Immersive Tales’ first 3 day workshop

Sir Donald Bailey Academy, Newark

Immersive Tales delivered a 3 day workshop to year 5 pupils at the Sir Donald Bailey Academy in Newark. All 19 children who attended the whole workshop completed a story which followed a clear narrative arc having first chosen the genre they wished to write in. Sensory equipment was used to add another dimension to the teaching to create mood and to encourage the children’s use of their imaginations.

Unfortunately the other workshops due to take place at the school, had to be cancelled due to a COVID-19 Track & Trace call.

Feedback

Sensory equipment

Asked to write what they had felt, seen, heard when the sensory equipment was used some feedback was:

• “I am inside a whale’s stomach. Echoes of frightening noises fill my soul. I curiously look around, lights flowing like fire. Terrifying echoes can still be heard. I can feel a gargantuan crab robot approaching. Nightmare. Fire rockets come from the robot’s mouth. Robotic noises endure. Where am I? Magical. Slowly I close my eyes….”
• “It’s a magical place full of light and beauty. A nice place full of happiness but then a factory comes. It chomps down the trees, it locks up the animals. Chasing out life”.
• “Under the sea you will see seaweed. It feels nice and relaxing. You will see rocks in the water splashing. You hear dolphins in an ocean nearby”.
• “As you drift away into space in your mind you will see planets”.
• “Fireflies dancing on the water at night. Calm. Soothing.”

Writing a story

Asked what they liked most about writing a story comments included:

• “You feel proud and you can compare stories”
• “Letting all my ideas be free”
• “Using your imagination”
• “Being able to write about anything and not a certain subject”
• “How much help I got”
• “Actually writing it”
• “Coming up with the idea”
• “That we were allowed to write horror”
• “The build-up/start because it makes it a story”

“I’ve never actually wanted to write a story until now.”

What did you think of the course?

Children were asked to complete a short evaluation at the end of the course:

• 12 said they would write more stories.
• 14 felt they were now better at writing stories.
• 17 enjoyed having the sensory effects in their classroom.

Our thanks to Mr M Sangha for entrusting his class to us and allowing us to take them off curriculum.