What is a myriorama?
The myriorama is a narrative game invented in the 19th century by the French artist, scientist and teacher Jean-Pierre Brès. In a desire to improve his painting style, he created a work made up of several ‘segments’. The term “Myriorama”, invented for the occasion, has its origins in two Greek words: “myrias” meaning multitude and “orama” meaning vision. This narrative game is made up of several cards, each representing a scene from the story. The cards are exchangeable, leaving the field open to an infinite number of different stories and landscapes.
How can it be used at school?
The teacher arranges the pack of cards so that all the children can see it. First, he arranges the cards in the order of the story and tells it. Once the “official” story is finished, the teacher shuffles the cards to show how the story can be changed. Then, it’s the children’s turn to create their own stories, in small groups!
The benefits of myriorama
The story contains only illustrations, which makes it easy to change and allows children’s imaginations to run wild. This strengthens their ability to invent stories. The absence of text also means that the myriorama is accessible to children anable to read or children who have a learning disability. The difficulty can also be adapted to suit the pupils, as the teacher can remove cards to make the story simpler and shorter.
To go further
Find out more about storytelling resources on the Storias project website.
