Writing Workshops for Kids provide a unique opportunity for young minds to explore their creativity under the guidance of experienced children’s writers and illustrators. These workshops aim to foster an environment where children can develop their writing skills, enhance their imagination, and gain confidence in expressing themselves through words. By engaging with professional authors and artists, children are exposed to various storytelling techniques and artistic styles that inspire them to create their own narratives.
For instance, imagine a ten-year-old girl named Emily who has always dreamed of becoming a writer but struggles with finding her voice on paper. She attends a writing workshop led by an accomplished children’s author who shares insights into character development and plot structure. Through interactive activities and group discussions, Emily learns how to craft compelling stories that captivate readers’ interest. With the mentorship of the author, she gains valuable feedback on her work, which empowers her to refine her writing skills further. This case study illustrates the transformative impact these workshops can have on aspiring young writers as they discover their creative potential while receiving expert guidance from professionals in the field.
In this article, we will delve deeper into the world of writing workshops for kids, exploring how they nurture creativity, build literary skills, and instill confidence in budding young authors. We will examine the various types of writing workshops available for kids, ranging from general creative writing to genre-specific workshops like fantasy or mystery writing. We will also discuss the benefits of hands-on activities and interactive exercises that help children develop their storytelling abilities and expand their vocabulary.
Additionally, we will explore how these workshops encourage collaboration among young writers, fostering a sense of community and providing opportunities for peer feedback and support. By participating in group discussions and sharing their work with others, children learn to appreciate different perspectives and gain valuable insights into improving their writing.
Furthermore, we will highlight the role of experienced mentors in these workshops who not only provide guidance but also inspire children through their own journeys as authors or illustrators. These mentors serve as role models for aspiring young writers, demonstrating the possibilities within the world of literature and encouraging them to pursue their passion.
Lastly, we will touch upon the importance of creating a nurturing environment in these workshops where children feel safe to express themselves creatively without fear of judgment. By fostering a positive and inclusive atmosphere, writing workshops empower kids to take risks with their writing, explore new genres, and experiment with different styles.
In conclusion, writing workshops for kids offer a unique platform for young minds to explore their creativity while receiving expert guidance from experienced authors and illustrators. Through engaging activities, collaborative learning experiences, and mentorship opportunities, these workshops help children develop essential literary skills, enhance imagination, build confidence in expressing themselves through words, and ultimately discover their unique voice as writers.
The writing workshops for kids aim to provide an engaging and interactive learning experience, where children can explore their creativity with the guidance of experienced children’s writers and illustrators. The structure of these workshops is carefully designed to foster a supportive environment that encourages young participants to express themselves freely and develop their storytelling skills.
To begin, each workshop typically starts with an icebreaker activity or warm-up exercise. This initial activity serves as an opportunity for children to get to know one another and feel comfortable sharing their ideas within the group. For example, participants may be asked to introduce themselves by creating a short story about an imaginary character they have invented. This not only sparks their imagination but also helps establish a sense of camaraderie among the participants.
Following the icebreaker activity, the main part of the workshop focuses on different aspects of creative writing and illustration. Children are guided through various exercises and techniques that help them generate ideas, build characters, create vivid settings, and develop plots. These activities often involve hands-on tasks such as drawing illustrations or crafting short stories. By actively participating in these exercises, children enhance their storytelling abilities while simultaneously honing their artistic skills.
Throughout the workshop, facilitators employ a variety of teaching methods tailored specifically for younger audiences. They use visual aids, storytelling examples from popular children’s books, and interactive games to capture children’s attention and maintain their enthusiasm throughout the session. Facilitators encourage active participation by asking open-ended questions and fostering discussions among the participants.
The overall workshop structure aims to inspire children’s curiosity, ignite their imaginations, and nurture their love for creative expression. The combination of collaborative activities and expert guidance empowers young writers and illustrators to embrace their unique voices while developing essential literary skills.
- Encourages self-expression
- Fosters collaboration
- Sparks imagination
- Cultivates love for creativity
|Engaging icebreaker activities||Creates a sense of camaraderie among participants|
|Hands-on exercises in writing and illustrating||Enhances storytelling abilities and artistic skills|
|Interactive teaching methods||Captures children’s attention and maintains enthusiasm|
|Expert guidance from experienced professionals||Empowers young writers and illustrators to develop their unique voices|
In the subsequent section, we will explore the appropriate age groups for these workshops. Understanding the specific needs and interests of different age ranges ensures that each child receives an enriching and tailored learning experience.
Appropriate age groups
Building upon the previous section discussing the importance of writing workshops for kids, this section delves into the workshop structure. By examining how these workshops are organized and conducted, we can better understand the benefits they offer to young participants.
One example of a workshop structure is a series of interactive sessions led by professional children’s writers and illustrators. These experts engage with the children through storytelling, guided exercises, and hands-on activities. The aim is to foster creativity and develop essential writing skills in an enjoyable and supportive environment.
To provide further insight into the workshop structure, consider the following bullet points:
- Collaborative learning: Children have opportunities to work together on projects, fostering teamwork and communication skills.
- Personalized feedback: Participants receive individual attention from experienced professionals who give constructive criticism tailored to each child’s abilities.
- Variety of formats: Workshops may include group discussions, individual writing time, creative games, or even field trips to inspire imagination.
- Showcasing achievements: At the end of the workshop series, there might be an event where children can share their creations with family and friends.
This table provides a visual representation of some key elements within a typical workshop structure:
|Storytelling||Engaging narratives told by professionals that captivate young imaginations|
|Guided Exercises||Step-by-step activities designed to spark creativity and develop specific writing skills|
|Hands-on Activities||Interactive projects allowing children to apply what they’ve learned in practical ways|
|Guest Speakers||Visits from renowned authors or illustrators offering unique insights into their craft|
In summary, writing workshops for kids often follow a structured format involving interactive sessions led by experienced professionals. Through collaborative learning, personalized feedback, various formats of engagement, and opportunities for showcasing achievements, these workshops create an enriching experience that nurtures children’s creativity.
Transitioning smoothly into our next section, we will explore the appropriate age groups for these workshops and how they cater to different developmental stages.
Length of workshop
Age appropriateness is a crucial factor when considering writing workshops for kids. These workshops are designed to engage children in activities that promote creativity and develop their writing skills. By tailoring the content and approach to different age groups, organizers can ensure that participants benefit from the experience. For instance, let’s consider an example of how age appropriateness impacts workshop design:
Imagine a group of 6-year-old children attending a writing workshop focused on storytelling. The instructor starts by reading a picture book aloud and then encourages the children to create their own stories using drawings or simple sentences. This interactive approach captures the attention of young minds and allows them to express themselves in ways they find comfortable at this stage.
When organizing writing workshops for different age groups, it is important to consider several factors:
- Cognitive Development: Younger children may have limited vocabulary and shorter attention spans compared to older ones. Workshop activities should be adapted accordingly.
- Reading Skills: Older children who are more proficient readers might benefit from exploring various genres and analyzing texts during the workshop.
- Writing Experience: Some children may already have some writing experience while others might be beginners. Workshops should offer appropriate challenges for both types of participants.
- Interest Levels: Children’s interests vary greatly based on age, so workshops should incorporate themes and topics that resonate with each specific group.
These considerations help ensure that every child feels engaged, challenged, and motivated throughout the workshop sessions.
Working Title: Subjects Explored
In order to foster creativity among young writers, writing workshops for kids provide opportunities to explore diverse subjects. Participants get the chance to delve into various areas within literature through engaging activities guided by experienced writers and illustrators. By encouraging exploration across multiple topics, these workshops aim to broaden horizons and inspire young imaginations.
With the goal of nurturing literary curiosity ingrained in these workshops’ structure, we now turn our attention towards examining some of the subjects explored during these immersive experiences.
Exploring Creativity with Children’s Writers and Illustrators: Subjects Explored
Once participants have become familiar with the length of the workshop, they can delve into the various subjects explored during our writing workshops for kids. Through a combination of interactive activities, engaging discussions, and hands-on exercises, children will be encouraged to explore their creativity and expand their understanding of storytelling.
For instance, one subject that is often covered in our workshops is character development. Children are guided through the process of creating well-rounded characters by examining traits, motivations, and backstories. They learn how these elements contribute to compelling narratives and engage readers on an emotional level. By analyzing examples from popular children’s literature or even creating their own fictional characters, young writers gain valuable insights into crafting relatable protagonists.
The exploration of setting is another important aspect of our workshops. Participants are prompted to imagine vivid landscapes where their stories unfold. Whether it’s a bustling cityscape or a magical realm hidden within everyday surroundings, children are encouraged to utilize sensory details to bring their settings to life. This not only enhances the reader’s experience but also fosters imagination and descriptive writing skills among young authors.
- Engage in group brainstorming sessions to generate ideas collectively.
- Analyze illustrations from renowned picture books as inspiration for visual storytelling.
- Collaborate with fellow participants on joint story-writing exercises.
- Receive personalized feedback from experienced children’s writers and illustrators.
Additionally, we provide a 3-column and 4-row table below showcasing some key topics addressed during our workshops:
|Plot structure||Learn about narrative arcs and build tension throughout stories||Develop stronger storytelling abilities|
|Dialogue||Understand effective dialogue techniques in children’s literature||Improve character interactions and dialogue writing skills|
|Illustration techniques||Explore different art styles and methods for visual storytelling||Enhance visual communication and creativity|
|Editing and revision process||Gain insights into the importance of revising and editing||Refine written work through constructive feedback and self-reflection|
As children progress through our workshops, they not only expand their knowledge on these subjects but also develop a stronger foundation in creative writing. By exploring characters, settings, plot structure, dialogue, illustration techniques, as well as the editing and revision process, young participants gain valuable skills that will serve them throughout their literary journeys.
Transitioning seamlessly into the subsequent section about “Engaging activities,” we invite children to participate in hands-on exercises that bring these subjects to life. Through interactive games, collaborative projects, and imaginative prompts, our aim is to provide an engaging environment where each child can thrive creatively.
In the previous section, we discussed the various benefits of writing workshops for children. Now let’s delve into the subjects that are explored during these workshops, providing a comprehensive understanding of what participants can expect.
One subject commonly explored in writing workshops for kids is character development. Through engaging activities and exercises, young writers have the opportunity to create vibrant characters with unique personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. For example, imagine a workshop where children are tasked with developing a protagonist for their own adventure story. They would be encouraged to think deeply about their character’s traits, desires, and challenges, ultimately fostering creativity and honing their storytelling skills.
During these workshops, another key aspect frequently covered is plot structure. Children learn how to craft compelling narratives by understanding elements such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. By exploring different types of plots through interactive exercises or group discussions, participants gain valuable insights into constructing captivating stories that keep readers engaged from start to finish.
Additionally, writing workshops often focus on world-building – creating imaginary settings that serve as backdrops for stories. Whether it’s an enchanted forest or a bustling cityscape filled with futuristic technology, children are encouraged to visualize and describe detailed environments that transport readers into new worlds. This exercise not only stimulates imagination but also enhances descriptive writing skills.
To provide a visual representation of the variety of subjects explored during these workshops:
- Character Development
- Plot Structure
- Dialogue Writing
Participants engage in hands-on activities related to each topic while being guided by experienced authors and illustrators who offer invaluable advice and feedback throughout the process.
|Character Development||Plot Structure||World-Building||Dialogue Writing|
|Develop vibrant characters||Craft compelling narratives||Create imaginative settings||Learn effective dialogue techniques|
|Explore character traits||Understand plot elements||Visualize detailed environments||Enhance communication skills|
|Cultivate creativity||Engage readers throughout story||Stimulate imagination||Improve writing fluency|
By exploring these subjects in a nurturing and collaborative environment, young writers can develop essential storytelling skills that will serve them well beyond the workshop setting.
Transitioning into the subsequent section about “Skills Developed,” participants not only gain a deeper understanding of specific subjects but also acquire practical tools to enhance their overall writing abilities.
Exploring Creativity in Writing Workshops for Kids
Having engaged in various activities that foster creativity, children attending writing workshops gain valuable skills and develop their creative abilities. For instance, let’s consider a case study involving Emily, an imaginative 9-year-old who participated in one such workshop. Through interactive sessions with accomplished children’s writers and illustrators, Emily was exposed to different forms of storytelling and artistry.
One way these workshops cultivate creativity is by encouraging children to express themselves through writing and illustration. Participants are given opportunities to explore their imagination by creating original stories and bringing them to life through illustrations. By doing so, they learn how to tap into their unique perspectives and develop narratives that reflect their interests and experiences.
In addition to nurturing imagination, writing workshops for kids also help improve critical thinking skills. Through brainstorming exercises, group discussions, and constructive feedback sessions, participants learn how to analyze ideas from multiple angles and make informed decisions about the direction of their stories or artwork. This process encourages them to think critically about story structure, character development, plot progression, and other important elements of storytelling.
Moreover, participating children acquire effective communication skills as they collaborate with fellow attendees during group projects or share their work with others. They learn how to articulate their thoughts clearly when discussing ideas or providing feedback on each other’s creations. These communication skills extend beyond the workshop setting and can benefit students academically and socially.
To illustrate further the impact of these writing workshops on young minds’ emotional well-being, here is a bullet point list highlighting some notable outcomes:
- Increased self-confidence
- Enhanced self-expression
- Improved problem-solving abilities
- Strengthened sense of identity
Furthermore, the following table showcases specific benefits experienced by children who participate in these workshops:
|Enhanced Imagination||Encourages exploration of new ideas||Creating a fantastical world in a story|
|Improved Collaboration||Fosters teamwork and cooperation||Collaborating on an illustrated project|
|Boosted Creativity||Expands creative thinking beyond traditional bounds||Incorporating unconventional storytelling|
In conclusion, writing workshops for kids not only provide engaging activities but also promote the development of essential skills. Through exploring their creativity, children strengthen their imagination, critical thinking abilities, and communication skills. Additionally, these workshops have positive emotional effects by boosting self-confidence, enhancing self-expression, improving problem-solving capabilities, and nurturing a sense of identity. In the subsequent section about “Creative writing exercises,” we will delve deeper into specific techniques that encourage young writers to further develop their imaginative prowess.
Creative writing exercises
Exploring Creativity with Children’s Writers and Illustrators: Skills Developed
Building upon the foundation of writing workshops for kids, this section delves into the various skills that can be developed through these creative sessions. By fostering an environment that encourages imagination and self-expression, children’s writers and illustrators play a crucial role in nurturing young minds. Let us explore some key skills that participants can develop during these workshops.
One example of a skill that children can develop is storytelling prowess. Through engaging exercises and activities led by experienced professionals, kids learn how to construct compelling narratives. For instance, they may be given a prompt to create their own story or asked to adapt an existing tale using their unique perspective. This process not only hones their ability to craft imaginative stories but also enhances their verbal communication skills as they share their creations with others.
In addition to storytelling, writing workshops for kids help cultivate critical thinking abilities. Participants are encouraged to analyze characters, settings, and plotlines while exploring different genres within children’s literature. They learn how to identify themes and messages conveyed through stories, developing valuable analytical skills along the way. Moreover, collaborative discussions among fellow participants allow them to broaden their perspectives and think critically about diverse viewpoints presented in literature.
To further illustrate the emotional impact of these workshops, consider the following bullet points:
- Increased confidence in expressing ideas creatively
- Enhanced empathy towards fictional characters and real-life situations
- Improved problem-solving skills through narrative development
- Heightened appreciation for reading and writing as forms of artistic expression
Furthermore, interactive exercises involving both writing and illustrating provide opportunities for children to enhance their visual literacy skills alongside written expression. The combination of words and pictures allows participants to communicate complex ideas effectively while stimulating creativity from multiple angles.
The table below summarizes some additional benefits derived from participating in writing workshops for kids:
|Stimulates Imagination||Encourages children to think outside the box and create vibrant worlds through their writing and illustrations|
|Fosters Collaboration||Promotes teamwork, cooperation, and collective problem-solving in group activities|
|Cultivates Self-Expression||Provides a platform for children to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a safe and supportive environment|
|Develops Language Skills||Enhances vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and overall language proficiency|
As participants engage in these workshops, they acquire not only specific writing skills but also gain broader personal development advantages. Developing storytelling prowess, critical thinking abilities, visual literacy skills, confidence in self-expression, empathy towards others’ experiences—the benefits are manifold.
Transitioning seamlessly into the subsequent section on collaborative projects—where participants can bring together their newfound creativity—we will explore how these workshops foster collaboration among young writers and illustrators without skipping a beat.
Exploring Creativity through Collaborative Projects
Building on the foundation of creative writing exercises, another valuable aspect of our writing workshops for kids is the opportunity to engage in collaborative projects. These projects encourage children to work together, share ideas, and learn from one another while further developing their creativity and storytelling skills.
For instance, imagine a group of young writers coming together to create a collective story. Each child contributes a paragraph or two to the narrative, building upon what the previous writer has written. This exercise not only fosters collaboration but also sparks imagination as each participant adds their unique perspective and ideas to shape the story’s direction.
To provide more insight into the benefits of collaborative projects during our workshops, consider the following:
- Enhanced teamwork: Through working collaboratively, kids develop important teamwork skills such as effective communication, active listening, compromise, and problem-solving.
- Expanded creativity: By collaborating with others who have different perspectives and approaches to storytelling, children are exposed to new ideas that can help expand their own creative thinking.
- Increased confidence: Working on shared projects allows children to see their contributions valued by others, encouraging self-confidence in their abilities as writers.
- Cultivated empathy: Collaboration teaches children how to appreciate and respect diverse viewpoints and encourages them to empathize with others’ experiences.
Through these collaborative endeavors, participants gain exposure to various storytelling techniques beyond those taught directly through exercises. They learn firsthand about plot development, character arcs, dialogue construction, and pacing—all within an engaging context that nurtures both social connections and individual growth.
With an understanding of how collaborative projects benefit young writers in fostering creativity and storytelling skills alike, we now delve into exploring specific storytelling techniques employed during our workshops. From crafting compelling characters to constructing captivating plots, this next section will equip aspiring authors with invaluable tools for bringing their stories to life.
Building on the idea of fostering creativity through writing workshops, collaborative projects offer a unique opportunity for children to work alongside professional writers and illustrators. By engaging in these joint ventures, young participants can explore their imagination while learning valuable skills. In this section, we will delve into how collaborative projects promote teamwork and creative thinking among young writers.
Collaborative projects provide an avenue for children to collaborate with fellow peers as well as established professionals. For instance, let’s consider a hypothetical scenario where a group of aspiring authors come together under the guidance of an accomplished writer. They collectively create a storybook filled with original stories, which is later illustrated by talented artists. This project not only allows them to pool their ideas but also gives them exposure to various writing styles and artistic techniques. Through collaboration, children learn the importance of compromise, effective communication, and working towards a common goal.
To further understand the impact of collaborative projects on children’s development, here are some key points worth noting:
- Collaboration fosters empathy: Working collaboratively requires individuals to respect each other’s opinions and perspectives. It encourages empathy by allowing participants to appreciate different viewpoints and find common ground.
- Enhanced problem-solving abilities: Engaging in collaborative projects presents challenges that require creative solutions. Children develop critical thinking skills as they navigate through obstacles together and brainstorm innovative ideas.
- Boosts self-confidence: Contributing to a shared project helps build confidence in one’s own abilities. Seeing their ideas valued by others instills a sense of accomplishment and reinforces trust in their creative capabilities.
- Celebrates diversity: Collaborating with diverse groups exposes children to varied backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. This broadens their understanding of the world around them and promotes inclusivity.
Table showcasing benefits:
|Benefits of Collaborative Projects|
|Enhance problem-solving abilities|
In conclusion, collaborative projects provide a platform for young writers to engage in teamwork and develop their creative thinking skills. By collaborating with peers and professionals, children learn the value of empathy, enhance problem-solving abilities, boost self-confidence, and celebrate diversity. These experiences lay the foundation for further exploration in storytelling techniques.
Transition into the subsequent section about “Visualization exercises”:
Furthermore, alongside collaborative projects, visualization exercises play a crucial role in nurturing creativity within young minds. Through these exercises, children can refine their ability to vividly imagine scenes and characters as they embark on their writing journey.
Exploring Storytelling Techniques: Unleashing the Power of Imagination
Now, let us explore further strategies to nurture creativity in children through writing workshops.
One effective approach is encouraging collaboration among young participants. By working together on a shared story, kids learn the importance of teamwork and gain inspiration from each other’s ideas. For instance, during a recent workshop, children were divided into groups and tasked with creating a mystery tale. They brainstormed plot twists, characters, and settings collaboratively, resulting in an engaging narrative that showcased their collective imagination.
To foster creativity even more deeply, visualization exercises can be incorporated into the workshops. These activities prompt children to imagine vivid scenes in their minds and then put those images onto paper through drawing or descriptive writing. Through this process, kids develop their ability to visualize stories before putting pen to paper, enhancing their overall storytelling skills.
The impact of these techniques on children’s creative growth cannot be overstated:
- Increased self-expression: Writing workshops provide a platform for young individuals to express themselves freely without fear of judgment.
- Enhanced problem-solving abilities: Collaborative storytelling encourages critical thinking as children navigate challenges within their narratives.
- Improved communication skills: Engaging with peers allows children to practice articulating their thoughts effectively.
- Boosted confidence: As they see their ideas taking shape and receive positive feedback from instructors and fellow participants, children become more confident in their creative abilities.
Moreover, incorporating character development into writing workshops helps young writers bring life to their stories. In the subsequent section, we will delve into methods for crafting well-rounded characters that readers can connect with emotionally. By exploring various facets of characterization such as personality traits and motivations, budding authors can create compelling protagonists who drive captivating narratives forward.
By adopting these proven techniques and emphasizing collaborative learning environments in Writing workshops for kids, we can unleash the power of imagination and nurture a lifelong love for storytelling in young minds.
Exploring Creativity through Visualization Exercises
Building upon the foundation of visualization exercises, this section delves into the crucial aspect of character development in children’s writing workshops. By encouraging young minds to tap into their imagination and explore various facets of characters, participants can enhance their storytelling abilities.
To illustrate the significance of character development, let us consider a hypothetical case study: Sarah, an 8-year-old workshop participant, was tasked with creating her own protagonist for a short story. Through guided exercises and prompts provided by experienced writers and illustrators, Sarah embarked on a journey to bring her character to life. She envisioned Kate, a brave explorer who possessed an unwavering curiosity about mysterious lands. As Sarah developed Kate’s backstory and personality traits during the workshop sessions, she discovered how these elements intertwined to shape her character’s motivations and actions within the narrative.
During character development workshops like these, several key benefits emerge:
- Empathy cultivation: Participants learn to empathize with their characters’ experiences and emotions.
- Enhanced creativity: Imagining unique attributes for each character fosters creative thinking.
- Storytelling skills improvement: The process encourages participants to construct engaging narratives around their characters.
- Personal growth: Exploring different perspectives through characters helps develop self-awareness.
As demonstrated in Table 1 below, workshops that focus on visualization exercises combined with character development offer numerous advantages for children:
|Empathy cultivation||Encourages understanding of others’ feelings|
|Enhanced creativity||Promotes out-of-the-box thinking|
|Improved storytelling skills||Develops ability to create compelling narratives|
|Personal growth||Enhances self-reflection capabilities|
Table 1: Key Benefits of Workshops Focusing on Visualization Exercises and Character Development
In summary, by actively participating in workshops that emphasize visualization exercises alongside character development activities, children are able to cultivate empathy, enhance their creativity, improve their storytelling skills, and experience personal growth. Transitioning into the subsequent section about enhanced imagination, participants will explore how these elements contribute to creating vibrant worlds within children’s writing.
Next Section: Enhanced imagination
Transitioning from the previous section on character development, we now delve into how writing workshops for kids can enhance their imagination. Through engaging with experienced children’s writers and illustrators, young participants are encouraged to explore their creativity through various activities and exercises.
One example of an activity that fosters enhanced imagination is “Story Starters.” In this exercise, each child is given a prompt or opening sentence and tasked with developing a unique story based on the provided beginning. By allowing their imaginations to run wild, children learn how to think critically and creatively as they craft their narratives.
- Encourages out-of-the-box thinking
- Promotes problem-solving skills
- Develops storytelling abilities
- Inspires originality
These workshops provide a structured environment where children can freely express themselves while learning valuable skills. Through collaboration with other participants and guidance from professional writers and illustrators, young minds are nurtured in an atmosphere that promotes open-mindedness and imaginative exploration.
In addition to Interactive Activities like “Story Starters,” another effective tool utilized in writing workshops are brainstorming sessions. These sessions often involve group discussions or individual reflection time, encouraging participants to think divergently and generate multiple ideas or perspectives. To illustrate the impact of such collaborative efforts, consider the following table:
|Benefits of Brainstorming Sessions|
|Increased idea generation|
|Boosted confidence levels|
By incorporating both active engagement through activities like “Story Starters” and fostering collaborative environments during brainstorming sessions, these writing workshops offer invaluable opportunities for children to expand their imaginative horizons.
Through participation in writing workshops facilitated by skilled authors and illustrators, children not only develop creative thinking but also acquire essential life skills that extend beyond the realm of storytelling. These workshops foster a sense of self-expression, build confidence, and encourage empathy, ultimately shaping young minds to become well-rounded individuals capable of navigating various challenges they may encounter in their personal and academic lives.


Mr Keeler Grade 3 (June 2021)
Daily Talks Activities
Throughout Grade 3 our students have taken part in various activities for ‘Daily Talks’. These activities are designed to develop the students’ confidence in speaking English to an audience. The level of preparation and support can decrease slightly over time as the students grow in confidence; from the initial use of a writing plan through to independently talking for one minute about any topic the student wishes to discuss. Let’s take a look at the steps the students took in the development of their ‘Daily Talks’.
Our initial focus for most students was to develop their voice projection in order for them to be heard clearly by their audience. The students presented their writing plans to the class and discussed what they would be writing about in their Journal book. As the content was familiar to the students and much of it could simply be read from the plan, it provided them with an opportunity to focus on speaking loudly and clearly without having to think too much about what they would say.
Once the students had more experience with speaking in English to an audience, many of them grew in confidence and were able to use other prompts including pictures, PPT games and open-ended questions to base their speech on. During these activities, the teacher continued to demonstrate ways to use body language to help make the speeches more interesting and engaging for the audience.
Ms Marit Grade 3 (June 2021)
In grade three, during the second semester, the students learned how to write a three paragraph story. The students of 3.1 wanted a challenge so we focused on Narrative Writing. The topic for their narrative writing story was “My Fun Trip”. The students were able to follow the writing process in order to write interesting and unique stories about their “Fun Trip”.
First, the students were asked about a fun trip that they had been on in the past. They saw an example of a Brainstorm Word Web and proceeded to write their own word web. Next, the students took their ideas from their Word Web page and wrote a more detailed writing plan in their Narrative Planner.
The students were able to see an example of a Narrative Planner and followed the procedures to write their own. The Narrative Planner included writing ideas for 5 paragraphs. They had to write an Introduction, Beginning, Middle, End paragraph (with supporting details), and a Conclusion.
After the completion of their planner, students wrote a Narrative Rough Draft using the information from their planner. They were encouraged to use transition and sequence words in order to help their essays flow better for readers.
Then, the students used their knowledge of grammar and phonics to edit their Narrative Rough Draft. Finally, they were ready to write their Narrative Final Essay. During the writing process, they were reminded to write neatly, indent each paragraph, and pay attention to details. Their final essays showed that they have the ability to focus on a challenge and achieve their goals.
Mr Brian Grade 3 (June 2021)
Throughout the school year the students in 3.3 do a variety of theme classes. These include Math, Social Studies and Science. In this article we are looking at the lifecycle of a frog. For this theme class we used a variety of resources; video, PPT and Origami paper.
Firstly we looked at a PPT describing the frog’s lifecycle. After each slide we gave the students opportunity to raise questions they had, and also to give the students the chance to tell us what they know about frogs. We encourage the students to express their own ideas during these theme classes. The students received a lot of information through the PPT.
Next step was a fun activity, we asked the students to watch a video on how to make a frog using Origami paper. The students watched the video all the way through, then they started to make the frogs watching the video a second time. The video was paused at each part to allow students time to fold each section of the paper. As we went through the process of making the frogs, the teacher was kind enough to lend a helping hand.
Finally the frogs were made, and the students had time to admire and play with their creations.
This fun activity helped to motivate students and keep their interest while learning about the Frogs.
Mr Matthew Grade 3 (June 2021)
It’s Time to Learn About… Time!
In Grade Three, we have been busy learning about time. As time is an everlasting concept that dictates a lot of what we do in our daily lives, it is extremely important to understand! Our three class goals were to learn new English vocabulary related to time, develop the ability to understand and orally communicate common time-related phrases and most importantly, have fun!
We began by reviewing words such as ‘o’clock’ and ‘half past’ by brainstorming and discussing things we do at ‘x o’clock’ and ‘half past x’. We then moved on to learn about the concepts of splitting an analogue clock face in half to visualize ‘past’ and ‘to’, and then quarters to visualize ‘o’clock’, ‘quarter past’, ‘half past’ and ‘quarter to’. We drew diagrams of clock faces split into quarters and practised identifying when and how to use the aforementioned phrases. Next, we watched a short video to reinforce what we had learnt and then created our own clocks to further support our understanding of these concepts.
Once we had finished learning the new time-related words and how to use them, we got into groups and played a game matching 12- and 24- hour times. It was a lot of fun and we felt comfortable practicing our skills with our peers! We also had optional activities set up during break times which gave us the opportunity to extend our learning. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience learning about time!
Mr Jon Grade 3 (July 2021)
Reviewing Irregular Verbs
Much like our multiplication tables in Math, irregular verbs in English are just something we have to learn and remember, there are few, if any rules that can help us to do this. So in grade three throughout the year we continuously practice, review, sing and practice again until our students achieve their goals.
A typical review class will begin by refreshing the students’ knowledge in a fun and familiar way by singing the ‘Learn, Learn, Learn, My Irregular Verbs’ song. This is a very addictive and memorable song and highly recommended by the grade 3 teachers as something than can be sung at home too!
We then will play a game that incorporates both visual learning and speaking practice. The students get excited and engaged with this style of reviewing as they can work in teams and score points to win rewards.
Final part of the class is allotted to consolidation, as writing is important to help retain what the students have learned. Initially fun worksheets are used and completed using different coloured pencils. The students can still work together discussing which irregular verb answer is correct. After this is completed, the students write short stories in their journals using as many of the irregular past tense verbs that they can remember.
The idea of review class to for the students to have fun whilst learning and remembering this very important part of the English language.
Mr. John Grade Three Class (December 2019)
Learning About Present Simple Tense
In Grade Three we have been learning about the Present Simple tense for two weeks. We use the Present Simple tense when an action is happening right now, or when it happens regularly. We first looked at a few clips on YouTube/ Brainpop, these short clips are specifically made with English Second Language Learners in mind.
We checked for understanding by having a classroom discussion. The students were asked to give example sentences using random words selected from both verb cards and subject/pronoun cards. We further consolidated this learning by constructing and writing down a ‘Present Simple Tense table’, that included affirmative, negative and question forms.
In the second period we played a refresher ‘jeopardy’ game, which tested all forms of Present Simple Tense and got the students excited as it involved team points and rewards. We then did a reading, recognizing and writing activity. The students read through our classroom library books and identified six examples of sentences that were using the Present Simple Tense form. They then finalized their learning by independently writing two sentences in each form (affirmative, negative and question) in this tense. This work was completed on separate lined paper and illustrated with drawings about their sentences and then displayed in the classroom. The students worked very hard, learned a lot, and had fun doing their creative writing in the present simple tense!
Mr. Jeff’s Grade Three (December 2019)
Am, Is, Are
In Grade Three we have been learning about the helping verbs are, is, am, was, and were for two
weeks. Helping verbs are important in grammar because it helps tell others what someone is doing at that moment. We use these helping verbs every day in our vocabulary, but sometimes get confused
and use them incorrectly. So, to reintroduce the students to these helping verbs I showed the students how to form a sentence using subject and predicate. First, I gave the students ideas of what
a subject of a sentence is. It is a person, place or thing. Then, I asked the students to name nouns for me to begin the sentence.
Next, we moved to our helping verbs. The students chose what helping verbs to use in the sentence depending on what the subject was. The students then finished the sentence with the predicate. The predicate of the sentence always has a verb. The students were able to make up the sentence with whatever verb they wanted to add to the sentence.
In the final step the students wrote a story using the helping verbs. The students made up a story using the all the students names at their table. First, they had to write a rough draft of the story. Once the rough draft was perfect, they then wrote their story onto color paper as nicely as they could. The students had a fun time making up their make-believe stories and working as a group to finish this assignment. The students came up with some very creative stories!
Mrs. Marit Grade Three (November 2019)
This week the students learned about what it means to be “thankful”. First, the students were briefly presented with information about Thanksgiving in the U.S.A, which falls annually on the fourth Thursday of November. During this time each group took turns reading examples of what it means to be “thankful”, and also looked at pictures to help with understanding. Next, the students watched a short video clip of a third grade class in the United States telling about what they are thankful for.
After the video, the students were asked what the students in the video were thankful for. Following the video, students were asked to brainstorm what they are thankful for, so we drew a word web on the board with a few examples. Then, the children worked in groups to come up with their own word web about what they are thankful for. Each group had 5 minutes to brainstorm on their whiteboards. After the 5 minutes were up, each group presented and spoke about what they are thankful for.
Our next activity was writing about what they are thankful for. First, we reviewed the work sheet categories: people, places and things. Next, the students used a lined worksheet titled, “What I am thankful for”, and had to use their neat handwriting to write, “I am thankful for ______because________. During our “Being Thankful” activities, students learned the meaning of the word “thankful”. They also learned how to use “thankful” while speaking and writing.
Mrs. Ashley's Grade 3 Class (November 2019)
Grade 3 classes have been learning about measurement, centimeters, meters, and kilometers. The students learned that centimeter is used to measure smaller objects such as pencils and books, while meter is used to measure bigger objects such as a door, and the classroom floor. Kilometers are used to measure distance. For example, the distance from Guangzhou to Shanghai is 1,434 kilometers. We played a game where the students looked at a picture and had to shout out whether we would measure with centimeters, meters, or kilometers.
The second part of the lesson was more hands on. The students worked with a partner. Using a sheet of paper, they made a chart labeling centimeters, meters and kilometers. The students measured four items using centimeters, two to four items using meters, and then picked two places for kilometers. Drawing and labeling pictures of the items measured in centimeters and meters. They also drew pictures of cities for kilometers. Students chose one item and wrote a sentence. For example one group measured a finger, drew a picture of the finger, labeling and write a sentence. “The finger is 5cm.”
For the last part of our project, each pair of students presented their chart to the class, reading the sentences that they wrote. This project allowed the students to learn about different types of measurement, as well as incorporate writing and speaking into their project. It allowed the students to use rulers using centimeters and meter sticks to measure items in the class. The students enjoyed this project.
Mr. Matthew's Grade 3 Class (November 2019)
A Talkative Bunch
Every day in Grade 3, students participate in an activity called ‘daily talks. This activity requires students to stand in front of their peers and speak about topics in English for one minute. The purpose of daily talks is to develop each student’s ability to communicate in spoken English.
Every daily talk is a formative assessment, which allows the teacher to listen and identify strengths and areas of improvement for each student. The teacher will frequently model a daily talk, demonstrating positive body language, proper voice projection, well-sequenced ideas and correct sentence structure. This explicitly reinforces the daily talks’ success criteria for all students.
Students are allowed to use an English plan or a stimulus picture for their daily talk, or they can choose to have no assistance. The aim is to cater to each student’s individual ability without affecting their confidence. At the end of a daily talk, the teacher will ask questions to the class about the topic. This ensures all students are engaged in the activity, even if they are not talking. To finish the daily talks session, the teacher will praise all participants and discuss things that were positive and things that can be improved with the whole class.
Mr. Jeff's Grade 3 Class (June 2019)
In our Grade 3 classes we have been learning about Irregular verbs for the last two weeks. Irregular verbs are different than regular action verbs because when you use irregular verbs in the past tense form, the spelling changes. Irregular verbs are verbs you need to remember because they are not the same as the other normal verbs that end in “ed” when used in past tense form. To reinforce how to use irregular verbs we did many activities to help the students understand how and when they are used.
First, we put different nouns on the board in three different categories future, present and past tense. We did this so students can know how to use these verbs in a sentence using correct grammar. Next, the students searched in their guided reading books to find 10 irregular verbs. This was done so students can again see how to use the irregular verbs correctly in sentences using correct grammar. Then we had the students use the white boards so they can practice using irregular verbs in sentences.
In the final step of our irregular verbs unit the students worked in small groups to create posters about Irregular verbs for us to hang in the classroom. Each small group wrote a sentence and the group picked the best sentence. The students worked together to write the sentence and draw big, colorful pictures of examples of the sentence. During this activity I heard all of the students speaking English and using verb and irregular verbs. The students worked very hard, learned a lot, and had fun creating Irregular Verbs Posters for us to hang in class!
Mr. Charlie’s Grade 3 Class (May 2019)
Who Was? They Were?
Recently in our Grade 3 English classes we practiced how to properly use the words “was” and “were” in English sentences. When you have a singular noun you use the word “was,” and when your noun is plural you use the word “were.” But, there are some subtle tricks and exceptions, and the students did very well with them.
First, we looked at a PowerPoint together as a class and completed some simple fill in the blank sentences using “was” and “were.” After that, we made a T-chart on the whiteboard and gave examples of nouns that are paired with “was” or “were,” paying close attention to the more tricky examples. Following the T-chart we went on a word hunt in our classroom library books. Students looked for “was” and “were” sentences in the classroom books, and when the students found one they wrote it down to share with their table groups.
Next we shared our “was” and “were” sentences at our table groups. The students then used these examples to generate their own “was” or “were” sentence as a table group. After they generated their sentence the students they wrote it on poster paper and drew a big, colorful, detailed pictures to accompany the sentences they created. In the end, we had 12 wonderful “was” and “were” posters to hang in our class to help us remember our grammar work. Great job everyone!
Mr. Jon’s Grade 3 Class (May 2019)
In our class, we have been learning about prepositions. Prepositions are an important part of the English language. Prepositions tell us about movement, direction, location and time. To reintroduce the students to prepositions (in Grade 2 the students were taught the more simple prepositions such as ‘on, in, up, out’) we watched some educational child centered clips from the Internet and Brainpop.
We played a game with a football, where two volunteers were told, where to place the balloon; (‘Place the football ON her head.’ etc.). Then, we played games to introduce new prepositions (used for time, movement etc.). The games included a class scavenger hunt, where students could help each other using prepositions to say where they found the cards. We also played Preposition Bingo, which was fun too! The students then filled in a table, by finding prepositions, from the ‘Pirate Card’ sentences projected on the screen, rewards were given as incentives.
Finally, the students worked in pairs to create posters about Prepositions for us to hang in the classroom. Each pair was asked to draw pictures showing an example from each of the four groups of prepositions (time, location, movement and direction). They then wrote a sentence to describe their drawings. As the students were not allowed to write the same sentence under each picture, this activity elicited lots of spoken English, talking about different ways to use prepositions in sentences. The students worked very hard, learned a lot, and had fun creating the posters!
Ms. Katie’s Grade 3 Class (May 2019)
Delivering Daily Talks
Our classes have been doing daily talks most of the year. This enables every student to talk in front of the class at least once a week. There is a process we use to help the students to be able to speak freely and fluently.
The students are first taught how to greet a group of people by introducing themselves and saying a greeting. eg. Good Morning or Good Afternoon. The teacher uses a video to show them how it should be done. It shows Charlie Brown very nervous and despondent then at the end he is very happy with himself after he is guided how to talk in front of the class. The students are taught to have eye contact with their audience and just use their notes as a reference and not read sentences.
Grade 3 parents would be aware that this is part of their homework every week, which has an area for the topic, where, when, how, what and why. These notes are used if they are applicable to the topic they are talking about. When the students are talking, the teacher assesses them on: volume, clarity of speech, if they stay on topic and their fluency, for the appropriate time which is 1 minute. The students also get gentle feedback on their talk to help them improve.
As the students advance and gain more confidence in standing up and delivering a talk to the class, we start brainstorming adjectives and adverbs to make their talk or story more interesting. Another activity is when a 4 panel colored story is shown on the screen and the students have to come out to the front of the class and tell the story and try their best to add adjectives and adverbs. As a result over the year, many of the students have gained more confidence as well as extending their sentences during the speaking process. Well done to them!
Mr. Jon's Grade 3 Class (Jan 2018)
In our class, we have been taking a layered approach to our weekly guided writing class. The process begins with a specially designed homework sheet which is taken home at the weekend. The idea of this sheet is that each student selects the topic they want to write about in class the next week, in the more relaxed and sometimes inspiring environment of their own homes. The student fills in the question word prompts with 1-3 word answers, and then having thought more on the topic, complete the key ideas or vocabulary reminder section. The students has now engaged with the idea of what they will be writing about and partly planned the outline as well. When asked to write a 80-100+ word piece, they are not only ready and willing, they also have a prompt sheet to assist them.
All our writing is done in the journals, along with these, we also use mini- boards and markers in the guided writing class. The white boards are another important part of the process. Students are not allowed to ask how to spell words in our class, they must try to invent the spelling first on their white boards. They then hold the boards above their heads, allowing the teacher or TA to acknowledge a correct spelling or move to write a correct spelling on the students white board.
This greatly increases the student’s phonic awareness and decreases the noise level during the writing exercise. It’s also something fun for the students to enjoy doing during what could be a mundane task. With the students using their prompt sheets, our minimum word expectation level has been set at 80, but most students are now comfortably writing 120-140 words. Normal reward systems are used, including tickets and table points, but also bonus ‘candies’ are given to the top 5 efforts of the week.
These encourage the students that don’t write so well, to always try as best they can. Finally it is important to point out another layer of this process to the guided writing class. The student’s homework sheet is designed to be used as both a prompt sheet for writing as well as a preparation and rehearsal sheet for each student’s weekly speech. These are done on an individual basis in 3.5 on the same topic the student is writing about. Our students are really becoming better writers by planning their writing before they start!
Mr. Charlie's Grade 3 Class (Jan 2018)
Partner Interviews: My Home & My Family
In our class we have been discussing and reviewing all of the members of our family and the proper English vocabulary for their names. One of the ways we did this was to interview each other with our English Family Survey. Every student was given an English Family Survey sheet with questions to ask our classmates. Some of the questions included “How many people are in your family?” and “What does your family like to do on the weekend?”
Every student was partnered up with a classmate at their table. First, “partner A” would ask all the survey questions to “partner B” in English. When “partner B” answered the questions using their English skills “partner A” would write down all of their answers in English. Next, the students switched roles and “partner B” asked the same set of questions to “partner A” and wrote down all of their answers.
After everyone finished interviewing four or five people, the class came back together so we could all learn more about each other. Some of the partners volunteered to come to the front of the class and tell us about each other. Again, “partner A” would tell us all about “partner B” using their best English, and then we would switch where “partner B” would tell the class all about “partner A” using their best English too.
The class did a great job listening carefully to their friends while they were speaking in front of the class, which gave them a great opportunity to understand more about each other!
Ms. Ashley's Grade 3 Class (Jan 2018)
Family Tree Fun
In our class, we have been having fun leaning about family and making family trees. We talked about the vocabulary words for each member of the family. Some of the words we discussed were mom, mother, mum, dad, father, grandfather, grandpa, grandma, grandmother, uncle, aunt, cousin, brother, and sister. We talked about how there are different ways to say different family members. We also looked at a video clip on whom and where you put family members on a family tree. The students then created their own family trees. They started by drawing lines and placing family members in order. After laying out their family tree in pencil and labeling each family member on their family tree, the students then had to draw pictures of and color in their family members. It was fun and interesting to see how well done the Family Trees turned out.
The second part of the project was for the students to write two paragraphs describing their family. The students were asked to describe the family members they live with. They also wrote about where they live. We discovered that some students live in apartments, while other students live in houses. Some students described the town or area where they live. Other students described their other homes that they have. The students did a great job writing about their families.
The last part of our project was for each student to present their family tree and read their essay about their families. The students loved hearing about each other’s families. This activity gives each student a glimpse into one another’s lives.
Mr. Katie's Grade 3 Class (Dec 2017)
Measurement in Our Lives
In our class we discussed and looked at how to measure things and distances. We learnt measurement terms in English vocabulary such as; centrimetre, metre and kilometre. We also learnt their abbreviations. eg. centimetre = cm, metre = m and kiolmetre = km.
We looked at which unit to measure in for distance, length and width. For example measuring large distances as in Shanghai to Chongqing, we would use kilometers (km). For smaller things we use metres and centimetres. The students also learnt how to measure distance on a map with a ruler using a scale. They measured the distances between Chongqing, Shanghai and Tianjin.
We played a game from a Power Point on which unit to choose for measuring. The students looked at the picture then had to whisper to their team which unit would be the best to use. Sometimes there was conflict, but most of the time they got the answers right.
We then did a worksheet where they had to measure different things in the classroom, such as books, doors, width of the classroom, pencils table and height of their team members. They used tape measures and metre rulers to help them. We also converted centimeters to metres. eg. If someone was 151cm we worked it out to be 1.51m. The students really enjoyed measuring things and each other in the classroom activity. They did a great job.
Mr. T's Grade 3 Class (Dec 2017)
How to Use Sequences
We often use the words: first, next, then, after that, before, finally, at last, and near the end without thinking about their context. These are important time order words that indicate the passage of time and a sequence of events. In our class, we read two stories to the students to teach how the passage of time and the sequence of events are important to a story or in writing a paragraph.
The first story we read was Henny Penny. Henny Penny thinks the sky is falling and then there is a familiar sequence of events that’s follows Henny Penny’s foolish idea. She meets Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey, Goosey Lucy and Foxy Locksie. Using the white boards and markers, we followed the sequence of events to the end of the story until finally the birds ended up in the stomach of Foxy Locksie. The student had fun writing sentences and the rhyming names of the characters from the story.
We read the second story The Three Billy Goats Gruff and looked at the sequence of events as the goats crossed the bridge to the other side of the river. We used the white boards to write sentences in the correct to show how the goats got by the troll under the bridge. Students wrote in their journals about these stories following a sequence of events. As a variation on the story some students wrote how the story would have been different if an apple fell on Henny Penny’s head or how the story would have turned out if she had met the king before she met Foxy Locksie. Other students wrote stories how the sequence of events would have change if Big Billy Goat went first and rammed the troll into the river. Students learned rhyming words, new vocabulary and gained some knowledge and understanding that every story has a time order and sequence of events.


The story and the recording
“The narrator—although the name itself is so familiar to us—is by no means present to us in his living activity. He is, to us, something distant and still receding,” wrote Walter Benjamin in his 1936 essay on Nikolai Lesskov.1 Benjamin believed that the skill of oral storytelling ceased to exist in modern societies due to the changes in communication, which replaced the story delivered by the narrator with information provided by the press. “Encounters with people who can actually tell a story become ever more seldom,” he wrote. “Embarrassment tends to be ever more common in a group when someone wishes for a story. It is as if the ability that seemed so inalienable to us, so trusted, was taken away.”
Just as Benjamin was writing his essay on Lesskov, Milman Parry and Albert Lord were carrying out fieldwork in the present-day Bosnia, which revolutionized the understanding of oral literature, and also left a deep mark on the ethnomusicology of the 20th century. Parry and Lord’s purpose was to prove that Homeric epics could be passed on from generation to generation by means of oral tradition, thanks to various mnemonic devices developed by “professional” “storytellers” of the oral communities. With the help of special recording equipment,2 the researchers recorded the possibly most distinguished living “narrators” of the oral culture, first and foremost Avdo Međedović, whom they called the “Yugoslavian Homer.” “He is our present-day Balkan Singer of Tales,” Lord wrote about Međedović in the preface to his most important book.3
Parry and Lord created a new communication situation, where a preliterate community story was now functioning on a medium that belonged to the Information Age. Recording of Međedović’s stories proved not only that it was possible to create complex epics within oral literature, but also that modern media could do justice to their specific character. It was Richard Bauman who gave this phenomenon the most thought, assigning to it the performance category. In his opinion, storytellers were primarily performers, who conveyed the literary content with regard to specific circumstances and specific audience.4 If we were to analyze such an approach, the audio recording of narrating a story acquires the unstable status of registering a performance.
The performer and his speech
Willem de Ridder knows much about different kinds of audiences and the relation the performer establishes between the audience and themselves. He performed and participated in Fluxus concerts (performing the informal function of the “chairman of Fluxus for Northern Europe”); he released records, tapes and avant-garde pornographic magazines; he designed installations, he ran art galleries and clubs, and he hosted radio programs. He used a variety of media, but his raw material of choice was always the word and its diverse forms. De Ridder is someone like a Međedović of the neo-avant-garde period—although he might use any given medium, the form remains the same: a story.5 First and foremost, de Ridder has been spinning an autobiographic tale and navigating the sea of various projects, organizations, institutions, events and auditions he has established, organized, or hosted, for years. The chronology of his story might be unclear—it is characterized by the peculiar “mythical” time of storytellers—the phrases repeated in interview after interview, text after text, create an extra-temporal, mnemonic structure of this story.
However, it is possible to identify a significant turn in de Ridder’s work, although it is more of a process than a fixed point in time: in the 70s, the cassette tape began to grow in importance in his work. With the spread of the tape, de Ridder became a “tape artist,” carrying out experiments to test its potential for performance, radio art, independent art press, and various music forms. During the peak of popularity of the tape in the 80s, he aimed to create new cultural practices around it, by means of referring to the ideals of the radical art of the 60s: participation, interactivity, blurring the line between art and life.
De Ridder’s initial contact with the tape was supposedly connected to his work in radio. In the early 70s, when he was living in Los Angeles, he used tapes to remotely host the weekly program Radio Cadillac in the Dutch public radio NOS.6 At the beginning of the following decade (1980–1982), he used this experience and expanded the idea in the VPRO radio, hosting the program De Radiola Improvisatie Salon (he was living in Netherlands at that time), which consisted of playing tapes sent to the studio by the audience. De Ridder, as the host, opened the envelopes with tapes on air and played them in no particular order. The aim of the program was to provide the minimum time of 5 minutes to anyone who had mailed some material.7
The program became the catalyst for the development of the raising Dutch tape underground. Independent artists, recording the most bizarre works at home, sent in their materials, including the sounds of the electronic music trends of that time (from synthesizer music to proto-noise and industrial). The popularity of the program was so great that de Ridder could publish tape medleys under the Radiola Label and organize a series of concerts, during which anyone with their own tape could become a part of the show, if they were ready to appear on stage in some manner or other. On the other hand, the program became a space for those who created experimental music at home to find out about each other’s existence: for the hometaping scene to come into being, a program that united the dispersed bedrooms was necessary.8)
The arrival of the tape made it possible for people like de Ridder to give voice to the audience, to change the relation between the listener and the host, and to increase the interactive aspect of the radio. The tape magazine Spiral, which de Ridder produced together with Andrew McKenzie (Hafler Trio) between 1989 and 1990, could be regarded as an extension of this concept of “giving voice.” The series of twelve tapes, published monthly, constituted a year’s issue of this exceptional magazine, which contained various archive materials, and the occasional sounds of the interludes recorded by the publishers (in the early Hafler Trio style). Obviously, Spiral did not come into existence in isolation: in 1974, Audio Arts, established by Barry Barker and William Furlong, already existed. What makes Spiral different is the two subjects that link all issues: on the one hand, the search for alternative lifestyles in the contemporary society, and on the other, the matter of controlling the audience through sound. The provocative mix tapes, which heralded Steve Goodmann’s approach to sound, could contain muzak, taped hypnosis sessions and documentaries on anti-nuclear movements in one medley.
The matter of controlling the listeners through voice is the key problem of de Ridder’s experiments, which converged theater, performance, happening, radio art and tapes. One of the Radio Cadillac tapes supposedly contained instructions for simultaneous masturbation.9 The success of the provocative participatory program prompted de Ridder to develop paratheatrical experiments, based on improvisation guided by spoken instructions. For this purpose, de Ridder used his radio programs creating participatory happenings, in which the listeners could co-perform.10 The pattern designed for radio programs could be employed in new ways as the portable audio cassette players became more common. De Ridder developed this formula by developing “audio tours,” a tape variation of soundwalks, and “Audio Directed Personal Theater,” an earlier version of the radio happenings used mainly in art galleries and museums, in which he prepared different instructions for individual participators. An example of this is The Walk, organized in 1981, in collaboration with the Amsterdam Art Centre De Appel. According to the taped instructions, it was supposed to go on for three days. The best example of de Ridder’s tape performance is Walkman Piece (1994), in which four people carry out different commands they hear in their headphones (for example “get on the chair,” “sit down,” “spin the chair,” “start laughing”). Experimenting with such application of tapes, de Ridder prepared Walkman Scores for professional musicians and Cassette Safari, which was to be played in a car, not unlike the radio happening De Grote Oto Derby, which took place on the night between 18th and 19th August, 1978, and where he instructed the audience to get into their cars and led them from Amsterdam to the small city of Hardewijk through a number of towns.11
The success of de Ridder’s experiments resulted from providing the audience with space for improvisation: the “tape plays,” which he created, relied on spontaneity of performance coming from the prior ignorance of the instructions and no rehearsal. The way in which he seduced the audience with his voice and his story was equally important. He builds his relation with the audience by means of controlling the listeners’ emotions, going from terror to humor and from intimacy to irony. He can be considered a contemporary master of verbal performance. It is, however, a peculiar performance, intended as a mediated show. The voice in this case becomes the medium of the performer’s presence.
In his reflections on experiments on recording the speech of performers in the 70s, LaBelle used a quote from Walter Jackson Ong, the author of the so called “orality/literacy theory, as a starting point:” “[t]o apprehend what a person has produced in space—a bit of writing, a picture—is not at all to be sure that he is alive. To hear his voice is to be sure.”12 The immanently uncanny nature of the recorded human voice became the subject of sound experiments supported by the rapidly developing psychoanalysis. The subject of de Ridder’s radio experiments, as well as the later Spiral, suggests that he was equally aware of the peculiar nature of the influence of the human voice, analysed numerous times by Vito Acconci and Alvin Lucier (also LaBelle). The emotional aspect of his programs—partly intimate, partly obscene, partly comedic, partly grotesque—brings to mind especially Acconci’s works (for example Seedbed or Claim). La Belle pointed to the subversive aspect of Acconci’s verbal performances, placing them within a wider context of post-structural deconstruction of acts of speech in the 70s. An analogous interpretation seems justified in the case of de Ridder’s actions, but we shall be concerned more with the way in which the recorded voice in his works constructs the mediated presence of the subject and brings the medium to life.
What does the tape want?
W.J.T. Mitchell ends the first chapter of his famous book What Do Pictures Want? The Lives and Loves of Images with a reference to Friedrich Nietzsche’s Twilight of the Idols. Arguing that images are in fact items which aim at affecting and controlling us, Mitchell quotes the author of Twilight of the Idols, recommending “‘sounding out’ the idols with the hammer, or ‘tuning fork,’ of critical language:”13
The power of idols over the human mind resides in their silence, their spectacular impassiveness, their dumb insistence on repeating the same message … and their capacity for absorbing human desire and violence and projecting it back to us as a demand for human sacrifice … “Sounding” the idols, by contrast, is a way of playing upon them. It does not dream of breaking the idol but of breaking its silence, making it speak and resonate, and transforming its hollowness into an echo chamber for human thought.14
Mitchell emphasizes that his theory, after certain modifications, could be applied to “verbal representation:” images created with words.15 He points to the fundamental meaning of desire for all practices of representation. The key significance of the logic of his reasoning is the dialogue with the contemporary trend of thing theory: he believes that the attitude of contemporary people towards objects is similar to that from earlier times, covered only by a rationalizing discourse that makes use of depreciating concepts like totems, idols and fetishes. In this sense, the objects affect people without voice, and their “sounding out” is a critical discussion on how this happens.
Walter Benjamin, as mentioned earlier, was one of the first ones to point at the “silence of objects” in the modern world. According to one of the leading thing theory theorists, Bjørnar Olsen, Benjamin points to the process of sublimation of the objects’ power over people: although objects speak to us, we hear their voices as our own voices and desires.16 In this context, the “sounding” of objects is, on the one hand, the acceptance of the repressed power of objects over an individual, and on the other, an act of liberation, entering a new level of awareness of the object as a medium that ceases to be an invisible tool. It is by no means a coincidence that both Olson and Mitchell refer to Marshall McLuhan’s concept of media as crutches. In their view, objects are extensions of the human body, which does not exist in isolation but always interacts with other objects: food, cloth, tools, etc.
Writing about “the silence of a tape” might seem paradoxical but the matter at hand is obviously the awareness of the relations and interaction between humans and objects: the autonomy of the object extensions. In this sense, the tape is silent, but it speaks in the same manner that tools do. Thing theory theorists make use of Martin Heidegger’s reflections on our everyday involvement with objects; they do, however, change the perspective: whereas Heidegger focused on the human attitude towards objects, Graham Harman, for example, focuses on the ability of the objects to be used efficiently.17 If we were to regard Mitchell’s “desires” of objects from this perspective, we would see the silent influence of objects demanding to be used. In this sense, the tape is silent. It is its ability to speak with its own voice that is crucial—a voice seemingly transparent, functioning just like the whisper of a prompter, a voice that is disregarded or even dismissed. The autonomous voice of the tape is a layer of material sounds that covers the recording. Mostly thin, whenever heard, it is usually perceived as the hiss of the tape or noise.
The matter of the “life” of performances and objects is of particular interest to Mitchell. Quite radically, he undermines the simple animate/inanimate opposition, suggesting that our understanding of those basic categories is a historical construct that changes through time. His analyses concern the practices of animating various objects.
Following the aforesaid conclusions, it could be argued that the recording of the voice of a performer can “animate” the medium. When we deal with a story, and not a song, for example, the genre conventions connect the performer with the story in a more profound manner. We presume that someone is speaking to us, and repress the power of the object’s influence. De Ridder’s performances and happenings are an excellent example of this: as their essence is embodied by people executing commands from the radio or a tape/portable audio cassette player. They could be also treated as performative research on the specific character of media, “sounding out” the speech of seemingly mute and transparent idols. In this case, the recordings act as a score, and one could even say that the concept of “Walkman Scores” reveals the repressed nature of performing a piece of music: that it is the score that tells the musicians what to do, and not the composer or the conductor. On the other hand, de Ridder shows in this way the essence of mediating, which is perfectly expressed in the relation between the tape and the portable audio cassette player. It could be argued that the media are objects which try to control the human perception, or cause the “suspension of perception,” rather than extensions of the human body.18 De Ridder’s speech, which seduces with the story or controls by means of commands, points to the jammed or even displaced “voice” of the portable audio cassette player, which aims at creating a mobile realm of autonomy, a perception bubble of sorts, attached to the listening consumer, who is kept in the position of being an audience member.
The peculiarity of the “Walkman effect,” described in the 80s by Shuhei Hosokawa,19 might seem clichéd today, in the era of the prevalence of mobile devices and the development of the soundscape, but we must not forget that it was not so in the 80s. In his text, Hosokawa emphasizes the changes the portable audio cassette player brought into the perception of the city and the experience of it: a person listening to a portable audio cassette player is in an isolated space of fantasy. The relation between a person immersed in the fabric of the city but listening to a portable audio cassette player, and the city itself, becomes loose, relaxes. Hosokawa’s text initiated a new way of thinking about mobile music devices, where they were perceived as devices reinforcing individuality, and sometimes even treated as a factor that shattered city communities (such far‑reaching approach was, however, heavily criticized20). In this context, de Ridder’s experiments with portable audio cassette players are sometimes interpreted as attempts to create, based on the logic of the temporary media of new types of communities of that time.21 If we, however, look at the portable audio cassette player and the discourses surrounding it from Mitchell’s perspective, an image emerges of liberal narrations eclipsing the silent voice of the item, and the control exercised by it.
Not only the aforesaid content of the tape magazine Spiral, but also the paradoxical enterprise of releasing an experimental opera on tape could be regarded as de Ridder’s commentary on the practice of listening to music in the 80s. In 1986, de Ridder, together with his then partner Cora Emans, and representatives of the Dutch domestic tape underground Nicoale and Hessell Veldman, prepared an FNTC Opera: a cross between a music installation and an electronic music concert. The audience was surrounded by sound, which was meant to dominate the visuals through the mandatory covering of the eyes with a blindfold: an action heralding the contemporary practices of Francisco Lopez. The radical oppression of perception was softened by ensuring that the audience was comfortable: during the performance of Opera they lay on the previously prepared sofas. In the tradition of Fluxus experiments on concepts and forms of opera, the effect was paradoxical: a genre that connected music and visuals was performed with radical renouncement of everything that is visual; the form was intentionally placed in the visual practices of the time of the radio and the portable audio cassette player. Consequently, Opera came into being as a radio program, and was also released on tape. Giving up the visuals made it possible to recreate the experience of the performance in private. The instructions stated that the listener should lie down and use a headset.
It could be argued that in performing the Audio Directed Personal Theater experiments and Walkman scores, de Ridder “sounded out” the tape recorder’s desire, and in the case of Opera he dealt with the desire of the headset. Yet what do his experiments tell us about the tape itself?
The tape was conceived as a compressed, mobile and also cheap medium. From the beginning it had potential for use in mobile devices, leading to the development first of boom boxes, and then portable audio cassette players. The choice of a magnetic tape as the basic information storage device made the tape potentially re-recordable from the beginning, which gave it the potential to cause a change in the relationship between the artist and the consumer. It was no accident that de Ridder’s experiments brought about the development of the Dutch tape underground. On the one hand, he was widely known as a neo-avant-garde freak, encouraging people to participate in various ways, and on the other hand, he was using a medium that possessed the appropriate potential for participation. According to the thing theory this potential is contained in the ontology of the tape—in its sound, might I add. As the tape has a voice, it can also tell stories. In this sense, when we record something, we include the tape in the world of our culture, which provides the materials for its own story. The tape speaks with sounds given to it in the same way we use words and concepts provided by our culture. When we listen to de Ridder’s tape recordings, whose story do we hear? We hear a joint story, the framework of which was established by de Ridder, but is told by the tape, which, in a way, takes possession of the story. What we have here is a situation analogous to that of oral cultures, where the relation between the tradition and the storyteller is similar. What do the de Ridder’s experiments tell us about the tape, then? Only that it is the contemporary Međedović.
Benjamin, Walter. Der Erzähler. Betrachtungen zum Werk Nikolai Lesskows, in: Gesammelte Schriften, Vol. II, 2. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp 1977, 438–465. ↩
It was a modified phonograph designed for constant recording of sounds in the field by Sound Specialties Company of Waterbury. The device recorded sounds on aluminum discs; thanks to the scissor-switch, Parry and Lord could record non-stop in times when one disc could hold only few minutes of material. During the several years of research, Parry and Lord used more than 3500 discs. The power supply was a totally different matter; the initial constant voltage of 300 V was provided by an MGU with the use of 6 V automobile battery. Such arrangement was, however, problem-ridden and caused a lot of noise, which posed more and more problems for the researchers. In the end the power supply system was modified after consultation with Bell-Edison in Zagrzeb. See: Lord, Albert B. The Singer of Tales, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2000. ↩
Ibid., 55. ↩
See: Bauman, Richard. “Sztuka słowa jako performance.” In Literatura Ustna, edited by Przemysław Czapliński, 202–231. Gdańsk: słowo/obraz terytoria, 2010. ↩
In the early 60s, de Ridder graduated from the Academy of Art and Design in ’s-Hertogenbosch and “left” the world of institutional art, creating a series of objects that referred to the then trend of transcending the image. The crushed linen became the symbolic work of this series, and triggered a series of works called Paper Constellations. See: De Ridder, Willem. “Fluxus Tales.” Accesed February 13, 2020. www.flash—art.com/article/fluxus-tales. Between the 50s and the 60s the term “constellation” referred directly to Eugen Gomringer’s concrete poetry. Other artists connected to Fluxus, mainly Dick Higgins, transplanted this term to experimental music, naming some of the music pieces based on word scores. De Ridder’s “departure” from the visual arts involved entering the more spacious form of verbal creativity). ↩
“Bo lubię wyruszać w nieznane tereny!” Klaudia Rachubińska’s interview with Willem De Ridder. In Narracje – Estetyki – Geografie: Fluxus w trzech aktach, edited by Antoni Michnik & Klaudia Rachubińska. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Krytyki Politycznej, 2014. Another anecdote related to de Ridder’s early relationship with tapes concerns threats he received from Manson Family members after publishing the first issue of the pornographic magazine GOD. ↩
“Radiola Salon.” Showcase. Accessed February 13, 2020. www.showcase.thebluebus.nl/music/various-projects/radiola-salon. ↩
It is visible in Exart record label founder Hessel Veldman’s statement concerning the first time he heard music of Velthuys, whom he later published in Exart ↩
See: “Bo lubię wyruszać w nieznane tereny!” Klaudia Rachubińska’s interview with Willem De Ridder. ↩
De Ridder’s broadcast of that time, Doodsangst Therapie (Deathly Fear Therapy), was an extension of the then-popular theatrical thrillers on the radio. By provoking strong emotions with narration, de Ridder stimulated the audience to enter the art. The radio-coordinated happenings were the logical consequence of this practice. ↩
According to various sources, between 3000 and 7500 cars participated in this happening. See: “Willem De Ridder ‘De Grote Oto Derby.'” Continuo’s weblog. Accessed February 13, 2020. www.continuo.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/willem-de-ridder-de-grote-oto-derby. ↩
Ong, Walter Jackson. “A Dialectic of Aural and Objective Correlatives.” In The Barbarian Within, and Other Fugitive Essays. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1962. 28. Quoted in La Belle, Brandon. Background Noise: Perspectives On Sound Art. London: Bloomsbury, 2008. 99. ↩
Mitchell, William John Thomas. What do pictures want? The lives and loves of images. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005, 26-27. ↩
Ibid., 87. ↩
Olsen, Bjørnar. W obronie rzeczy. Archeologia i ontologia przedmiotów. Warszawa: Instytut Badań Literackich PAN, 2013, 151–152. ↩
Crary, Jonathan. Zawieszenia percepcji. Uwaga, spektakl i kultura nowoczesna. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, 2009. ↩
Hosokawa, Shuhei. “The Walkman Effect.” Popular Music 4 (1984): 165–180. ↩
See: Borden, Iain. “Another Pavement, Another Beach: Skateboarding and The Performative Critique of The City.”In The Unknown City: Contesting Architecture and Social Space, edited by Iain Borden et al., 186–193. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2000. ↩
Landy, Leigh. What’s the Matter With Today’s Experimental Music? Abingdon: Routlege, 2013, 116. ↩