STORY BAZAAR

Story Bazaar is a multi-lingual storytelling performance project I am leading, in conjunction with
Capital L, the London Consortium of Routes into Languages who support and encourage young people to study languages.

The bazaar was traditionally the place where traders and travellers met to exchange goods, news and tales. Oral traditions are nourished by this mix of languages and cultures, and stories are carried away, and new versions created.  The project is working with three London schools to inspire a creative approach to learning languages, and support students to tell stories in their second language. The long term aim is to encourage students to stick with language learning.

At Gaynes School in Upminster, Year 8 students are learning French and have been creating animal stories and making puppet shows. And are working on performances of their own versions of Jean de La Fontaine’s fables.

At Gladesmore Community School in Tottenham, Year 9 students learning Spanish are creating short films and digital stories about their school and local area.

At Eltham Hill Technology College, a Yoruba community language group of Year 8 and 9 girls, have written two plays based on Nigerian folktales.

By telling stories, teachers have found that students are developing confidence in expressing themselves in their second language. Connecting to the language through the imagination, is helping students engage more freely with speaking.  The project culminates in a conference at LSE on 11 February, where students will gather for the Story Bazaar to share their stories alongside academic papers and workshops. Find out about attending the conference here.

“Carry some away and bring some back”

African traditional ending to a story