Final plenary session by Jan Blake
Jan Blake was born in Manchester of Jamaican parentage. She has an international reputation for dynamic, witty, exciting storytelling. Specialising in stories from Africa and the Caribbean, Jan is one of Europe’s leading female storytellers. She has featured at all the major storytelling festivals in the country, as well as performing, running storytelling workshops and teaching all over Europe. Jan is committed to passing on skills that can help storytellers develop their expertise.
What is a storyteller?
I've been a storyteller for 23 years, touring, performing and hopefully inspiring others to get up and tell a tale or two themselves. Yet despite what might sound an obvious job description - storyteller - there’s often confusion about what that actually means. When I tell people I'm a professional storyteller and that I perform stories for a living, I often hear, ‘What does a storyteller do then?’ So let’s explore the what, why, and how of storytelling; and in turn use this to discover how stories and storytelling can enhance your own experience and enjoyment of performing in the classroom.
6 April 2010
2 years 5 weeks
Telling and listening to stories is an age-old art that transcends time, place, person, and circumstances. Everyone loves to hear a good story! : )
In fact, stories that are well-told inspire us; make us laugh, cry, and tremble with the excitement of a newly discovered idea! Or they can give us a fresh and stimulating view of an old idea that consequently takes on another or a deeper meaning! These are the kind of stories that we all want to hear and may I say often NEED to hear!
Through storytelling you have reminded us that the “essence of communication” should not be reduced to just being the timely exchange of commercial and professional information but rather that the “essence of communication” is the exchange of a smorgasbord of ideas, culture, experience, and intimate feelings and thoughts that we often discover to be universal!
In a world full of slogans and 30-second spots you and your stories are wonderfully refreshing and offer your world-wide audiences a peek through windows they perhaps never knew existed.
Thank you for sharing your experience and stories with teachers like me who know that while a student is learning and certainly after they have learned a language they will always want and need something worthwhile to talk about! Keep the stories coming! : )
Wishing you all the best,
Shirley Marie Bradby
English_For_You
http://www.englishforyoushirley.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/English_For_You
10 April 2010
2 years 6 weeks
Thank you for all plenary session I need to participate next year I need also the plenary summary for the first day till the end bye
10 April 2010
2 years 6 weeks
congratulations for your plenary and the organation. Can you accept to come in your country to change ideas with congolese teachers
God bless you. Bye
10 April 2010
2 years 6 weeks
please I forget to sign I'm teacher of English in DRC/Congo Kinshasa
I' m Classmember in The congolese Language Supporters Society "CLASS" LUFULUABO JOELLE.
1 April 2010
2 years 5 weeks
This sounds as if it'll be absolutely fascinating.
I love stories and storytelling though so many students of every age think it's not for them.
Looking forward to this Plenary, though sadly the last. (you all must be extremely exhausted!)
Chris
18 March 2010
2 years 2 weeks
Story telling is one of those concepts that have been around in ELT for ages. However, I am still to see a well-told story and good use made of it. Will be looking forward to watching the plenary.
11 April 2010
2 years 6 weeks
I look forward to listening to the storyteller who will bring me back to the time of creative childhood when we coulkd imagine how we can catch the moon and sleep among the stars.
15 March 2010
1 year 38 weeks
Dear Jan,
Theatre has lost a great telent, but teaching has achieved one. I also believe there is moral in every story and all we have to do is listen carefully.
Thank you for for the plenary.
Ophelia
4 April 2009
2 years 5 weeks
This was a great ending to the conference - wonderful stuff! I was watching with my 8 year old son, Michael, a great story fan. If you want to watch the video from when Jan starts talking go forward to about 10.40 as the session took a while to get going. Thanks Jan for giving us some great stories.
Tilly