• “How will story telling promote a child’s writing ability?” was a search string someone used to get to my website recently. I hope that person was looking for something to back up what they already know, for I find it inconceivable that anyone would seriously need to ask this question.

    Stories are the raison d’etre of human existence. Without stories and storytelling humans go mad, cleverly spun stories can drive humans mad too! The pen maybe mightier than the sword but the pen is useless if there are no stories to be told.

    What is there to write if there are no stories? How can a child have any writing ability without stories filling their head? Writing is not a a mechanical process – even accountants like to be a little bit creative at times.

    If you want to improve writing, you have to read. You cannot learn to write without seeing how others do it. The main problem with lowering literacy levels at the moment, is that children are exposed to far too many extracts and not enough sustained stories with beginnings, middles and ends. Children need to read long texts and books. This way they get comfortable with the author’s “Voice” and assimilate grammar, composition and the author’s style by osmosis.

    And how do you get children interested in reading books? By telling stories and reading books out loud. Children are desperate for stories. It’s how they truly learn. It is how adults learn too. Why else do politicians, religions and advertisers rely on storytelling to promote their wares? Because they know storytelling is the most powerful tool humans have access to.

    You could keep a class happy all day long by just telling stories and letting them play for a bit every hour – putting the stories to work in imaginative play. They will learn more in that day than in a week of structured schooling.

    So where is storytelling in schools these days? All I remember of my school lessons was when we managed to get teachers off the subject to talk about their passions – spiders or steam trains. I learned a lot in those lessons. And those wonderful story lessons where the teachers would spend the whole period reading a book. Greek myths, Just So Stories, Narnia, Swallows and Amazons – tales of adventure and human interaction, slowly learning how the world really works in the minds of others and the interaction between humans.

    Find any primitive culture and what do you find? Food, Sex and Storytelling. What is our advanced culture built on now? Food, sex and telly – and what is telly, but storytelling round the fire.

    Don’t waste your time asking stupid questions like, “How will story telling promote a child’s writing ability?” The proof of the pudding is in the doing, not the asking. Pick up a book and start telling stories NOW! you’ll be amazed at what happens.

  • I had a great day at Orchid Vale Primary school in Swindon, yesterday. (Once I’d got there, that is! the Traffic round Gloucester was horrendous and then my Sat Nav couldn’t find the school, which is new and and in a new housing district in Swindon. It knew where the school was, but not how to get there. I found a helpful postie who put me right in the end. The hazards of School Visits!)

    I worked with KS2 developing Viking Vik stories. In the end we came up with four plots that I was really quite pleased with. It will be interesting to se what comes from them.Ideas and plotting are one thing. actually doing the writing is another! But you don’t need me to tell you that – I should be writing the next Olympia story right now!

    Thanks for a great day, everyone, and good luck with OFSTEd when they eventually swoop!

  • I first heard about J K Rowling from my my local Junior School Head Teacher, Ron Dowding. The school had been shadowing the Carnegie Prize and had backed the first Harry Potter all the way. So much so that they won a visit From J K Rowling before anyone had heard of her. I believe a few lucky people bought first edition hardbacks and had them signed on the day! The whole school was buzzing about Harry Potter and J K Rowling’s visit. Both had an electric effect on reading standards in the school that year.

    J K Rowling came from nearby where I live in the Forest of Dean and many local landmarks (and a few people I’ve met) appear in her books. The local press like to refer to her as, “local girl made good.”

    I seemed to follow her around the country, from festival to festival, ever after, always missing her by a day or two here and there, and never actually meeting her. She always leaves a bit of a buzz behind. I realised recently that her editor was my editor before! (I loved working with her, but wasn’t sure I wanted to work with yet another new publishing company when she moved firms.)

    A strange picture of her has grown up in my mind, influenced by gossip, adulation and, sometimes, what sometimes comes across from some people as a visceral hatred of the poor woman. It’s extraordinary how the love of Harry Potter is matched by irrational loathing and contempt from those who haven’t read the books. Much of this negativity is then loaded onto J K Rowling herself, fuelled by the gospel truth pedalled by the press.

    So I was fascinated to come across the Harvard Commencement speech given by J K Rowling, which you can see below. It’s the first time I’ve seen her in action and I think she comes over as warm, thoughtful, funny and, most of happily, unspoilt by fame. When I find myself having to defend her again from thoughtless cynics, I shall have this picture of her in my head and will find it easier to silence them.

    J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.