Storied for Values Education- JUNIORS
Storytelling is a highly effective strategy that engages hearts and minds empathetically. This is a collection of 90 short, simple stories suitable for sharing with 7–12 year olds.
As values and character development assume greater significance in the daily life, teachers an d parents face the problem of how to present abstract values in a form that pupils can readily embrace.
Part of the art of storytelling is choosing the right (age-appropriate) tale for the occasion and your audience. Folktales have a depth that belies their outward simplicity. They possess a wisdom which successive generations have used to address issues of interest to all ages.
There are 19 values (chapters) and for each Value, there are two or three main stories which are accompanied by tips for telling and ideas for follow-up. Almost all the stories are less than 300 words and are easy to learn . (Tips on learning/telling are included!)
As everyone listens to a story with their own ears, everyone responds to a story in their own way. So, while I have included The Treasure in the chapter on Positive Thinking, you might see it as a story on perseverance, sharing, dreams or gratitude.
To supplement the 54 main stories, there are 36 very short ones that add another (often comical) perspective on the theme. The book is also peppered with inspirational proverbs and quotations.
There is a companion volume for use with Teenagers, offering another 90 stories.
The book is now available as a pdf for SGD $15.
The advantage of digital delivery (pdf) is that the video hyperlinks are active (and there is no shipping charge!)
Singaporean purchasers can also use PayNow to me at (+65) 91761499.
Watch me tell some of rthe stories in the book
These recordings are of me telling 10 of the 90 stories that are included in the book.
I’ve also included a brief video abouth a sotry makes a difference.
Want to buy BOTH books in the series – the JUNIORS and the TEENS editions?
Save $5 by using this button and paying just SGD $25 for both books.
When you place your order, do email me if you want to have a dedication in the book.
Enjoy this story sampler!
This is my telling of Asleep When The Wind Blows. Do you think that is a good thing – or a bad one? why would the farmhand e asleep when there’s a storm? (Page 23 of the Juniors book)
THE TREASURE (page 31) features a baker who has the same dream three nights in a row – a dream of treasure. as this is in the Positive Thinking chapter, Ivan follows his dream – which comes trues in the most unexpected of ways!
In the book (page 45), I call this story Special Talents because that’s the theme of the story, even though it features a lion recuiting animlas for his army. what’s you ‘special talent’?
Folktales are relatively short with a simple time-ordered sequence (no flashbacks!) This makes them easy for you to learn (assuming you will tell the stories, rather than read them!) Their vocabulary tends to be concrete, so that even when the vocabulary is strange (ogre, trickster) it’s easy to demonstrate or explain.
Two Goats on the Bridge is a very old story (page 74) – but Dr Margaret Read MacDonald spiced it up by adding a second version which turns the confrontational nature of the first version on its head in a clever co-operative solution!
I include this extract of me telling one of my ‘signature’ stories (in 2016 at the Siggana Festival in Nairobi) as it’s a good example of how you can make your telling interactive. I call the story THE TAILOR: he gets a special piece of cloth and keeps cutting it smaller and smaller as it wears out.
I deliberately chose stories from many cultures to reinforce the idea that the values they express are universal, and form a bridge in our multi-racial society/world. While the solution may vary from culture to culture, the struggle to do right is the same.
DIVIDING THE HARVEST (page 64) Two brothers (but they could easily be two sisters) decide to share their harvest. Will they divide it fairly – or add a little bit to their own half?
The Lost Necklace (page 24) has a comical beginning and a misleading middle (is Roger really telling a story about a thief?!) However treason why the ‘thief’ does what she does is what catches the audience by surprise.
All the stories in Stories for Value Education – JUNIORS are short (so as to be easy to learn!) I also provide tips on the telling and suggestions for follllow-up activitiy or related stories.
BUY YOUR SOFT-COPY NOW!
This story is from the EVERYONE’S SPECIAL chapter and I call it ‘What’s Red and Round?” (page 44) It’s a riddle story – with a beautiful surprise reveveal at the end which often draws delighted Ahhs! of appreciation..
Five Little Mice is a simple little finger play – but a twist at the end makes it highly applicable for those learning a second language!
About Me
I am a Singaporean storyteller – a member of the Merdeka generation (!), I was born here to Welsh parents, grew up in UK but returned in 1978 and have lived here ever since.
After 23 years of drama teaching, theatre production and written storytelling as a poet and playwright, I discovered storytelling in 1998 and started telling professionally soon after.
I love telling stories and also helping others – adults – and kids – discover or develop the teller in themselves.
My strengths as a storyteller
I am light-hearted, frequently interactive, very visual – either through by incorporating slides, gestures or sign language. I am able to pitch the style of telling to suit the age of my audience.
As a former English/drama teacher, I am aware of how to use a story as an effective teaching strategy.
At international festivals, organisers often ask me to open or close a performance, as they are confident I will grab and hold their audience, providing a strong ending (that warms the audience up) or a closing with a memorable take-away.
Thanks to my theatre background, I am confident when performing for large audiences in excess of 300 – I have on three occasions successfully delivered an interactive story to corporate audiences of more than 600 pax (for A-STAR, SUSS and Gardens by the Bay).
MY CV 2019 – 2022
2019
Kolkata ISF, Gawuhati
Vishakapatnam Junior Literary Festival
Bangalore Story Festival
CV Highlights 2008 – 2018
2018
Bangkok International Folk Festival
KL Story Festival@ Genius Aulad
2017
Bangkok International Storytelling Festiva
Penang PINKS
2016
Kuching Storytelling Festival
Kolkota Story Residency
2015
Sigana In’l Storytelling Festival (Nairobi)
2014
Penang Int’l Kids Storytelling (PINKS)
Under the Alamaraam Festival, Chennai
Borneo Education Festival, Sandakan – Sabah
2013
Kanoon Int’l Storytelling Fest (Tabriz, Iran)
Chang’an University summer camp, Xi’an,
Hong Kong Storytelling Conference
2012
SIS Residency, HK
2008 – 2010
Longmans Storytelling Festival, Hong Kong (every year)
Bahrain Arts Festival (2008)
2007
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
My pre-storytelling CV
2022 – present: Roger Jenkins Storyteller
2018 – present Founding director, FEAST
2008 – 2021 Director, Roger Jenkins Pte Ltd
1995 – 2007 Director, Dramaplus Arts Ltd
1992 – 1994 Dramaplus Arts (Sole Prop)
1988-1991 Artistic Director, Stars Community Theatre
1985 – 1988 co-Director, STARS Community Theatre with Christina Sergeant
1978-84 Drama Teacher UWCSEA with a year off in the middle, backpacking in Asia
1975 -78 Head Drama, Deanes School, Essex
1971 – 75 Liverpool University followed by my PGCE at Bretton Hall (Leeds University)
Story Organisations / Festivals / Activities that I am passionate about:
The Federation of Asian Storytellers
is an exciting community of people passionate about storytelling. Predominantly Asian – though not exclusively so, for we welcome Non Resident in Asia members – we are focused on Learning and Development. FEAST runs 8 – 10 monthly Learning Capsules a year (90 minute online sessions facilitated by a highly experienced teller). We offer two or three mentorships annually catering to 4-5 people – Eco- and Adult Performance Storytelling are the themes for 2023. There are special interest groups in improvisation, eco-telling and podcasting. We also host regular Story Swaps (free even for non-members!) Learn more
Why ‘398.2’?
It’s the Dewey classification for what I consider the best shelf in the library – traditional stories! I founded the 398.2 in 2015 upon the demise of the previous storytelling festival, as I wanted to give our local storytelling community the opportunity to continue sharing and showcasing its talent and diversity.
The Festival was managed from 2017 – 2020 by Story Connection Limited, a non-profit company I created for the purpose with Sheila Wee. However the spectacular growth of FEAST meant Sheila and I were unable to give 398.2 the attention it deserved. We are delighted that the Storytelling Association Singapore agreed to take over the ownership of the Festival and has run two highly successful iterations in 2021 & 2022.
Thanks to the support of the National Library Board, our venue partner from the very beginning, and funding from the National Arts Council, the 398.2 has been a largely free festival from Day 1.
Audio Description
I am a trained audio-describer for live theatre performance and I am proud to be part of Singapore’s push to maker the arts more accessible.
I applaud both Singapore Repertory Theatre and Wild Rice for their exceptional commitment to promoting access to all of their performances through audio description, sign language interpretation and/or close captioning, and offering relaxed performances.
Bi-Lingual Telling & Tandem telling with a partner
In 2022, I told stories with actors speaking in Mandarin (with Abby Lai), Malay (with Gene Sha Rudyn) and Tamil (with Grace Kalaiselvi). The project was made possible thanks to a Self-Employed Person’s Grant from the NAC. view the stories for free on the Story Stream
Tandem-telling with a hearing-impaired partner:
GOPHI NATHAN and I have worked together on a variety of projects since 2010 and examples of our work are available on the Story Stream. I have been blessed to work with three talented and generous deaf actors who have taught me so much about non-verbal communication – Dennis Tan, Ramesh Meyappan and then Gophi .
Gecko Can’t Sleep in 7 languages!
I play the harassed Balinese village chief and I am joined by Rona Mentari (Indonesia) Ang Sook Kim (South Korea), Alla Lebedeva (Russia), Rituparna Ghosh (India), Cem Alfar (Turkey) and Simone Sales (Philippines) each speaking in their own Mother Tongue as gecko, fireflies, woodpecker, frog, dung beetle and water buffalo.
A dramatic re-telling of the version of the folktale found in Anne Pellowski’s book. The recording was made as part of a celebration by the NSN for Earth Day 2021.
Here’s a bi-lingual version in Bahasa Melayu and English with my good friend Gene Sha Ru Dyn (and subtitles)