VOA慢速英语2012 Education Report - These Pirates Help Children Learn to Write

Education Report - These Pirates¹ Help Children Learn to Write 

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

A group called Story Pirates goes into schools and performs shows for children. But these shows are based on stories written by the children themselves. The grown-ups are there to help them become better writers.

The Story Pirates are active in more than two hundred schools across the United States. Their method is designed to help children learn about the purpose and structure of writing.

Actors and teachers known as teacher-artists help students write stories. The children feel the pride of ownership² in their work and may get to see their story performed.

About two hundred actors and teachers are members of the Story Pirates. It was founded in two thousand three. The group is based in Los Angeles and also has performers on the East Coast.

The basic program is called the Idea Storm. It involves two visits to a school.

On the first visit, the teachers and actors hold a writing workshop at a student assembly³. They help students express their ideas. Benjamin Salka, the group's chief executive⁴ officer, says they work with children to "open up" their imaginations. But that is only part of the process.

BENJAMIN SALKA: "We work with them on the actual craft⁵ and structure of writing. In other words, Story Pirates is not just a creativity and self-esteem-building program. It is a writing program. And we focus on elements of structure and style as broad as conflict and creative conflict resolution, and as minute as grammar."

He says they work with students to rewrite and shape their story to improve it. The goal is a final product that can express the ideas that were in the writer's head. All the children get comments and suggestions on their work.

After about a month, the Story Pirates return to the school. This time, they perform the stories that they have chosen and prepared for the stage. They sing, dance, tell jokes, use puppets⁶ -- whatever they can do to make the experience fun.

A more extensive⁷ program can be found at the Bronx Charter⁸ School for the Arts in New York City. Ann Ledo is arts director for the school, where most of the students are black or Latino and many come from poor families. Ms. Ledo says the work of the actors is an important part of the children's education.

ANN LEDO:"As a school that has a focus on the arts, we bring the Story Pirates in to further our students' experience and understanding of academic content."

Some educators may think of the importance currently⁹ placed on testing in schools, and wonder how they can measure the effects of a program like this. But Ann Ledo praises the results.

ANN LEDO: "It really is a magical moment when the kids see their stories come to life."

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Christopher Cruise¹⁰.

1 pirates   

n.海盗( pirate的名词复数 )；剽窃者；侵犯版权者；非法播音的人（或组织）

参考例句：

• Children dressed (themselves) up as pirates. 孩子们假扮成海盗。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The pirates treated their captives with barbarity. 海盗们残暴地对待他们的俘虏。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 ownership   

n.所有(权)，所有制

参考例句：

• The house is under new ownership.那栋房子已易新主。
• He claimed ownership of the house.他声称那幢房子归他所有。

3 assembly   

n.集会(不可数)；会议(可数)，装配(不可数)

参考例句：

• He took his seat in an unobserved corner of the assembly room.他在会议室一个不为人注意的犄角坐下来。
• It was very quiet in the assembly hall.会场里静悄悄的。

4 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

5 craft   

n.工艺，手艺；小船，飞机；行业；诡计

参考例句：

• The harbour was full of pleasure craft.港口满是游艇。
• He's a master of his craft.他有一手好手艺。

6 puppets   

n.木偶( puppet的名词复数 )；玩偶；受他人操纵的人或集团；傀儡

参考例句：

• They were mere puppets manipulated by other men. 他们只不过是受人操纵的傀儡而已。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The children I was looking after were interested in puppets. 我那时照看的孩子们对木偶感兴趣。 来自辞典例句

7 extensive   

adj.广泛的，广阔的，广大的

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• The museum offers extensive facilities for study.这个博物馆提供了许多供研究的设备。

8 charter   

n.特许状，执照，宪章；v.特许，发给特许执照

参考例句：

• This new law amounts to a tax evader's charter.这项新法律简直成了为逃税者开的许可证。
• We will charter a steamer to convey the goods.我们将租一艘船运送这批货物。

9 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

10 cruise   

v.巡航，航游，缓慢巡行；n.海上航游

参考例句：

• They went on a cruise to Tenerife.他们乘船去特纳利夫岛。
• She wants to cruise the canals of France in a barge.她想乘驳船游览法国的运河。