Engaging the Learner: The power of storytelling as a teaching tool

[Background] [Aims] [Audience] [Objectives] [Format] [Application Form]

"Stimulating session offering lots of ideas for activities with all my students with strategies for encouraging reluctant learners"
Mary Bradshaw, Lecturer, Basingstoke College of Technology

"Very useful tips on how to keep people listening"
Lisa Clarke, SFL Lecturer, Linkage Community Trust

"The idea is to be empowered – the materials provide you with a starting point"
Jan Nicholson, Surestart Librarian, Derbyshire County Council

"Inspiring, motivating and different"
Sarah Upton, Senior Development Officer / Tutor - RMBC Skills for Life, RMBC

"It has given the basis of ideas which I can adapt to suit my students"
Hiliary Gibson, Course Tutor ESOL, Leeds City College - Thomas Danby Campus

"Really captured me, inspired and enthused me"
Ann Lloyd, Business Development Manager, Working Links

Background

Reading for pleasure is an activity that many of us take for granted. Although many learners are initially interested in developing their reading skills for very practical reasons, teachers have an ideal opportunity to introduce their learners to a range of reading experiences, including fiction and non-fiction, travel writing, graphic novels - both on-screen and paper-based. The wide variety of texts available should mean that something appropriate and engaging can be found for all learners, opening up to them also the opportunity to read for pleasure.

One of the most creative ways into reading is through storytelling. Storytelling is currently undergoing a huge revival as educators everywhere are re-discovering its power as a teaching tool. Everybody loves a good story. Apart from being entertaining, a good story has the capacity to attract and hold our attention as it teaches us important lessons. Storytelling is relevant to adult learning today, because it encourages the development of emotional intelligence, cultural awareness and social inclusion.

Reading for Pleasure is a suite of resources funded by DIUS and developed by NIACE specifically for practitioners working with adults (including families). The main objective is to introduce more reading - and storytelling - into sessions. One of the resources in the suite is Storytelling, on which these events are based.

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Aims

This CPD event is especially tailored to help you engage with the storytelling resources in a stimulating and interactive environment.

This event will provide a series of activities that draw attention to the importance of storytelling as a teaching method and ways in which storytelling can be used to engage learners, leading them towards reading for pleasure. The event is delivered by a professional storyteller, who will of course interject with a range of stories, to inspire and enthuse!

Participants will be given lesson plans for four lessons and beyond, including copies of stories that can be used and details about how to access more.

NOTE: The half day session is time critical. The group will focus on 2 of the lesson plans as models, with hints and tips on how to deliver the other plans. The participation pack will contain all 4 lesson plans to take away.

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Audience

The events will be of particular interest to practitioners working in the following areas:

• Adult and Community Education Services
• Adult Education
• Colleagues working in Libraries
• Family learning
• Offender Learning
• Skills for Life
• Training providers.

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Objectives

• To develop an appreciation of the importance of stories for adult learners

• To experience first- hand the power of storytelling and practical tips on gaining and holding the attention of learners

• To introduce skills to increase rapport

• To develop skills in locating stories with relevant themes

• To develop an appreciation of the value of visiting storytellers and ways of using them effectively in the classroom

• To develop an understanding of the value of storytelling as an empathetic approach

• To develop an appreciation of using community resources

• To gain practical advice on how to get support from local libraries, the arts council and the local community.

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Format

Morning workshops

Morning workshop start with registration and tea/coffee on arrival at 9.30am and end with lunch at 12.30pm.

Afternoon workshops

Afternoon workshop start with registration and lunch at 12.30pm and end with tea at 3.30pm.

Certificate of Attendance

All participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the end of the workshop.

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For more information about Reading for Pleasure, please visit http://www.readingforpleasure.org.uk

Application Form

(For people not using the online reservation system above.)