Storytelling project for schools and libraries to support multilingual children and families to use their heritage languages when making!
About this Event

Traditional Tales Untraditionally told

Hello! We are inviting your school/library to take part in a FREE multilingual family storytelling project run by researchers from The University of Sheffield’s School of Education and Maker{Futures}; working together to give children the chance to use all their languages when in libraries or schools.

The aim of the project Traditional Tales, Untraditionally Told is to explore how multilingual families use their languages when engaging in joint activities. The focus is on supporting teachers and librarians to understand how to provide space for multilingual children and their families to use their heritage languages.

What’s Involved

Leading up to International Mother Language Day (21st February 2025), we will find fun and new ways to tell traditional stories from different languages and cultures. All you need is cardboard, craft materials and some iPads or computers and we will show you how you can work with multilingual families to create digital representations of traditional tales.

We have worked closely with teachers, librarians and multilingual families to co-create a set of creative storytelling workshops to help you. You could run these over the course of the half term, as an after school club or as a whole day event - it’s entirely up to you! The aim is to embed and normalise multilingualism in our school and library settings. The workshops and resources explore…

Sharing stories in multiple languages and why this is important
Crafting characters and settings and incorporating multilingualism
Using stop motion to capture stories digitally
Using the Octostudio app to code and create simple animations for our stories while recording your voice in your heritage language

Getting started

21st January 2025, 4-5pm - attend our FREE online information event for educators to find out why multilingual opportunities are important, how to get started and access the free resources.

21st February 2025 - It’s International Mother Language Day! Get creative and use this as a catalyst to engage with your multilingual families to make space for heritage languages but using our resources in your setting.

May 2025 (TBC) - Share your multilingual digital stories and experiences with us. Details to follow.

For further information about the project, contact Liz Jansen [email protected]

If you are interested in supporting multilingualism in the classroom, see the Lost Wor(l)ds project website: https://www.multilingualism-in-schools.net/

If you are interested in makerspaces and how maker education can be embedded into your school or library, please visit us at: makerfutures.org

This FREE webinar is suitable for schools and libraries to engage, multilingual families with children from 5 to 12 years old. The webinar is free but booking is required.