Storytelling workshop teaches Appalachian children to appreciate the fading 'mountain dialect' of their grandparents

Octavia Sexton shares the 'mountain dialect.' (WEKU photo)

The voice that tells the story can be as important as the story itself. In Kentucky, the Appalachian voice is being taught by traveling teacher Octavia Sexton, reports Sam Dick of WEKU in Richmond, Ky. "She describes herself as a teaching artist who travels the state inspiring students in vocal storytelling in her mountain dialect. The 69-year-old Sexton explains to the students, 'I tell my stories in dialect. Your teacher teaches you in what’s called standard English. . . . But my dialect is a part of who I am, and I’m not ashamed of it. Don’t you ever be ashamed of the way your grandma talks.'”
 
Dick provides Sexton's recent workshop with third graders at Mount Vernon Elementary as an example. "When Sexton tells her stories that she heard from her grandparents, she moves and acts the story," Dick reports. "She explains her approach to teaching the students. 'Focus on presentation skills. We work on that a lot. I want to get them to develop speaking skills and confidence.'. . . Sexton grew up in Rockcastle County and remembers facing discrimination and being stereotyped. . . . Part of her message is about uplifting the students no matter where they come from."

Rockcastle County, Kentucky (Wikipedia)

When students were asked what they thought about Sexton's storytelling, Nine-year old Grayson Vance told Dick, “She’s really funny and she’s like a very good like storytelling about the story.” Eight-year-old Arabella Smith added, “she’s a very good voice actor.” 

Sexton's trip was financed by a grant from Arts for All Kentucky, a nonprofit. Art teacher Robin Rumsey told Dick that it’s important that Sexton brings back the Appalachian roots to the students 'that are kinda disappearing for these smaller children.'"