STORYTELLING IN EDUCATION

More than anything else I am an educationalist

After teaching for twenty years in secondary schools I became a full time storyteller in 1990. Much of my work has drawn me back into schools ever since, working in junior, then infant and finally nursery schools. At the other end of the scale I have worked in teacher education, agricultural and further education colleges.

These pages describe my work in schools.

Graham Langley Storyteller
 
 

Graham's home page  
 

Schools workshops

Special story projects

Anti-bullying programme

INSET courses

 

 

WORKSHOPS IN SCHOOLS

Story Share - the listeners become the tellers

This project makes storytellers of your class. Their audience will be younger children either from lower down your own school or as a cross phase initiative.

In easy stages Graham will introduce the class to stories. They will work in groups but each child will have their own story to tell. They will work in an environment where both they and their audience feel secure.

You will be surprised how easily and eagerly youngsters take on the role of storyteller especially when given the responsibility of a younger audience.

Sample Storymaking workshop one


People's lives are full of stories and this is as true for children as for anyone. This workshop develops the stories that lie within the participant's experience and allows the story to be expressed without the constraints of performance or audience. 

This encourages the richness of shared language to be released and its expression to be developed. It is an effective route to successful oral expression for those taking part. 
 

Sample Storymaking workshop two


Creating new stories by talking together in groups. This can happen anywhere from a classroom to a mountain top. It may be initiated in lots of different ways including environmental sculptures and may be part of the creation of a bigger story cycle. 

Following on from beginner's workshops Graham leads sessions tailored to the needs of the group in storymaking, storytelling and performance skills. 

Low Technology
Simple Projection using OHP, felt pen and photocopier

This workshop uses equipment that has now become a familiar part of everyday life. Participants, either individually or in groups, will develop unique and impressive projections. These may be based on their own stories or other stories.

The slides may be presented on their own or as a backdrop to the children's own telling or as part of a multi-media presentation using other projection, dance, storytelling, etc.

This workshop is particularly useful for expanding the range of students who normally use a single arts discipline or who want to create an effective and simple staging for a performance. This exciting workshop can be targeted to suit any age or ability group.
 

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SPECIAL STORY PROJECTS
Combining the Arts using Storytelling
GRAHAM was an Assistant Chief Moderator for GCSE Drama and a Moderator for Expressive and Performance Arts. He understands the methods of integrating the arts and assessing the work produced.

Graham uses the verbal art of storytelling as a unifying factor. He develops improvisations that enable students to broaden their scope of artforms without the limitations of technique.

Other combined-arts workshops are available. These are not devising programmes but an exploration of transferable skills held by students and an opportunity for them to examine and express their ideas.

Stories from Home

This programme celebrates the cultural diversity of schools and the community. After a storytelling session children go home and tell the stories they have learnt with Graham.

They will then bring stories back to school that they have heard at home. These may be folk tales, personal tales or family tales. Tape recorders will be available to record these stories and the parents will be encouraged to come into school to tell stories to the children.
  This is a long term project working with one class at a time.

The Sacred Earth

This project uses stories from Australian aboriginals and North American natives, whose cultures relate very closely to the Earth. These are linked to environmental issues nearer home, with the students creating their own myths and their own solutions.

Exploring Story through Dance

The universal underlying themes of legends, myths and fairy stories are explored using the abstract language of dance.

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TALKING SENSE

Anti-Bullying Programme

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 Talking SENSS logo
TALKING SENSE is the highly acclaimed preventative anti-bullying programme that Graham has been running since 1996. In addition to storytelling it uses songs, games, circle time, video and conflict resolution techniques.

Talking Sense - Successful projects have taken place at these schools.

 Shaw Park Primary School
Court Park Primary School
Thorpe Park Primary School
Newlands Avenue Primary School
Sydney Smith Comprehensive School		 Fifth Avenue Primary School
Westcliffe Primary School
Weelesby Primary School
William Gee Comprehensive School for Boys

 

INSET

programmes for teachers
Children as storytellers

Strategies for developing children's storytelling.
Curriculum strategy

Using storytelling and storymaking as part of a teaching strategy across the curriculum.
Storytelling workshop

How to tell stories without the support of a book as part of the oracy and literacy programme of your class.
Storytelling and developing literacy.

Why use storytelling in school? What are the advantages for teachers and children?
Oracy

Assisting teachers to use oracy as a teaching/learning strategy.
Talking Sense

Using storytelling, songs, games,circle time, etc. as a way to reduce bullying in your school.

 Improving general classroom behaviour

Using strategies devised in Talking Sense.

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Go to Graham's home page