Category: French presenters

Campbell, Duncan (Toronto, ON)

Bilingual (English with some Spanish words) early elementary picture book in rhyming verse for all ages.

In-Person Workshops: $200 plus HST for 1 session of 20-60 minutes, $350 for 2, $500 for 3 and $650 for 4, + travel (60 cents per kilometer for SW Ontario).

Virtual Workshops: $150 plus HST for one session of 20-60 minutes, $125 for each additional session on the same day.

Books

Duncan admits that he’s always alert
For words he can use for a rhyme
Putting them into relatable verses
That hopefully you think sound fine
Sometimes it all comes out awesome
Sometimes it’s almost divine
And you can be sure that the best ones
Will cost you much more than a dime!

… But if you should find that your wallet
Is currently looking quite thin
He’ll do it for less than what’s written
So we can all have a big win!

Duncan has been playing with words all his life, is a terminal rhyming addict, and all three of his children have nominated him for the “Lethal Punster Award.” He is a writer of prose, poetry, and songs, an experienced speaker, and skilled in doing workshops with audiences of all ages on diverse subjects, including how to do rhyming poetry. He has travelled the world, working with a broad array of cultures and people groups, especially in Africa and Latin America. His areas of expertise include international relief and development, travel and adventure, cross-cultural experiences, and, of course, rhyming! Duncan is an experienced children’s worker, with over 30-years of teaching short, appealing lessons to children ages 4 and up, singing songs with actions, and organising fun games. He tailors his talks to each group, and is available to do multiple talks or workshops over the course of the day. He can share from his 30 years of international experiences, and from his life-long writing journey to finally becoming a published author. Duncan would be especially happy to do joint talks, presentations, and workshops with Ashlee Campbell, the main author of Señora Sanasana. (See Ashlee’s profile for more details.)

Examples of workshop options:

All presentations available in English, Spanish, French, or a combination of language of instruction.

JK- Gr. 2:

  • Duncan only: 30–60-minute workshop, reading Señora Sanasana out loud, discussion about some of the verses and how they rhyme, definition of a rhyme, how to find rhymes and make rhyming verses, use of a Thesaurus, exercises to write one rhyming verse couplet and volunteers to share. Includes speaker-led, multilingual “brain breaks” for children such as fun games and action songs.
  • With Ashlee: 60–75-minute workshop, Ashlee leading with study of character creation or learning the Spanish words, including exercises and sharing. (See Ashlee Campbell’s profile for more details.) Duncan would follow with the rhyming component and help with breaks throughout.

Gr. 3-6:

  • Duncan only: 30–60-minute workshop, study more rhymes from Señora Sanasana, deeper dive into concept of rhyming and Thesaurus usage, longer exercise in writing rhyming verses.
  • With Ashlee: 60–75-minute workshop, Ashlee leading, deeper dive into character creation based on common nursery rhymes, sayings and idiomatic expressions, longer writing activity, group discussions, and more sharing by students. (See Ashlee Campbell’s profile for more details.) Duncan intervening for rhyming components integrated throughout the workshop, and assisting with brain break games and action songs.

Highschool and Adult:

  • Duncan only: 45–90-minute workshop, deeper and longer dive into the concept and practice of rhyming, creating rhyming verse, Thesaurus usage, increased content creation time to write a full poem or story in rhyming verse, and everyone sharing and critiquing each other.
  • With Ashlee: 60-90-minute workshop, or two sessions for increased content creation time. Character creation as above, with discussion of “own voice” stories and introduction to constructive writing critique groups. (See Ashlee Campbell’s profile for details.) Duncan adding rhyming analysis, exercises, and critique throughout.

Duncan and Ashlee also take workshops on request.

All Venues. All Group Sizes. Equipment required: A table or podium. A microphone for larger groups and when room acoustics require it. A screen and projector for power-point and videos.

Contact Duncan to book a visit:

    Campbell, Ashlee (Toronto, Ontario)

    Bilingual early elementary picture book (Spanish/English). All ages.

    $200 plus HST for 1 session, $350 for 2, $500 for 3 and $650 for 4, + travel (50 cents per kilometer, round-trip for SW ON). Virtual Visits: $150 plus HST, for one session, 20-60 minutes, $125 for each additional session on the same day.

    Ashlee is an experienced speaker and Creative Writing teacher at the highschool and elementary levels. Ashlee tailors her talks to each group and is available to present in English, Spanish and French or a combination of languages of instruction. Ashlee is available to do multiple talks or workshops over the course of the day with groups ranging from kindergarten to high school. As a homeschool co-op organizer Ashlee also prepares talks and workshops for mixed-age groups. Ashlee has also given talks on writing, publishing and the author’s journey for adult groups.

    Sample pre-recorded workshops available upon request. Ashlee also takes workshop requests.

    Examples of workshop options:

    All presentations available in English, French and Spanish or a combination of language of instruction.

    JK- Gr. 2 – 45 – 60 mins (including speaker-led multilingual “brain breaks” for children)

    Reading of “Senora Sanasana” followed by a character creation workshop including a LA tie-in worksheet for Gr. 2 and a drawing activity for younger ages.

    OR

    Reading of “Senora Sanasana” followed by learning Spanish words and class discussion about languages spoken and heard in the children’s home and communities and creation of a classroom word cloud of words in other languages the children know.

    Gr. 3-6 – 45 – 60 mins

    Character creation workshop based on common nursery rhymes, sayings and idiomatic expressions, including worksheet and writing activity and group discussion about the rhymes and sayings from their diverse backgrounds. Workshop includes time for students to share their characters.

    Highschool – 45 – 60 mins or two sessions for increased content creation time

    Introduction to critique circle practices and character creation workshop (see above). Workshop includes discussion of “own voice” stories and how to create supportive, compassionate and constructive writing critique groups.

    Adults – 45 – 60 mins

    “Abundance versus scarcity for artists” – this is a talk on having an “abundance” mentality as an artist, basing our creative practices on the belief that there is enough space and enough audience in the world for everyone’s art and writing. This talk also delves into how we define success and takes an anti-capitalist approach to redefining both “success” and “audience” in order for artists to thrive.

    All Venues. All Group Sizes. Equipment required: A table or podium. A microphone for larger groups or in the gym, or if the room acoustics require it. A screen and projector for power-point.

    Contact Ashlee to book a visit:

      Beddia, Lea (Joliette, Quebec)

      CANSCAIP and SCBWI member, two-time recipient of Canada Council of the Arts grants. Member of Quebec Writers’ Federation and selected mentee for Young Adult fiction in 2020.

      Workshops are best for ages 9 to 17. $250.00 for one sixty-minute session. $450 for two sessions. $675 for three sessions and $900 for 4 sessions. + travel (50 cents per kilometer, round-trip for Lanaudière, Laurentides, Montreal, Laval, Mauricie regions.

      Virtual Visits: $200 for one 60-minute session, $100 for each additional session on the same day, up to four sessions in one day.

      Lea is an experienced English Language Arts teacher who loves to talk about books and writing. As a writer of books for striving readers, she is passionate about bringing accessible literature to all readers and second language learners. Lea believes anyone can be a writer and all it takes is the right tools, some hard work, and the right encouragement. She wants to bring the power of writing to all types of learners. She is experienced working with students will learning difficulties, and can offer flexible workshops to accommodate all learners. She provides graphic organizers and worksheets, including editable digital copies for learners using assistive technologies. She has also been known to bring tasty snacks!

      Writing Workshop Topics for ages 9 to 17

      Workshops are conducted in English, but Lea is comfortable speaking French to second language learners. She can answer questions/provide translation and communicate fluently in French. Participants who speak languages other than English or French are encouraged to teach Lea some new words!

      All workshops use a combination of large and/or small group discussion, group activity/game, writing, revising, and sharing.

      Writing Makes Sense: Showing vs. Telling

      Lea will use a combination of discussion, group activity and writing to create strong sentences using sensory details.

      Words for Humanity: Using Conflict to Write About Emotions

      Based on the “Cards Against Humanity” or “Cards Against Maturity” game, with an age-appropriate and positive twist, we will create solutions to problems for our characters.

      From Memory to Fiction

      Based on the game “Clue,” students will use detective work to piece together memories to create a setting, a character and/or a conflict as a stepping stone for their own creative writing.

      Dialogue that doesn’t drag: using dialogue to build character.

      Using video clips of well-known characters, students will predict what/how characters will speak. We will use character charts, to create personalities and with them, a way to let characters speak that is dynamic and exciting.

      Words, Words, Words: Beyond the Thesaurus.

      Based on the game “Taboo,” and incorporating improvisation/acting students will explore their vocabulary by acting out adverbs, describing movements and using action words instead, to create a scene.

      These workshops are ideal for groups between 10 and 20 participants. Lea prefers small settings for workshops such as a classroom, library or other space large enough to move around, but not so large that she cannot connect with each participant.

      Tech requirements include a blackboard/whiteboard and a screen for the dialogue workshop with internet access, speakers, etc. Participants will require writing materials, including assistive technologies for students who use them in the classroom on a regular basis.

      Contact Lea to book a visit:

        Camlot, Heather (Toronto, ON)

        Writers’ Union Member. Fiction and nonfiction writer.

        Heather’s rates are $300 for one session, $550 for two, $800 for three. For virtual presentations: $300 for one session, $500 for two. HST applies to all sessions. No travel costs within Toronto or if I am in your city (I travel to Montreal several times a year). Able to present in English and French.

        Heather is an award-winning children’s author, journalist, editor and translator. Her two middle-grade novels, CLUTCH and THE OTHER SIDE, received Skipping Stones Honor Awards and nominations for Forest of Reading, among other honors. CLUTCH was also named a 2017 Best Book from Kirkus Reviews.

        CCBC Book Awards: David Booth Award for Children’s and Youth Poetry nominee

        The Other Side Heather Camlot

        Heather is also an accomplished nonfiction writer. SECRET SCHOOLS and THE PRISONER AND THE WRITER were named Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections and What If Soldiers Fought with Pillows? True Stories of Imagination and Determination received a Skipping Stones Honor Award. Her next nonfiction book, Becoming Bionic and Other Ways Science is Making Us Super,

        In her presentations, Heather aims to entertain and educate, leaving the audience interested in writing fiction and nonfiction as well as looking into their own history for inspiration.

        PRESENTATIONS (60 minutes, grades 3+)


        Heather engages students with a fun and interactive presentation, customized to audience and interest.

        • Generally speaking: Heather shares the inspiration and the challenges of writing works that delve into history and social justice. She also discusses the basic elements of writing fiction and/or nonfiction, how to give stories life through research and why bringing the past to the present is so important. Q&A session and reading are included.
        • What does it mean to be a superhero?: This STEM/STEAM-related presentation draws on BECOMING BIONIC. We’ll delve get into how science is turning us into superbeings – powering up our bodies with what we may not have been born with and what we may never have thought we’d need. We’ll discuss what those powers look like in the real world, based on the sections of Becoming Bionic. We’ll create our own superhero identities and answer the ultimate question: Cape or no cape.
        • Stand up and speak out: This social-justice-related presentation, based on THE PRISONER AND THE WRITER, begins with a quote from Captain Alfred Dreyfus: “My only crime is to have been born a Jew.” How would students fill in the last word of Captain Dreyfus’s quote to reflect their lives or world around them? We’ll discuss the meaning of social justice, play a game of news fact vs news fiction, and discuss ways to stand up and speak out.

        Maximum presentation size: 100 for virtual presentations; 60 for in-person reading/Q&A. Teacher and/or librarian must be present.

        WORKSHOPS (60 minutes, grades 3+)

        • Look no further: A simple moment can kickstart the writing process. Students choose a moment in their own lives or family history and turn into a work of fiction or nonfiction. Based on CLUTCH and THE OTHER SIDE.
        • What’s news?: Bias in the media is not difficult to spot. This session will delve into media literacy and how to determine if what you’re reading is fact…or fiction. I’ll test students’ knowledge of news fact vs news fiction through a fun game and we’ll create a reference guide to better judge whether what they are reading, seeing, hearing is objective, biased or completely fake. Based on THE PRISONER AND THE WRITER.
        • A single object: A single object can inspire an entire world. Students will begin with an “item of interest” and learn how to add different layers — setting, storyline, character, big reveal — to build a short story. Based on THE OTHER SIDE.
        • Just the facts: How do you write a nonfiction book that makes tough subjects compelling and easy to understand all the while ensuring it stick to the truth? Based on her nonfiction books.
        • Get activ-ist!: “What cause would you defend…and how would you defend it?” We’ll discuss various forms of activism and what is important to students right now. We’ll come up with methods to get messages across and students will put ideas into action by creating a poster for their cause. Based on THE PRISONER AND THE WRITER and I CAN’T DO WHAT?
        • Customized topic: Heather is happy to tailor workshops to your needs and audience, including educators and the general public. Topics can include social injustice, advocacy, World War II, the Holocaust, antisemitism, soccer, baseball, media literacy, arts and entertainment, etc.

        Maximum workshop size: 30 (flexible).
        Equipment required: Flip chart and markers, screen and projector, microphone and podium (for large rooms), paper and pencils (for workshops). Teacher and/or librarian must be present.

        Heather offers the services of professional editing, copyediting, proofreading and
        translating. She also provides manuscript evaluations – fiction and nonfiction.

        Contact Heather to book a visit: