Performances
to inspire children and adults

Workshops
on craft and creative potential of storytelling for young children

Professional
Writing
articles, workshop materials and early childhood resources

Early Childhood
Advice
on the development of resources for or
about children

Louise has been delivering storytelling workshops for more than 10 years to teachers, librarians, storytellers and students, and is currently teaching Storytelling in Early Childhood, a Faculty of Education unit of study at Queensland University of Technology. The following are descriptions of her most commonly requested workshops, however a workshop can be tailored to meet your requirements. A good length for a storytelling workshop is 3 hours.

Storytelling: the seeds for children's creativity
Louise will share her practice of using storytelling as the seed for children's creativity - where children are given a range of activities to explore the concepts and emotions experienced in the story. Participants will have the opportunity to play with the possibilities of a global tale in small groups.


Stories to inspire social action with preschoolers
This workshop provides an overview of Louise's experience of using stories to inspire social action in preschoolers. The workshop is based on the belief that children use stories to make sense of the world and that stories that speak to the heart trigger empathy and have the potential to motivate social action, such as a group of children writing letters to John Howard demanding that he say "Sorry" to the Aboriginal Community.

"Tell us a story!" - The How and Why of Storytelling for Young Children
Louise shares many solutions to maintaining the attention of active young minds (and bodies), as well as how to choose a suitable story for different age groups and mixed age groups. This workshop will be a great opportunity for participants to share what works and query what didn't work when telling stories to young children. You will hear a range of suitable stories for young children told that explore a range of storytelling skills. Participants will also have the opportunity to try out new ideas and strategies themselves through group storytelling.

Storytelling's Role in Language & Literacy Development
This workshop explains and explores the benefits of frequent storytelling experiences for young children's language and literacy development. Research will be shared and effective strategies demonstrated. Participants will work together in small groups on a story and build language and literacy strategies from it.

"Louise is a brilliant story teller who captures the attention and hearts of her audience - adults and children alike. She is highly creative in her use of language and resources. Louise has some brilliant ideas for integrating story telling across the curriculum and for using the told story as a catalyst for emergent curriculum and other child-centred investigations. Louise not only models her skills as a story teller but actively seeks to empower her listeners as story tellers each with their own swag of stories to tell."
Dr Cathie Harrison, Lecturer in Early Childhood Education

"Louise is always highly motivated, well organised with her props, tells her stories with humour, uses her voice and facial expression to great effect and is eager to share her skills."
Margaret Griffiths, Sydney Institute of Technology

"Louise’s masterclass workshops – for the NSW Guild, and for the Australian National Storytelling Festival 1997 – were thoroughly researched, informative and certainly helped many participants understand the requirements for early childhood storytelling."
Helen McKay, Convenor NationalStorytelling Festival 1997

"Louise’s energy and creativity were inspiring!"
Bronwyn Newman, Child Care Support Team, Waverley Council

Key workshops/ conferences

"Young children’s active citizenship inspired through transformative storytelling", Curricula and Identity Construction: What is Children's Learning? (session), AERA Annual Meeting, New York City, Wednesday 26th March 2008 (Recipient of AERA 2008 International Travel Award and AERA Critical Perspectives in Early Childhood Special Interest Group Scholarship for this paper).

"Transformative storytelling, Honoring the Child", Honoring Equity 7

"Transforming connections: local and global possibilities", Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood Annual Conference, 17th November 2007.

"Storytelling: the vital link between oracy and literacy", Keynote address, Early Childhood Conference, And Outback Experience, Mt.Isa, 8th September 2007 (International Literacy Day, replaced Mem Fox with 20 hours notice).

"Weaving tales amidst the snails, Outdoors Naturally": Early childhood conference, Bond University, Robina, 26th May 2007.

"Who will save us from the rabbits?" Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Conference, 30 Nov. – 4 Dec. 2006, Rotorua, New Zealand, 1st December 2006.

"Stories: the bridge of understanding" – Master class at ECTA Annual Conference, John Paul College (2005)

"Storytelling: the seeds to children’s creativity" at The Gowrie (Qld), Brisbane, Toowoomba, Gold Coast, Townsville (2004)

"Storytelling: the seeds to children’s creativity" at Southbank Institute of TAFE, Brisbane (2004)

"The inspiration of stories" TAFE Children’s Services Symposium, Carlton Crest Hotel, Brisbane (2004)

"The how and why of storytelling for children" (parent workshop) at Miami State School (2004)

"Storytelling: the seeds to children’s creativity and curiosity" Early Childhood Education Summer School, University of Western Sydney (2004)

"Stories to Inspire Creativity and Social Action in Preschoolers" Australian National Storytelling Confest, Brisbane 25-28 September 2003

"Bridging Children’s Understanding with Story – Storytelling as a tool for inspiring social action in young children" AECA National Conference, Sydney (2001)

"Tell us a story – the How and Why of storytelling for young children" The Australian Storytelling Guild (NSW) (2001 & 1996)

"Storytelling: the seeds of children’s creativity" Education students, University of Western Sydney (2001 & 1995)

"Inspiring children’s curiosity through story" (training for Museum Education Officers) Australian Museum, Sydney (2001)

"Storytelling as a tool for inspiring social action in young children" Education for Social Action Conference, University of Technology, Sydney (2000)

"Storytelling the Key to Creativity" Hand in Hand NSW Aboriginal Early Childhood Education Conference (1999)

"Storytelling that feeds Creativity" Janus in July 17th NECTA (Network for Exploring Creativity in Therapy through the Arts) Conference (1999)

"Storytelling in Out of School Hours Care" Explore, Experience, Enjoy Network Conference (1999)

"Storytelling to children" Australian National Storytelling Festival, Sydney (1997)

"Storytelling for those who work with 0-3 year olds" & "Storytelling for those who work with 3-6 year olds" Central Coast Children’s Services Inservice Committee’s Annual Seminar (1995)

"Storytelling for young children" Institute of Early Childhood Studies Continuing Education Programme, Macquarie University (1995)

"Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden" KU Children’s Services Annual Seminar (1994)