VOA慢速英语:These Pirates Help Children Learn to Write

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.
一个名为Story Pirates的组织进入校园并为儿童表演节目，但这些节目都是在儿童自己编写故事的基础上进行的。而这些大人们在那里帮助孩子们成为更好的作家。

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.
Story Pirates活跃于美国各地两百多家学校。他们的办法旨在帮助孩子们了解写作的目的和结构。

Actors and teachers known as teacher-artists help students write stories. The children feel the pride of ownership in their work and may get to see their story performed.
被称为艺术家教师的演员和教师帮助学生们写故事。孩子们为他们的拥有的工作感到骄傲，并可能看到他们的故事被演出。

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.
大约有两百名演员和教师是Story Pirates的成员。它成立于2003年，该组织的总部设在洛杉矶，他们也在美国东海岸进行过表演。

The basic program is called the Idea Storm. It involves two visits to a school.
基本项目被称为思想风暴，涉及对一家学校进行两次访问。

On the first visit, the teachers and actors hold a writing workshop at a student assembly. They help students express their ideas. Benjamin Salka, the group's chief executive officer, says they work with children to "open up" their imaginations. But that is only part of the process.
在首次访问中，教师和演员在学生大会上举行一次写作研讨会。他们帮助学生们表达自己的想法。该组织首席执行官本Benjamin Salka称，他们和孩子们一起工作，“开拓”他们的想象力。不过，这只是全过程的一部分。

BENJAMIN SALKA: "We work with them on the actual craft 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."
BENJAMIN SALKA：“我们和孩子们在写作的实际技巧和结构上合作。换句话说，Story Pirates不只是一个创意和建立自尊的项目。这是一个写作计划。我们的重点放在风格与结构，以及解决冲突创意一样广泛，和语法一样细致的结构和风格元素。”

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.
他说，他们和学生们一起合作改写和塑造他们的故事，以使之提高。最终的目标是让他们能够表达作者头脑中的思想。所有的孩子都将在工作上得到意见和建议。

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 puppets -- whatever they can do to make the experience fun.
大约一个月后，Story Pirates再次回到学校。这一次，他们表便了之前为此次舞台表演选而选择和准备的故事。他们唱歌、跳舞、讲笑话、操纵木偶，尽全力使得这次经历变得有趣。

A more extensive program can be found at the Bronx Charter 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.
纽约市布朗克斯艺术特许学校有一个更广泛的项目。Ann Ledo是该校的艺术总监，那里大部分学生是黑人或拉美裔，而且许多是来自贫困家庭。Ledo女士称，演员们的工作是对孩子们的教育中很重要的一部分。
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."
ANN LEDO:"作为一家专注于艺术的学校，我们带来的Story Pirates将进一步促进学生们的体验和对学术内容的理解。"

Some educators may think of the importance currently placed on testing in schools, and wonder how they can measure the effects of a program like this. But Ann Ledo praises the results.
一些教育工作者可能考虑当前学校设置的测试，并想重点他们如何衡量像这样一个项目的影响。但是Ann Ledo赞扬了这些结果。

ANN LEDO:  "It really is a magical  moment when the kids see their stories come to life."
ANN LEDO:  "当孩子们看到他们的故事变成现实，这真是一个美妙的时刻。"