A half-term family festival is well under way at Storyhouse and will this year have a new addition to the roster.
As part of a series of creative and literary-focused events for Wayword Festival 2018, passionate advocates for inclusion in children’s books and storytelling, Storyhouse and Deafness Support Network (DSN) have teamed up with The Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler to work alongside him, signing some of his stories in the main theatre at Storyhouse this Thursday (February 22).
The event is ticketed and sold out.
A British Sign Language Level 6 interpreter, funded by One Stop – Carriers for Causes who support DSN, will sign stories from 11am onwards as Axel Scheffler reads his best stories, such as The Highway Rat and Pip and Posy, at the Hunter Street arts centre.
Executive operations at DSN Gill Reeder said: “Including deaf children and toddlers into story time is a great way to inspire imagination and encourage hearing children to use sign language too. As well as having the enjoyment factor, it helps them to learn conversation and social skills opening them up to new vocabulary, whilst developing concentration and building confidence.”
Following the popularity of ‘Signed Storytime at Storyhouse’ late in 2017, DSN will also be rolling out the signed sessions at the toddler morning groups throughout the year.
The sessions which need to booked in advance will take place during the regular Under 5’s Storytime at 11am. The sessions will include a story read by a member of the Storyhouse engagement team, while it is signed by a BSL interpreter.
For more information on these sessions contact Erica Jones at DSN via email ejones@dsnonline.co.uk.
