WORKSHOPS
for Adult Participants

Hearing a story is a joy at any age, but some stories truly take on meaning only when heard (or told) by those who have the benefit of life experience. The following workshops are intended for those who wish to go beyond just listening and become more fully involved in the world of stories.

Planning a Workshop

All of the workshop titles listed can be tailored to the needs of the sponsoring group. The time needed for a session depends both on the size of the group and the desired intensity of the presentation. A minimum of two hours will allow a brief introduction to a topic. A full-day workshop will allow participants to develop their own responses to the models presented. Each workshop can be adapted to any time range in between.

Sample Titles

Storytelling Tools and Techniques

Appropriate for both seasoned veterans and beginning storytellers, this workshop weaves together methodology and example to help people find the storyteller within them. Special emphasis is placed on choosing stories for oral presentation and exploring techniques to help those stories come alive.

Discovering Our Own Stories and Learning How to Share Them

With the resurgence of storytelling, many people are discovering that listening to the stories of others brings to mind stories from their own lives that might be worth sharing. This workshop addresses the question of why we tell stories, suggests techniques for discovering the stories in our own lives, and describes methods for transforming the remembered moments of our past into stories to be shared with others.

Adapting Stories for Telling

From literary stories to folktales, participants will explore the transition from printed page to oral presentation. A variety of narrative types are employed in illustrating the process by which a story becomes "listener friendly."

Writing Workshops

Drawing on the similarities and differences between told and written stories, writing workshops are available to help those who are seeking to make their stories come alive in print. The scope of the workshop can be adapted to the needs of the particular audience.

Related Titles

For other workshops ideas, go to:

Staff Workshops for Teachers

Residencies in Schools