Kids learn how to tell a story at Read-Along
AHEAD of the fifth Read-Along Festival to be held next month, the INQUIRER conducted a day-long Read-Along storytelling workshop last Saturday participated in by more than 120 students from 19 schools.
Held at the INQUIRER offices on Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City, the workshop kicked off this year’s Read-Along Festival Storytelling Competition, the highlight of the Read-Along Festival to be held on Nov. 6 and 7 at Silangan Hall of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
The festival, part of the INQUIRER’s 30th anniversary celebration, will feature marathon storytelling sessions and 30 well-loved children’s stories to be read by the Read-Along Ambassadors, professional storytellers, and students and staff from partner schools.
Veteran Read-Along storytellers and festival competition judges Ann Abacan, Rich Rodriguez and Dyali Justo conducted the workshop, which emphasized book-based storytelling techniques, as well as the proper use of body language, eye contact and facial expressions, voice, volume and diction, poise and pacing.
Helpful, inspiring
“The workshop was very helpful because it helped me be more confident in using the right facial expressions and body movements in front of others,” said 12-year-old Joanna Mae of Antonio Regidor Elementary School.
“It was not only helpful, it was also inspiring for both students and coaches,” said Mary Anne Pandoro, a coach from Comembo Elementary School.
Saturday’s workshop marked the start of the competition. The elimination round will be on Oct. 17, followed by the semifinal round on Oct. 24. The finals will be on Nov. 7 during the last festival session at the CCP.
Joining Saturday’s workshop were students and their coaches from Antonio Regidor Elementary School, Centex Batangas, Centex Manila, Chiang Kai Shek College, Comembo Elementary School, Diliman Preparatory School, F. Ma. Guerrero Elementary School, German European School, Gregorio del Pilar Elementary School, John Dewey School for Children, Mandaluyong Elementary School, Optimus Center for Development, St. Alphonsus Ligouri Integrated School, School of St. Anthony, SDLj Montessori School, St. Paul College of Bocaue-GSD, Tinajeros Elementary School, Vergonville Elementary School and Victory Christian International School.
Special sessions
Also this month, the Read-Along team will hold a special session at the Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila School in Cainta, Rizal, on Oct. 7 to award the winner of the #MyBookSelf essay writing competition held in July.
A regular read-along session will be held on Oct. 10 at the INQUIRER office featuring Sophia School storytellers and new Read-Along ambassadors Bianca Umali and Ken Chan.
A special read-along session will be held on Oct. 19 also at the INQUIRER as part of the global event Read Across the Globe, in cooperation with Hands-On Manila. Read Across the Globe is a worldwide effort to bring the power of volunteers together to impact literacy.
Celebrity readers for the Oct. 19 INQUIRER session are UK Ambassador Asif Ahmad and INQUIRER president Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez. Simultaneous read-along sessions will be held in Bulacan, Mandaluyong and Pasig.