A Selection of Sylvia's Books
Sylvia Bishop
Type of Artist:
AuthorWorkshop 1: Making stories: a practical introduction
Workshop 2: Making stories: a practical introduction – with illustration (with illustrator Ashley King)
Workshop 3: Musical workshop: thinking like a writer (with musician Dylan Townley)
Workshop 4: Storytelling for early years
(All these workshops are suitable for classes or as assemblies).
Workshop 1: Making stories: a practical introduction
I use story-telling games and exercises developed for theatre practitioners, to show the class that ideas are everywhere, and that it is only the struggle for the ‘right’ idea that holds us back. I show children how to ‘work out’ what happens next in their story, encouraging logical but playful story-telling.
Workshop 2: Making stories: a practical introduction – with illustration
I deliver a shortened version of WS1, and illustrator Ashley King leads the children through a drawing exercise based on the results of our story-telling games, drawing the characters they have just created.
Workshop 3: Musical workshop – thinking like a writer
For this workshop, I am joined by musician and comedian Dylan Townley on the piano. I guide the pupils through creating a new story as a group. Along the way, Dylan improvises comedic songs about the settings and characters created.
The ideas and word choices given by the pupils will be reflected back to them in the piano music; Dylan will change styles in response to their ideas until they are happy with the result. This immediate feedback will be used to demonstrate how our choices affect atmosphere and characterisation.
Workshop 4: Story telling for early years
For reception and year 1, using Erica’s Elephant as a starting point, I help the children develop their own story as a group about an animal of their choice. The key aim is to introduce the children to the idea that stories are something they can tell, and ultimately write, themselves.
Details
Preferred age range:Workshop 1, 2 & 3: 6+ years
Workshop 4: 4 – 6 years
Maximum number in any one session:
No max – they are deliberately flexible sessions – I’ve done it with under 20 and over 100.
No of sessions per day:
I don’t have a maximum, as long as there’s a lunchbreak!
Session Length:
Workshops 1,2 & 3: 45m – 1 hr
Workshop 4: 30 - 40 minutes
Areas prepared to travel to:
Any.
Transport:
Train (currently with a 26 – 30 railcard which gives a 30% discount)
Fees:
DBS/CRB:
Yes, enhanced
Hold PLI (public liability insurance):
No
Website:
Twitter:
@sylviabishop
Titles include:
Erica’s Elephant
The Bookshop Girl
The Secret of the Night Train
Trouble in New York (forthcoming, September 2019)
A Sea of Stories (forthcoming, October 2019)
Testimonials:
Our visit from Sylvia Bishop was absolutely magical. All of our children were thrilled to meet this accomplished author and they were all enthralled by her presentations. Sylvia is not only a wonderfully talented author, she is also a natural performer, who has the ability to capture the attention of everyone in the room - adults and children alike. If you’re looking to ignite a sense of awe and wonder around stories and the process of writing in your school, then a visit from Sylvia Bishop is an absolute must. We will definitely be inviting Sylvia back.
Karen Harrison from Ravenor Primary School
"Sylvia came along to the Croydon Literary Festival and delivered a fabulous storytelling workshop. Children and parents alike were engaged, entertained and inspired by her creative approach to finding stories."
– Sarah Kingsford
"Sylvia visited our school along with the illustrator of her first two books, Ashley King, to help us celebrate World Book Day 2019. They ran two workshops, one for Y3&Y4 and one for Y5&Y6. Our girls loved the interactive nature of the workshops and Sylvia was able to encourage them to come up with lots of creative story ideas as well as work them into a logical plot. Sylvia has that ideal mix of fun, humour and ability to manage a large group; she held their attention and kept them interested – no mean feat! Ashely then led the girls through a drawing activity where they were able to draw the characters they had come up with. All of our girls love drawing and the work they produced was fantastic. The time sped by and we could really have done with double the amount of time. Would love to have them back at PGHS!"
– Karen Conlan, Palmers Green High School
"The children responded brilliantly to Sylvia’s warmth and infectious enthusiasm. She has a very natural, humorous, un-patronising skill with children, and they very much enjoyed her sessions, listening hard, behaving well, and visibly learning"
– Sue Vermes, headteacher, Rose Hill school
