Storytelling and Literacy for The Early Years
Pack your imagination and come on board a literary storytelling adventure… Childhood is a time full of stories. Write away With Me offers interactive storytelling workshops where children not only share a love of language and literature, but are actively encouraged to develop their own storytelling talents! Workshops include a combination of oral storytelling, drama, performance skills and poetry and can be tailored to your group of children.Oral storytelling engages children in a fun filled and imaginative learning experience where both the teller and the listener create something magical.
Storytelling Workshops
- Stimulate communication skills
- Develop a child’s confidence and self esteem
- Provide opportunities for creative self expression
- Encourage thinking and cognitive skills
- Explore a range of literacy concepts in an imaginative and enjoyable way
What’s on Offer
All workshops include:
- Teaching notes linked to the Victorian Early Years Learning Development Framework (V.E.Y.L.D.F)
- Original stories developed specifically for our workshops
Storytelling/Literacy Workshops
Storytelling/Literacy Incursion tailored to meet the developmental needs of children from Early Childhood to Junior Primary level. It is possible to book a single storytelling workshop or a series of sessions which can build and develop skills further.
Storytelling After Dark
Invite your group back in their pyjamas to enjoy a night of storytelling hosted at your kindergarten or school. This is a great activity for school sleepovers!
Parent Workshops
Beth presents parent workshops relating to literacy and language skills and the importance of storytelling within the family environment. Consider this for your next AGM or parent Information Sessions.
The Writer’s Club in Term 2, 2013
Six stories in six weeks? The ‘Six by Six Challenge’ sounds serious doesn’t it? And it could be, except for one important detail. Each week, the stories you create, will be inspired by language and storytelling games. Yes! You heard it right, my friend! There will be fun and there will be games! When it comes to writing, games are a powerful tool to unlock your imagination and awaken your creative spirit. We’ll cover many aspects of narrative writing from genres, characters, settings and plot to descriptive writing, dialogue and imagery. Playing games will definitely bring life, laughter and most importantly, structure, to the process of story creation. With all your friends playing along too, you won’t be short of ideas! And when the term is over, you will have six stories or pieces of writing (and lots of games) to share with your friends and family. Our Senior and Junior groups will both take part in the Six by Six Challenge but the level of games may differ to cater for the age range and writing skills. As we use open ended writing activities, the program adapts easily to cater for individual student’s needs and skill levels. So what are you waiting for? Join The Writer’s Club this term as we get creative and develop the essential skills of creative writing in a fun and supportive environment.
Beth Cregan
Download Term 1, 2013 Program Details
Term 2, 2013 – Six Workshops
Session 1 – Good News! Bad News!
Good News! Bad News! This circle storytelling game focuses on developing a plot based on a series of fortunate and unfortunate events. It’s a fast paced game that will leave you with a great (and usually funny) story to write and illustrate.
Session 2 – A Floating Log Book
This week you’re going on an unexpected holiday. Picture this! You wake up one morning after a terrible storm to the sound of water lapping like soft waves against your house. You’re afloat but where you go and what happens next is totally up to you. entirely up to you. This creative visualisation and storytelling game will set you on your way to developing a diary style record of your amazing adventure.
Session 3 – Questionaire
What if questions could take you to a part of your mind where you’ve never been before? What if by answering them, you could dream a little deeper and think a little wider? Our game today will pose lots of interesting questions which you can answer anyway you choose. No right or wrong – just the chance to swim through your imagination and create a book to keep and treasure.
Week 4 – Post Card Stories
The inspiration for this game comes from a challenge made by George Hay, a science fiction magazine editor in the 1970s, to Arthur C. Clarke (and others). His challenge was to write a short story to put on a postcard! So if you’re in the mood for a bit of micro fiction, you’ve come to the right place!
Week 5 – The Invention Test
Have you heard of Masterchef’s Invention Test? This week you’ll be dishing up a tasty story of your own! As objects are revealed during this game, you’ll have to think fast, make interesting connections between ideas and skillfully blend the mix together to create an original story.
Week 6 – Consequences
Consequences is a group writing game where you and your friends will build a flash fiction story. You’ll add characters, descriptions, dialogue and action but as you are each contributing your ideas but you won’t see exactly how the story is shaping up until all is revealed at the end.
In School Workshops
Write Away With Me offers a variety of original and creative literacy workshops to challenge students and further develop their creativity, writing and thinking skills while they give their imagination a work out! Workshops can vary from single sessions with a whole class to term length programs designed especially for your school. Workshops are also designed to link into V.E.L.S objectives and curriculum guidelines. Teachers are encouraged to be actively involved and suggestions for follow up activities are provided for all workshops.
Option 1
Write away With Me also offers four and eight session intensive writing programs to enable talented young writers from Grade 3 – 6 to focus on the genre of short stories, develop the skills of literary criticism and extend their narrative and poetry writing skills. This program can culminate in a community event which celebrates the success of your school’s young writers. Intensive philosophy programs are also available.
Option 2
Our original philosophy workshops combine drama, movement, literature, storytelling and creative thinking activities for your Prep — Year Two students.
Philosophy programs are literature based focus on developing creative thinking, lively discussion and debate and creative and reflective writing activities.
Workshop Details
- Session times can vary to suit school timetables but generally workshops last for 1.5- 2 hours.
- All workshops include course outlines,learning objectives, suggestions for follow up activities and student extension.
- Write Away With Me provides a letter to parents outlining the learning outcomes of each workshop and course outlines where necessary. Assessment reports are provided for students attending intensive and extended programs.
- Write Away With Me provides all resources and materials required for workshops.