lourdes

“Excellent! Engaging throughout the whole process. You maintained interest and involvement of everyone in the class”. 
Year 4, Our Lady of Lourdes

“The workshop was fantastic. It was lovely to see how the children’s ideas were turned so quickly into visual aids and pictures for them to develop the plot. The workshop supports Talk for Writing work by helping children learn how to build the shape of a story and really improve their speaking and listening skills. It was pacy and engaging – just what children need to maintain interest and attention. The dressing up was great!”    
Year 4 teacher, Our Lady of Lourdes

“Thanks on behalf of both the children and staff. I was very pleased with the day and very impressed by the organisation and ease with which the day was structured and delivered. In particular, staff enjoyed the way in which you were able to create work that was wholly that of the children, achieved on a whole class basis”
Bewbush Community Primary School, West Sussex

“The workshop here on Friday was amazing! Sally and Andy were delightful to work with – they arrived early and set up very efficiently, their session was brilliantly planned, their timing was perfect, their presentation suburb and the children absolutely loved it. One very sad little boy who has never in four years participated in anything took a leading role and played his part beautifully! What more can I say? Just thanks!”
Downs Junior School, Brighton

“I’m sure word will get around about how good the story telling workshop was”
St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School, Brighton