Two-hour How-to Storytelling Marathon

 

                                      

                                                               

                                                                    By

                                       Marilyn Kinsella, Taleypo the Storyteller

                                                www.marilynkinsella.org

                                          

 

Introduction: Northland Storytelling Network

 

Goals:

• To learn “The Process”
• To “Tell a Story”
• To “Tell at a Concert”
• To “Make Storytelling a Part of Your Life”

 

Types of Stories – Literary, Original, Historical, Personal Experience, Myths

Folktales – Fairy Tales, Fables, How and Why, Trickster, Ghost, Tall Tales, Urban Legends, Legends, Noodlehead, Sacred (see Folktales from Simple to Complex)

 

Why Folktales??  Discuss.

 

The Process Demonstrated

 

1. Find a Story – Listen to live storytellers at guild meetings, special events, festivals… or listen to storytelling tapes… or watch DVDs of storytellers. Read folktales  - 398.2 adult folktale section of the library. J 398.2 juvenile section and E 398.2 picture book section. Internet – type in the name of the story and follow various searches. Finding “Chit Chat”  Shari Lewis’ One-Minute Folk Tales
2. Tell the basics “Chit Chat”
3. Demonstrate the following:

• Visualize the story with the group
• Tell about the story to self
• Make a mnemonic

·        Folded piece of paper into 8 sections

·        Story Map

·        Outline

·        Movement

4. Practice Telling – in the car, with your kids, with your class, with your guild
5. Tell “Chit Chat” – or a portion of it.

 

The Process Workshop

1.  Hand out stories

2. Read your story silently
3. Visualize it
4. Tell the story to yourself
5. Make a mnemonic with folded piece of paper

Developing Your Own Story

 

1. Using the paper tell the story to a partner
2. Put paper down – visualize the scenes – add descriptions using the senses. Tell to a partner
3. Visualize characters – add descriptions, attitude, way they carry themselves, how they walk, etc. Tell to a partner
4. Listen to your characters’ voices – rough, sweet, conniving, jerky, etc. Add more dialog by actually saying what your characters said and the reactions of the other characters. Tell to a partner
5. Look for places to add more images – esp. using the senses, emotions, asides to the audience, sound effects, audience participation. Tell to a partner

 

To Tell A Story:

 

Review positive affirmations and suggestions - Each participant tell to the whole group

 

Tell A Story at a Concert: Hopefully, we can tell stories to the day camps

 

To Make Storytelling a Part of Your Life

 

Why:

·        Entertain Kids

·        Teach a Lesson (bullying, character traits, religious)

·        Learn Speech Techniques

·        To Enhance a Lesson

·        To Give Back

·        To Be Creative

·        To Open New Doors

·        To Have That “Something Special”

·        To Challenge Yourself to Try Something New”

·        To Appreciate the Art of Storytelling

 

Where:

• At Your Job – teacher, camp counselor, business executive, librarian, youth minister, scout master, entertainer, and more
• For your family – bedtime stories, around the table, in the car, reunions
• At Guild Meetings  - Riverwind Storytellers (meetings every second Wednesday, Tellabration, Special Events)  Northland Storytelling Network,  National Storytelling Network. All of these have websites.

 

                                                           Feel free to contact me with any questions: markinsella19@hotmail.com

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