• Course Title

Story Creation in Three Stages From Classroom Storytelling to Picture Book Development

• Lecturer

Dr Cheng Wan-Ni

• Lecturer’s Profile

Dr. Cheng is currently the Dean of ECCED and Senior Lecturer at the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL). She specializes in picture book creation, localization of teaching resources, and promoting parent-child reading. With her extensive research background and profound expertise in early childhood education theories, she frequently delivers cutting-edge keynote speeches. Her work focuses on promoting game-based autonomous learning, empowering children to construct knowledge through exploration while enhancing the engagement and impact of early childhood Chinese language education.

• Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1.  Understand children’s developmental preferences in storytelling
Recognise how children at different developmental stages engage with stories, including preferences in content, pacing, and themes, and understand how these elements inform story and picture book design.

2. Identify and capture story inspiration from classroom contexts
Learn how to draw story ideas from classroom interactions, children’s language, and everyday experiences, transforming observations into meaningful story starting points.

3. Develop complete story structures using the Three-Stage Story Creation Framework
Apply a systematic approach to expand story ideas into coherent and well-structured narratives through the three-stage framework.

4. Translate stories into picture book creation and classroom applications
Understand the core elements of children’s picture books, including text–image relationships, and apply stories effectively in picture book development and classroom-based learning activities.

• Take-home Course Resources

Upon completion of the course, participants will receive the following practical tools:

1.  Three-Stage Story Creation Cut Cards
A hands-on tool to support the three-stage process from story ideas to complete narratives for classroom storytelling and picture book creation.

2. Five-Box Story Idea Organizer
A visual framework to help teachers organise story ideas and identify key themes from classroom and everyday experiences.

3. Nine-Box Story Writing Grid
A structured tool to develop story ideas into complete narratives, suitable for both classroom storytelling and picture book text planning.

4. Story Inspiration Cards
Cards designed for capturing children’s language, classroom observations, and spontaneous ideas as story materials.

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  Course Flow