CreativeCommunicators

DavidHeathfield- Storyteller

Project Title: Traditional Folk Tales from Specific Cultures

Davidworks with class groups, linking in to the National Curriculum. He tells sets of stories and plays traditional percussive instruments from China, Japan, Africa, Australiaand Mexico,(his repertoire also includes sets of stories fromthe Westcountry, Around the UK, Ireland, Arabic speaking countries, South America, North America, The Caribbean, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Germany, Norway, Spain, Italy)

AgeRange: KS1/ KS2

Project Aims and Description:

To enhance students’ understanding of a particular culture or cultures within a geographical region through traditional stories and to create new stories inspired by themes and events occurring in these stories.

To develop speaking and listening skills.

Two key outcomes of Every Child Matters: Enjoying and achieving and Making a positive contribution are achieved in this workshop, which has the following stages:

  1. The interactive telling of traditional tales
  2. Students bring these stories to life through spontaneous drama activities and guided mental imagery
  3. Story creating:studentscreate one or more new stories inspired by themes and events occurring in the stories they have experienced with David. They create these new tales collaboratively through speaking, listening and multi-sensory activities.
  4. The session culminates in a mini storytelling and drama performance of one or more of these newly-created tales with the full participation of all the students, including songs, choral chants, percussion

Curriculum links:

English, Drama, Geography, PSHE, RE, History

Artist Details:

David is a storyteller, actor, singer, musician, teacher, teacher trainer and author of the teacher resource book Spontaneous Speaking, DELTA 2005. Recent projects in several Devon and Dorset schools include HaymoorMiddle School, Poole, St Andrew’s Primary School, Plymouth and YeofordPrimary School as well as Exeter Museum (RAMM) and PlymouthCityMuseum. More details at and you can view some performances on youtube.com if you search for my name

"Great storytelling - lots of listening, thinking and speaking/participating skills"

KateOsborne, Access Officer, RoyalAlbertMemorialMuseum, Exeter

Highly experienced in working with school students including those with sensory impairments, learning difficulties and physical disabilities.

Cost of project £250 per day excluding travel.

Current CRB Certificate and Pubic Liability Insurance (£5M).