Hannah Need
Storytelling Assembly at Coopers Lane Primary School
My storytelling work in schools is tailor made to support oracy and literacy as I combine storytelling skills with my expertise in communication. I offer storytelling for class workshops, small storytelling groups, storytelling weeks, CPD sessions, storytime……
If you’d like to find out more, check out Storytelling for Schools
Storytelling with Acorn Book Club
Literacy Workshop at Lea Bridge Library
Literacy Workshops with Waltham Forest Libraries
To celebrate National Literacy Day I was commissioned by Waltham Forest Libraries to run a series of Literacy Workshops.
Oh, the fun we had! Turns out there were a lot of cheeky monkeys in the libraries.
I started by introducing ideas from the story through making monkey masks and designing hats. I then told, 'Monkey See Monkey Do', a wonderful tale which I adapted to work for all ages with lots of actions, call response in the dialogue and opportunities for the children to add their own ideas to the story.
We then settled down to make our books and write our stories. I had a variety of book related activities from colouring in book covers to writing a story.
A wonderful way to use storytelling to support oracy and literacy.
Check out the wonderful monkey book
Monkey See, Monkey Do by Chelsea
Storytelling, Oracy and Literacy -
the best things come in threes
During my onging residency at Merton Abbey Primary School, storytelling has gone from strength to strength. Each class receives weekly storytelling workshops with me to explore and support the class text through the oral telling and retelling of a story based on the text. Through this, the children explore and share thier ideas to build their understanding ready for writing.
For the workshops I develop oral stories to model key vocabulary, language structures and narrative styles which is achieved through collaborativre working with the class teacher where we share ideas, approaches and expertise.
'Through bringing together older langugage forms, precise vocabulary choices and carefully constructed story structure, Hannah modelled building mood and atmosphere in her oral retelling. This couldn't have been clearer than in our last seesion. The atmosphere of the story was so intense, that when Hannah finished telling the story, the children, who had been silent throughout, spontaneously burst into applause.'
Year 6 Teacher , Merton Abbey Priamry School
Beowulf Storytelling Workshops in full swing
What people say about me and my storytelling.....
‘Writing and reading standards have been very high this year and I believe the weekly intervention of Hannah’s storytelling sessions has contributed to the standard of work produced by the pupils attending her sessions’ Primary School Teacher Year 1
‘You can be more imaginative in your writing because you’ve just acted it all out in your own words.’ Year 6 Pupil
‘When I didn’t go to storytelling my writing and my stories weren’t that good. Now when I go to storytelling, I can actually do it.’ Child Year 4
‘Storytelling will continue to be an important part of our school curriculum and we would like to thank Hannah for inspiring us and working alongside us.’
Head teacher Merton Abbey Primary School
'The children in the storytelling group have become more interested in books and reading' Y2 teacher
‘I love storytelling with Hannah, we make up brilliant stories.’ Child Year 2
'Storytelling is the only time he really comes out of himself all week.' Nursery Nurse
‘I wasn’t listening and kept getting into trouble but now we have a chance to tell stories it's really helping me’ Y5 pupil
Storytelling Intervention Groups
These groups utilise storytelling to support children's communication skills, language development, confidence, narrative skills and wellbeing. In these small groups I tell a story, we discuss the story and then we retell the story. In retelling the story some children act out the story as the physicality of the story engages them, some take on the role of storyteller and others are characters in the story. The children choose their own roles and add their ideas to the story. In doing this we develop the story together.
'Small storytelling groups provide valuable opportunities for disadvantaged pupils to practise talking about and sharing their ideas before writing
them down. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make rapid gains.’
Wimbledon Park Primary School Ofsted Report
Three Little Kids and the Big Bad Dad
X asked to tell a story. He was part of a small, well established storytelling group.
His story was about three little kids who decided to build themselves a house. It was a very strong house, that didn’t have windows, a door or a chimney. The children liked living there.
One day the big bad dad came along and tried to get into the house, but he couldn’t. The big bad dad gave up and went away. The End
Reflections:
This group provided a safe space for children to share and explore their stories. X could retell his story in his own way including reinforcing the ending he wanted.
NB child protection protocols were utilised
Dancing Giants
We’d just reached the part in Jack and the Beanstalk where the giants (we had three giants) needed to go to sleep, then Jack could sneak out of her hiding place and steal something, but one giant started waving her hands around.
‘What’s happening Giant?’ I asked
‘I’m dancing, I always dance before I go to sleep’ she replied.
All the other giants stood up and danced. They then settled themselves down to sleep. Jack then sneaked out and the story continued….
Refelctions:
Encouraging the children to share their ideas and work collaboratively are integral to the groups.
The Giant shared a new idea, her love of dancing. The other children listened and accepted her idea making it part of the story, it was wonderful collaborative working and definitely a confidence boost for the giant.
Also, the girls chose to be Jack and the giants, traditional male characters. In storytelling we can explore and challenge gender sterotypes and roles.
