The Storyspinner DVD

NATE Classroom, Spring, 2008 by Ruth Glew

The Storyspinner DVD

DayOne Productions, 2006

Boxed set 399 [pounds sterling] (+ VAT); individual DVD 99 [pounds sterling ] (+ VAT)

E Learning Credits apply

www.thestoryspinner.co.uk

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Speaking and Listening is now a high priority in our schools and listening to oral storytelling something we know that children need to experience. It is not possible to have a professional storyteller on hand everyday and The Story Spinner DVD is one way to compensate for this.

Phil McDermott, a professional oral storyteller, retells straight to camera, with no musical or visual backups, a variety of traditional stories from different cultures. Each story takes about 15 minutes, excellent for use in a lesson.

The stories are retold vividly with the storyteller's face and voice providing all the detail children need to picture the action and feel the tension. The North American 'Mashenka' had my class on the edge of their seats wondering whether the bear would eat the unfortunate heroine! This DVD would be a valuable school resource from Reception to Year 6--the retelling of the Persephone myth being quite sophisticated. The fact that the stories could be replayed would help children internalise the language and structure of the stories which, as Pie Corbett tells us, is necessary before children can write or retell their own. It might even inspire some children to tell their own stories straight to camera.

An unusual resource, with imaginative language and an interesting choice of stories which all schools could use, both in and out of the Literacy lesson.

Ruth Glew

Literacy Co-ordinator, KS2