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08 Dec 2021

2022 National Preschool Teaching Aid Competition – Creative Picture Book Storyboard

2022 National Preschool Teaching Aid Competition – Creative Picture Book Storyboard

1. Objectives of competition

This competition aims to encourage early childhood educators, students, parents and members of the public in Singapore to design creative picture book storyboard as teaching aids for teaching and learning Chinese Language. We hope that this competition can create a platform to motivate and promote children's love in learning Chinese.

Main objectives:

  1. To enhance the ability to integrate both creativity and practicality in designing children's teaching aids in the Chinese language.
  2. To generate teaching ideas and teaching aids to encourage children's interest in learning Chinese.
  3. To provide a learning platform for the community to interact and create interesting and engaging Chinese teaching aids.
  4. To develop localized teaching aids to promote Singapore culture.
 

2. Organizing partners

  1. Main Organizer: Singapore Centre for Chinese Language.
  2. Supporting Organizations: Singapore University of Social Sciences, National Institute of Education, National Institute of Early Childhood Development, National Library Board, PAP Community Foundation, Kinderland International Education and E-Bridge Pre-school.
 

3. Picture Book Storyboard (Teaching Aid)

The simple definition of storyboard is the creator's use of static panels to convey a series of events through visual images (Briggs, 2013). Placing and arranging the images on the storyboard panel is the brainstorming stage of film or animation making; using story tiles to illustrate the script. A storyboard is a form of visual communication, usually a set of boxes placed in a logical order. The creator will insert information, pictures, symbols or text in the boxes (Essley et al., 2008). When this concept was introduced to the field of early childhood education, the teachers applied it to picture book presentations. Storyboards are regarded as a new form of deconstructing picture book stories and reorganizing picture book stories. It is also one way for readers to rediscover the fun of different stories. Simply put, a picture book storyboard is a picture book which is unbound, but it has the characteristics of a picture book, which includes the plasticity of the storyline, the characters and the visual illustration. Also, because the book is not bound, the pictures on the storyboard can be rearranged, its sequence can be changed, and even parts of the plot can be deleted, added, or changed in response to the child's life experience.

The picture book storyboard is a free and open form of teaching aid. Teachers can make multiple boards with different storylines, similar to presenting a picture book using individual board panels. A good picture storyboard has a plasticized story to encourage critical thinking in children. Teachers can also make changes to the type of vocabulary used, according to the children's language ability, and allow for different interpretations of the same picture. The simplest way to tell a story by looking at pictures is when there is no limit to one's imagination. The picture book storyboard teaching aid designed for the competition should be targeted at the preschool children in Singapore. The picture book storyboard teaching aids are used as teaching resources.

Please refer to the following instructions for the entries:

  1. Original story: The content of the story can be based on any of the six areas of the "Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework". It must be original story content created by the teacher.
  2. Materials and packing: The theme of this competition is "Creative Picture Book Storyboard". Teachers can use materials which they have in their homes or those they use in their daily lives to come up with the picture book storyboard.
  3. Entries must include the following:
    i) Registration form (Annex 1); ii) Declaration Form (Annex 2); iii) Consent Form (Annex 3); iv) Entry Description of Creative Picture Book Storyboard (Annex 4); v) A set of the original picture book storyboard. All accessories must be packed in an A4 size carton (length 31cm * width 22cm * height 24cm) and delivered to SCCL within the specified time period.
  4. Presentation of the picture book storyboard can be using any of the following templates: (i) One picture per page - the story is connected by many pictures, and the sequence does not have to be fixed. (ii) Storyboards with pictures and texts in a fixed order. (iii) A large drawing board and many movable accessories, which allows for them to be placed on the board or moved whenever required.

 

4. Participants

This competition is open to individuals or groups of early childhood educators, early childhood education tertiary students, parents or members of the public in Singapore. For group registration, the number of participants per group shall not exceed six people. Each individual can enter a maximum of two entries in this competition, not limited to individual or group entries.

 

5. Competition Details

a. Competition launch date: 12 December 2021 (Sunday 2.00p.m.) .

b. Competition Process
    Registration and submission of the storyboard prototype → First round of competition → Finals → Release of the winners' list
 
c. Entry Submission details:
      i. Submission of Annex 1 to 4 in soft copy in word format to be emailed to: ecced.events@sccl.sg

ii. Submission of prototype Work to Singapore Centre for Chinese Language, 287 Ghim Moh Road, Singapore 279623. Indicate "2022 National Preschool Teaching Aid Competition – Creative Picture Book Storyboard" on the prototype.

iii. Please refer and fill in the annexes which can be downloaded from the website.

The registration process is only considered as completed with the online submission of Annexes 1 to 4 and physical submission of the prototype.

iv. Entry requirements:

Registration: Please complete Annexes 1 to 4 and email to: ecced.events@sccl.sg The Annexes include the following: Registration Form (Annex 1), Declaration Form (Annex 2), Consent Form (Annex 3) and Entry Description of Creative Picture Book Storyboard (Annex 4).

Submission of prototype: A set of the original picture book storyboard. All accessories must be packed in an A4 size carton (length 31cm * width 22cm * height 24cm) including i) Registration form (Annex 1); ii) Declaration Form (Annex 2); iii) Consent Form (Annex 3) and iv) Entry Description of Creative Picture Book Storyboard (Annex 4).

Duration of submission period: 4 July 2022 (Mon) to 8 July 2022 (Fri), 5 pm.

Singapore Centre for Chinese Language

287 Ghim Moh Road Singapore 27923

Attn: ECCED

v. Release first round of competition result: 5 August 2022 (Friday).

Note: Please prepare an extra set of the competition entry as all submissions are non-returnable. Qualifying teams for the finals will be required to submit an introductory video (4 to 5 minutes) of the competition entry before 15 August 2022 (Monday).

 

6. Finals

Teams qualified for the finals will be required to present and demonstrate the use of the storyboard.

  1. Date of competition: 20 August 2022 (Saturday)
  2. Venue: Singapore Centre for Chinese Language or conduct virtually online (depends on the guidelines from the government).
  3. Release of the winners' list: To be announced at a later date.
  4. Date of Award Ceremony and Presentation: To be announced at a later date.

7. Submission of Entry Requirements

a. Entry description: Please complete Annex 1 to 4, print on A4 size paper and submit it together with the prototype Work to SCCL.

b. Dimension of prototype Work: A set of the original picture book storyboard. All accessories must be packed in an A4 size carton (length 31cm * width 22cm * height 24cm).

8. Judging criteria

Stages of evaluation:

a. First stage of evaluation: The entries will be judged by a team of 7 to 11 professionals in the early childhood education sector from 25 to 29 July 2022. The qualifying entries will be notified by phone by 5 August 2022 (Friday).

b. Second stage of evaluation: Qualifying entries will be judged by a team of 5 to 7 professionals in the early childhood education sector between 16 to 19 August 2022. Qualifying participants will present their entries on the finals, 20 August 2022 (Saturday) and the results may be announced on the same day or at a later date.

  

A. Developmentally appropriateness
(20%)

 The creation is developmentally age appropriate and encourage the use of Chinese Language.
B. Theme Creativity
(20%)		 The theme of the story is original and creative. The story line is able to ignite children's interest and has elements of humour and characteristics of game.
C. Uniqueness of story line
(20%)		 The story is complete with characters, events, conflict elements which include beginning – rising action – climax – falling action – end. The story scene is highly relatable with children's experiences.
D. Arts and Aesthetics
(20%)		 The storyboard's theme, illustration and conceptualization has a good overall layout design such as artistic expression, image interpretation, layout etc.
E. Overall Packaging of the storyboard
(20%)		 Able to comply with the organizer's specifications which includes completed online registration and submission of the prototype work within the stated dimensions. The storyboard production process is clearly stated.
 

 

9. Awards：

 

Most Outstanding Award 1 Most Outstanding Award will be awarded. The winning team will receive a plaque and each group member will receive a certificate, as well as a group reward worth S$2000.
Outstanding Award 1 Outstanding Award will be awarded. The winning team will receive a plaque and each group member will receive a certificate, as well as a group reward worth S$1200.
Excellence Award 1 Excellence Award will be awarded. The winning team will receive a plaque and each group member will receive a certificate, as well as a group reward worth S$600.
Special Creativity Awards 2 Special Creativity Awards will be awarded. The winning team will receive a plaque and each group member will receive a certificate, as well as a group reward worth S$400.
Promising Awards 5 Promising Awards will be awarded. The winning team will receive a plaque and each group member will receive a certificate, as well as a group reward worth S$200.
Consolation Awards 10 Consolation Awards will be awarded. The winning team will receive a plaque and each group member will receive a certificate.

* Please note that all rewards will be given in the form of vouchers.  

 

10. Rules & Regulations

  1. Entries must be storyboards that are developmentally appropriate for pre-school children. Those who do not match the theme will not be included in the entry and scoring.
  2. All entries must be original work of the participants and not plagiarized, which includes and is not limited to previously published work or work which has received any awards locally or internationally. Any work found not to be original shall be disqualified and will face legal responsibilities (please see Annex 2).
  3. Please note that all selected entries will NOT be returned and participants are reminded to make a back-up copy of their entries. We are not liable should there be damaged or missing items from the entries.
  4. By accepting the prize, where permitted by law, the award winner grants the organizer to print, publish, broadcast and use the Works. The award-winning works will be included in the publications related to "2022 National Preschool Teaching Aid Competition – Creative Picture Book Storyboard". Please sign the consent form in Annex 3.
  5. While the authorship rights will remain with the award winners of the competition, all other rights will belong to SCCL. SCCL reserves the rights to rewrite, publish, copy and distribute the winning entries or parts of the content at any time and in any places, without getting consent from or paying any fee to the authors.
  6. The registration form must be duly and correctly completed. Each team must not exceed 6 participants and a core contact person is to be specified.
  7. There should not be any disclosure of the participant's identity in any forms indicated in the entry description and the Work itself. Offenders will be disqualified from the competition.
  8. The creation process of the tabletop activity should be described in 8 steps. Each step must be accompanied by a photo. There must be no image of children or adults in the photos.
  9. Please ensure that the prototype Work is complete and properly packed if submission is by express delivery. The core contact person of the team will be notified by email or phone after the entry has been received.
  10. All participants of selected entries must be present on the finals of the competition. Non selected entries are allowed to claim back their prototype Works. Unclaimed prototype Works will be destroyed after the stipulated date.
  11. The organizer reserves the right to amend and publish information pertaining to the competition on the SCCL website at any time. The participants will not be notified individually.
 

11. Contact us

Organizer: Singapore Centre for Chinese Language
Email: ecced.events@sccl.sg
Phone：6467 5667

12. FAQ

Q: If we submit a team entry, how do we fill out the registration form?

A: Please fill in the name, organization, contact information of all team members, and specify a core contact person.
 

Q: After the winners have been announced, does the organizer reserve the right to modify the storyline of the storyboard, or publish its content with an irrelevant genre?

A: It is the philosophy of the organizer to publish high quality teaching aids, and not all storyboards are suitable for preschoolers. Although the organizer respects the design philosophy and creativity behind every entry, necessary modification could be adopted to the teaching aid to enrich its content and fun element. It should also be easy to replicate (do-it-yourself) for both teachers and parents. 

Q: What materials can I use to create storyboards?

A: Thick cardboard, corrugated paper, plastic board, flannel board and so on; two or more materials can also be combined to create storyboards. The storyboard must be strong and sturdy, easy to transport and able to be stored in an A4 carton box.

Q: Can I participate using an adaptation of a commercially available picture book?

A: No. The competition entry must be the participant's original idea or story. It should not copy or use any illustrations from any commercially published picture books. The story plot and pictures must be originally created.

 

References

Briggs, S. (2013, May 20). Using storyboards in education. InformED. https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/teacher-resources/using-storyboards-in-education/

Essley, R., Rief, L., & Rocci, A. L. (2008). Visual tools for differentiating reading and writing instruction: Strategies to help students make abstract ideas concrete and accessible. Scholastic.

 

 

SCCL reserves the rights to make changes under special circumstances.