Example Day with Rocking Chair Tales. Story telling will engage children and develop their love of reading. Creative writing workshops help children to significantly improve their writing skills.

Example Programmes from Rocking Chair Tales

Storytelling

Here are some examples of the typical contents for story reading programmes in a primary school.

• Reception
  

  Topic - Fairy Tales / Nursery Rhymes: Goldilocks and the Three Bears / The Three Little Pigs etc...

• Year 1
  

  Topic - 'Materials': 'The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig' by Eugene Trivizas, An extract from 'The Iron Man' by Ted Hughes, Hansel & Gretel - The Brothers Grimm

• Year 2
  

  Topic - 'The Great Fire of London': An extract from 'The Great Fire of London' by Jill Atkins, An extract from 'The Great Fire' by Monica Dickens, 'Poser' by Paul Jennings

• Year 3 & Year 4
  

  Topic - 'Romans' & 'Egyptians': An extract from 'The Charioteer's Son' by Stephanie Baudet, An extract from 'Setna's Journey' by Richard Brown, 'Pink Bow Tie' by Paul Jennings

• Year 5 & Year 6
  

  Topic - 'Water' & 'World War II': An extract from 'The Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Grahame, An extract from 'The Machine Gunners' by Robert Westall, 'Licked' by Paul Jennings

Creative Writing Workshops

Here is a very brief outline of a typical creative writing session.

• Topic: St George and the Dragon
  - Introduce the theme for the session and read the story and other information
  - Look at paintings and discuss
  - Drama exercise
  - Decide on your character and begin to write to someone about what has happened
  - Share with a partner then re-draft
  - Read some out

  
  

  We appreciate that each school is organised in its own particular way and so the programme would be adjusted to suit your needs.

  
  

On the day...

It is our practice to openly read extracts from books, particularly for the older children, in order that they may recognise the value of reading a book for themselves.

Whilst we endeavour to select extracts from books associated with your current topic, we will also read other extracts and short stories for fun.

Occasionally we might use puppets, songs and other ways of gaining interest and attention.