Telling the Tales of Shakespeare:
story, language and play in the classroom
A joint conference between
the United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA)
and The Globe Theatre
A one day conference for KS1, 2 and 3 teachers,
English Subject Leaders in Primary Schools and Heads of Departments in Secondary Schools
Date
Saturday 11th March 2017
Venue Focus on Learning, Albany Teaching and Learning Centre,
Crossgill, Washington, Tyne and Wear, NE37 1UA
With a starting point of the stories of Shakespeare, this inspirational conference will explore practical ways
of developing storytelling as a powerful tool for teaching and learning in the classroom. The programme will
include a keynote speech from Dr. Alastair Daniel (University of Roehampton). The keynote will focus on
the evidence that storytelling is a powerful and effective strategy for teaching and learning. Participants will
then attend three workshops aimed at developing teachers’ and children’s general storytelling skills, as
well as examining storytelling as a powerful way of exploring the works of Shakespeare. The workshops
will be led by highly experienced and entertaining storytellers from the world famous Globe Theatre,
Alastair Daniel (Roehampton) and Tracy Parvin (Canterbury Christ Church). Participants will be able to
attend all three workshops during the day.
Finally we will round off the day by listening to a performance by one of the superb storytellers from
the Globe, who will regale us with, and immerse us in, one of the tales of Shakespeare.
This conference is a unique opportunity for teachers to learn why storytelling is an important mode of
learning that can be incorporated across the curriculum, develop their own storytelling skills, and be
immersed in and entertained by the rich stories of Shakespeare.
Programme
09.00 - 09.30 Registration and welcome
09.30 - 10.15 Keynote speech - Dr. Alastair Daniel
In this keynote talk, Alastair draws on twelve years of storytelling Shakespeare (and
other literature) in schools in the UK and abroad. As well as the importance of children's
storytelling, he will consider the notion of the storytelling teacher, and the role that the
shared story can have in bringing language and literature to life.
10.15 - 11.30 Workshop A
11.30 - 11.45 Coffee
11.45 - 13.00 Workshop B
13.00 - 13.45 Lunch break
13.45 - 15.00 Workshop C
15.00 - 15.45 Storytelling by Globe Education Storyteller from Shakespeare’s Globe
15.45
Final Words and depart
Please see over for workshop details, cost etc.
Telling the Tales of Shakespeare:
story, language and play in the classroom
Workshops
A) Teacher Directed Storytelling
Alastair Daniel (United Kingdom Literacy Association)
In this workshop we will explore how teachers can bring Shakespeare’s stories and language to life
through participative storytelling techniques. Working with a simple narrative frame and an edited
text, the teacher, as storyteller, will be able to tell an engaging narrative of one of Shakespeare’s
stories, incorporating elements from the play’s text, but without the need to memorise
Shakespeare’s language.
B) We are all tellers of stories
Tracy Parvin (United Kingdom Literacy Association)
In this workshop we shall explore how any teacher and child might develop their own, unique
storytelling voices. Starting with our own stories and personal narratives (stories which we all know
well), we will consider how the simple yet effective use of voice, facial expression and gestures might
engage the listener. We shall also consider how this approach might also support the telling of other
well-known tales.
C) Telling Shakespeare
Globe Education Storyteller (Globe Theatre)
For younger children, stories told or heard can help them understand the world in which they live,
and allow them to transmit that understanding to others. Talk is a rehearsal for writing, and first hand
situations experienced through drama and role-play approaches provide children with the ideas and
language they need for writing. We use Shakespeare’s stories as a stimulus for developing pupils’
language skills and enhance their spiritual, moral, social, cultural development and understanding of
the world and as.
This workshop will help teachers to develop their skills and confidence to lead practical approaches
to oracy and literacy in the classroom at Key Stages 1 and 2.
Cost
£120 • UKLA members £100 • Students/NQTs/ Unwaged £60
Book and Pay securely at www.ukla.org/conferences
or contact Trish Latorre, UKLA Conference Administrator on 0116 254 4116.