The Arts and Literacy - Workshops

 

DRAMA AND LITERACY

In this workshop you will discover simple but profound ways of using drama in your literacy program. We will collectively explore the idea of using our own words (improvisation) and the words of others (interpretation) to uncover meanings in texts, images and the media. In the first part of the workshop, you will learn how to encourage your students to enter into fictional settings in stories, poems, graphic novels and picture books. You will discover the techniques that are necessary to help students take on and maintain dramatic roles so that they speak and write as people other than themselves. There will be an opportunity to learn how to deepen the drama experience so your students begin to empathize with others as they explore characters, themes, and relationships in the drama. In the second part of the workshop we will use drama to actively interpret text through chanting, choral speaking and readers theatre. You will be given the tools to help your students (including those who struggle with reading and speaking out loud) develop the ability to look beyond the words, access the underlying meanings, and come to personal and collective understandings.

Presenter: Kathleen Gould Lundy

VISUAL ARTS and LITERACY

When students are encouraged to make their writing look special, they tend to take more care with what and how they write. Handmade books are a unique way to inspire and motivate your students. In this hands-on, practical workshop you will discover ways to create beautiful pages for different approaches to content as you learn how to make a variety of exciting books. The approaches are easy enough to ensure success, yet challenging enough to inspire your students.

You will begin the morning using art postcards and posters to discover simple, yet effective ways to stimulate oral language and story writing. You will learn how to get students excited about poetry using the visual arts as a catalyst and try your hand at creating a visual poem. After break you will spend the rest of the day creating a variety of books both simple and complex, and exploring decorative techniques using inexpensive and easy to obtain materials. You will go home with a variety of ways to stimulate literacy with even your most reluctant learners.

Presenter: Heather Miller

DANCE AND LITERACY

Students love exploring literary themes by moving their bodies. In this workshop you will gain the confidence to transform your classroom into a dance and movement-friendly place and learn how to integrate dance and literacy for everyday activities. We will examine the creative process with models from three texts: "The Great Kapok Tree" by Lynne Cherry (Primary/Junior); "The Carpet Boy's Gift" by Pegi Deitz Shea (Intermediate); and "Iqbal: A Novel" by Francesco D'Adamo (Senior).

The first text deals with environmental themes and the interdependency of living creatures, tying into science curriculum for primary grades. The second and third texts explore the social justice theme of child labour. The workshop activities will provide a model to draw movement out of any classroom text, and vice versa - how to create text from movement. Familiarity with the above texts is helpful but not required. Please wear comfortable clothing.

Presenter: Arwyn Carpenter

MUSIC AND LITERACY

Music is a form of literacy intimately connected to language: in this workshop teachers will explore the powerful connections between the two. Use these friendly and practical strategies for working with expressive language, rhythm, rhyme and melody at a variety of grade levels to enhance reading fluency, increase comprehension and engage students. Apply the heightening power of music to help students distinguish phonemes, segment words, explore deeper meaning and appreciate patterns in language.

Presenter: Catherine West