Exploring and exploiting stories in the primary ESL classroom

Teaching Strategies

LGA
3101
Teaching Strategies
Read Aloud
Storytelling
Theatrical Storytelling
Children as Authors and Storytellers
Read-Aloud
An Important Component of Balanced
Literacy
What is a Read-Aloud?
Simply that—a time in the school day when a teacher
reads orally to a group of students.
A variety of print sources can be read: a picture or
chapter book, a poem, a letter, the wall, a sentence chart
—a teacher is only limited by their imagination.
While teacher reads, students listen, engage in the
material, and comprehend what they hear.
Typically, the teacher shows the pictures to the students
to not only engage them in the story but to demonstrate
the value of pictures to a story line.
The story can be new or one previously read.
Read-Alouds
should occur throughout each school day.
Opportunities can occur:
- At the start or close of the school day
- As a transition from one activity to another
(example: following recess)
- As part of a reading and/or writing mini lessons
- As part of a content lesson
- As a planned part of each day
The Value of Reading Aloud to Students
• Involving students in
read-alouds provides
opportunities for sharing,
discussion, demonstration,
and explanation of various
reading strategies, text
structures, and specific
vocabulary.
The Importance of Read-Aloud
Children can:
read for enjoyment
read for a purpose
learn phased, fluent reading
develop a sense of story
develop knowledge of written language syntax
develop knowledge of how texts are structured
increase vocabulary
expand linguistic repertoire
understand inter-textual ties
shared knowledge
develop oral language
The Importance of Read-Aloud
In addition to the values listed above, read-alouds also
increase a student’s listening comprehension which is one
of the four components of comprehension.
The four forms are:
Listening—what we hear
Speaking—what we use when talking
Reading—what we read easily
Writing—what words we write
Reading Aloud is also:
• An opportunity to:
- demonstrate how to make connections with
the text by tying the new ideas found in the text
to the student’s own prior knowledge and
background.
- demonstrate how to tap into topic knowledge from
previous study or reading.
- demonstrate how to draw inferences.
- demonstrate how to elaborate details.
Reading Aloud is also:
• An opportunity to:
- model making predictions.
- encourage students to make predictions.
Reading Aloud is also:
• An opportunity to:
- to comment on the author’s use of language.
- show young readers and writers the author’s
style or craft.
- ask questions about specific story elements.
Reading Aloud is also:
• An opportunity to:
- examine the text for its use of grammar,
punctuation, and figures of speech.
- raise questions.
- create other examples.
- demonstrate when and where students can use
similar structures in their own writing.
Read Aloud Tips:
• Always read the book before you share it with your
class to make sure it's appropriate for your students.
• Read books aloud that you love. Share books you
love, and you'll transmit enthusiasm for reading to
students.
• Be dramatic. Students enjoy hearing readers adopt
the voices of different characters. Remember, you're
modelling good read-aloud techniques.
• Let students sense your excitement.
Read Aloud Tips:
• Talk about the author behind the book.
• Don’t interrupt the reading of the book.
• Leave time for natural response.
• Enjoy the book….don’t ask students to do something
with the book you wouldn’t do.
• After completing a read-aloud, make the book
available to students. Many will want to reread
sections, look at photographs or illustrations, or reread
the entire book.
Think-Alouds
Think-alouds are a way of making public the thinking
what goes on inside your head as you read.
Use think-alouds to demonstrate for children how you
think as you read.
Thinking Strategies for Think-Alouds
Connect Predict/Anticipate
“This reminds me of…” “I wonder if…”
“I remember something “I wonder who…”
like this that happened to “I think I know what
me when…” is coming next…”
“This is like what happens “He will be in trouble
in our school when…” if…”
“Our country doesn’t “I think we will learn
have that holiday, but how…”
we have…”
 More Thinking Strategies for Think-Alouds
Summarize/Conclude Question/Monitor
“The most important “I wonder what it means
thing I’ve learned so far when…”
is…” “I don’t understand…”
“It didn’t say why she did “It didn’t make sense
that, but I bet…” when…”
“I know he must be “I’m going to reread that,
feeling…” because it didn’t make
“So far in our story…” sense that…”
“So far, I have learned
that…”
More Thinking Strategies for Think-Alouds
 Image/Infer  Evaluate/Imply
“Even though it isn’t in the “My favorite part in this
picture, I can see the…” chapter was…”
“Mmm, I can almost taste “I really liked how the
the…” author…”
“It sent chills down my “What I don’t like about
spine when it said…” this part is…”
“For a minute, I thought I “It was really
could smell…” interesting to learn
“I could hear the…” that…”
“I can imagine what it is “I am going to try this
like to…” out when I…”
“I can picture the…” “I wish I could…”
“If I were her, I
would…”
• Pre-read the selection and plan what you are
Think-Alouds are Not Difficult to Do

going to say.
• It might be helpful to attach sticky notes as
reminders to appropriate points.
• It is not necessary to use all six thinking
strategies in every think-aloud.
• Don’t force it. Make it as close to what you are
thinking as possible.
Stopping to Think
Provide Opportunities to Demonstrate
Comprehension Strategies
STEPS:
• What do I think is going to happen?
• Why do I think this is going to happen?
• Prove it by going back to the story.
Establish a Climate of Response

• Model response through daily read aloud.

• Watch for unanticipated opportunities to
model response.
 Start a Discussion!
• I noticed… • My favourite
• I liked… part…
• I predict… • My question is…
• I think… • If I could change…
•
• What if…
I feel…
• A connection is…

* Remember: spontaneous
conversations
are the goal!
Reasons to Talk About Books
To voice our ideas.
To learn about other people’s ideas.
To sort out our ideas and toss them around and see how
they turn out.
To understand ourselves and each other together.
To understand the world better.
Reading Aloud Is:
An opportunity
to engage students
in text
as it is read
or reread
for the pure joy
of reading and sharing.
Storytelling
Storytelling
One of the oldest art forms
A common form of entertainment and a way
cultures pass their beliefs, values, and
traditions from one generation to the next.
It helps children learn social skills, such as
how to relate to and get along with others.
Oral storytelling supports children’s literacy
learning, knowledge and understanding of
the world, and social/emotional well-being.
Storytelling is the strategy that involves
conveying of events in words, images, and
sounds often by improvisation or
embellishment.
In every culture and in every land, stories
have been shared as a means of
entertainment, education, preservation of
culture and to instill moral values.
Crucial elements of stories in storytelling
include plot, characters, and the narrative
point of view.
The earliest known record of storytelling can be
found in the Westcar Papyrus of the Egyptians.
The sons of Cheops (the pyramid builder)
reportedly entertained their father with stories.
The tools available to storytellers however has
changed with the evolution of technology.
Early forms of storytelling are thought to have
been primarily oral combined with gestures and
expressions, and then passed from generation to
generation.
But today, written and televised media has
largely improved this method of storytelling.
Storytelling
Storytelling encourages children’s
emotional involvement with literature.
When a story is well-told, interactive, and
fun, children view literacy as a source
of enjoyment.
They are filled with the wonder and
excitement of stories and are motivated
to become storytellers, as well as
listeners and readers.
The skills it develops
literary and imaginative skills
concept integration
ability to listen, speak, imagine,
compose phrases and create stories
Benefits of Storytelling
Storytelling helps children build vocabulary
and language skills by showing them that
speech carries messages.
Through storytelling, children gain experience
with a broad range of language: new
vocabulary words, unfamiliar expressions,
rhymes, dialogue, and the structure of
extended narrative.
Storytelling also teaches children that they can
communicate their thoughts, ideas and
feelings not only with words, but with body
language, gestures, and facial expressions.
Adult storytelling encourages children to act
out and retell stories, which promotes their
oral language and cognitive
development.
Many stories use rhymes, tongue twisters,
and other forms of word play.
When children hear patterns repeated again
and again by the storyteller, and when they
actively participate in the storytelling or
retell these stories on their own, they gain
phonological awareness.
As children hear many stories, they develop
understandings about story structure that
contribute to their understanding of books.
They learn that the setting, characters and
theme of a story are introduced in the
beginning of a story.
They also learn that storytellers recount key
events (middle) and end the story by stating
a moral or with another conclusion
(ending).
Storytelling introduces children to various
types of narrative, such as folktales, fairy
tales, and fables, and it enhances children’s
later reading skills by inspiring them to read
stories they have heard.
It also supports their ability to
communicate their own experiences.
Telling a simple story is a skill essential for
children’s later independent writing;
children who are able to compose a story to
tell are more likely able to dictate or write a
story.
Certain storytelling strategies contribute
to children’s understanding and
knowledge of print.
For example, using a story clothesline
(on which pictures of the major events of
the story are clipped to the clothesline,
from the children’s left to the children’s
right) helps children understand the left-
to-right progression that is used in text.
Listening to oral stories enhances children’s
comprehension.
In order to find meaning, they must focus on
the description of the setting, the characters
and their problems, and the sequence of
story events.
The interactions that occur between the
storyteller and the listener before, during,
and after the telling of a story are key to
greater comprehension.
How to Begin
Storytelling is possible for everyone.
It requires no equipment, only the story and
the imaginations of the storyteller and
listeners.
It is sometimes more challenging than
reading because you do not have the
language and
illustrations of a book to support your
narration, but storytelling can be learned.
These ideas will help you get started:
• Think of yourself as a storyteller.
• Select appropriate stories.
• Prepare for storytelling experiences.
Thinking of Yourself as a Storyteller
Think about a time when you used a phrase
such as Once I… or Remember when…? as you
began to recount an experience that was
important to you.
You were introducing a story.
As human beings, we have a natural desire to
express ourselves, share our life stories with
others, and hear their stories.
Even very young children eagerly tell their
families, teachers, and friends about the latest
events and experiences in their lives.
Selecting Appropriate Stories
Like reading aloud, storytelling requires planning.
By knowing the needs, interests, and abilities of
the children in your class, you will be able to select
appropriate stories, modify their length and the
pace at which they are told, and determine ways for
children actively to participate.
Finding stories that are well-suited to the age and
interests of the children in your class is important.
There are many kinds of stories to choose from, such
as folktales, fairy tales, tall tales, and trickster
stories.
With young children, you may wish to begin with a
folktale that has simple story elements.
Recall the stories that captured your attention as a
young child and identify the characteristics that made
them appealing to you.
It is likely that they had one or more of the following
qualities:
• a simple plot (an easy to follow sequence of
events), e.g., The Enormous Turnip by Kathy
Parkinson
• repetitive words or phrases, e.g., The
Gingerbread
Boy by Paul Galdone
• predictable or cumulative storylines, e.g., I
Know
an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms
Taback
• strong or interesting characters, e.g., The Three
Billy Goats Gruff illustrated by Ellen Appleby
• interesting, entertaining, or humorous
situations, e.g., Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock
by Eric A. Kimmel
• action or suspense, e.g., Where the Wild Things
Are by Maurice Sendak
• an exciting or satisfying conclusion, e.g., Henny
Penny by Paul Galdone
• a clear message or moral, e.g., The Little Red Hen
by Lucinda McQueen or The Tortoise and the Hare
by Aesop
Your enthusiasm for a story can be
contagious.
The stories that are meaningful to you will
likely become the children’s favourites, and
they will attempt to retell them on their
own.
Preparing for Storytelling
Oral storytelling requires interaction
between the teller and listeners.
When children listen to stories without the
use of a book, they must use their
imaginations differently from when
illustrations are provided.
As a storyteller, you must think about ways
to capture and hold the children’s
attention.
Your childhood memories of listening to
stories can be helpful.
Think of your feelings during the telling of
a story, the storyteller’s portrayal of the
characters, or the ways in which the
storyteller involved you in the telling.
Keep in mind that the storytelling
experience will be more valuable for the
children if the story and the storyteller are
engaging.
Once you have chosen a story, spend time
with it.
It may take a number of tellings to find an
effective way to tell it to children.
 The following tips will
help you prepare for storytelling
Think about the details of the story
characters.
Develop a clear image of the
characters and use many and varied
words to describe each one.
Think about how the characters might
speak, sound, move, and act.
Practise portraying the characters.
Develop a strong beginning.
Begin the story with an opening phrase
such as Once upon a time… or Long, long
ago, in a land far away… to signal to the
children that they are leaving reality and
entering the world of make-believe.
As you begin, establish the mood of the
story and introduce the characters,
setting, and theme.
Stimulate the children’s senses by
describing sights, sounds, tastes, and
smells in detail.
Learn the story.
Most traditional stories are plot-driven, that is,
they are based upon a particular sequence of
events.
If you understand the plot, you can tell the story
simply by recounting what happens in your own
words; it is not necessary to memorize the
words as someone else has told it.
After you have learned the plot, let your
imagination work.
Picture each event in your mind and think about
the language—the descriptive words and
phrases—the children will understand.
Then tell the story out loud to yourself in
your own words.
Decide when to lower your voice, when to
pause for effect, and when to speak faster.
Create different versions of the story and
practise telling it to different listeners.
Telling slightly different versions of a story
is part of a long oral tradition.
Of course, if the telling is enlivened by
repetitive lines or phrases, you will want to
use them.
Develop an ending.
Tales traditionally end with a sentence that
lets the children know the story is over and
that brings them back to reality.
Some familiar endings include,
That’s a true story! and, They all lived
happily
ever after.
Telling Stories With Children
Before storytelling, make sure that classroom
distractions are minimized, that the area is
comfortable enough for children to relax,
and that they can be near you.
Place any props you are using where you can
reach them easily.
Theatrical Storytelling
Storytelling has long been considered the
origin of theater containing:
Performers
an audience
characters, and
narrative.
A gifted storyteller can transform into the
characters in their tales, even turning it
into a theatrical performance.
Theatrical Storytelling
A form of theatre where the actor tells a tale,
without extensive use of visual aids and with sounds
normally produced only by the mouth (i.e., no
electronic or recorded sounds).
In some cases, actors move around and add dance or
sing but storytelling theatre can also be done with
the actor sitting in one place and telling a story.
Easy to produce because it may require just an actor.
Costumes, props and lights are all optional.
It is not easy to perform, however, since the actor
must tell the story in a compelling manner.
What is storytelling in theatre? What is the theatre
of storytelling?
A myth is first told, then ritualised, then
dramatised.
In the transition from ‘story told’ to ‘play
performed’, the narrative journeys from
an imagined event in the inner world to a
manifestation in the external world.
What is storytelling in theatre? What is the theatre
of storytelling?
The crucial difference between theatre and
storytelling that needs to be understood is
that, with a theatrical performance, the
drama is observed unfolding on the
stage and with a storytelling performance
the drama is observed unfolding in the
imagination.
Theatre needs spectators; storytelling needs
an audience.
Theatre requires eyes turned outwards;
storytelling requires eyes turned inwards.
In performance storytelling, it is the
story that needs to be watched.
That is where the most interesting
craftwork lies - in what the 12th
Century Irish bards called ‘the
harmonising and synchronising’ of the
tale.
A storytelling performance is not the same as a
repeatable ‘one man show’, the inclusion of the
audience through improvisation means that no two
audiences experience the same event.
So, although the story is well known to the performer
in advance, the story is given its form in the moment
of its retelling, as the great French Storyteller, Abbi
Patrix once said: ‘I cannot possibly tell all that I see: I
have to make choices.’
This means the storyteller must be three-persons-in-
one working immediately and simultaneously;
mastering three different sets of skills and making
decisions at great speed.
 The storyteller is:
a) The author/adaptor/composer of the language in which
the story is being told.
b) The performer of the story.
c) The director of both the stage performance - and the
way
the story is unfolding in the listener’s imagination
(rather
like the director of a film).

 Therefore, whilst the storyteller has to draw on some of the

skills of the poet and some of the skills of the actor,
storytelling is actually an entirely different art from either of
these two.
Another significant difference between a storyteller
and an actor is the question of repertoire.
A storyteller is almost defined by the permanent
repertoire of stories he or she carries - and the sign of
a professional storyteller is that they are so alive with
stories to pass on, that the stories leap out, not only in
the ‘professional’ context of the stage, but also in the
‘fireside’ context - that is, all the rest of the time too!
Some actors are fantastic raconteurs (David Niven and
Peter Ustinov for example), with a repertoire of
incidental tales from their own lives, bringing to mind
the saying that ‘stories happen to storytellers’, but
anecdotes and reminiscences are only two narrative
genres amongst a multitude in the continuum that
forms the ocean of stories.
 Children as Authors

Many children have written books that

have been published.
One of the first we know about is Francis
Hawkins.
In 1641, when he was 8 years old, he
wrote a book of manners for children
called Youth Behavior.
When children become authors, it just
cements the connection between reading
and writing.
The sense of pride that children feel in
sharing their own published story is priceless.

It is something we as teachers should all

strive toward!
 Other children who have had their
writing published
Katharine Hull, 15 & Pamela Whitlock, 16 -
collaborated on a book by children, about
children, and for children. Their novel, The Far-
Distant Oxus (published in 1937) was said to be
a classic by critics in Europe and the U.S.
Anne Frank's diary was published in English in
1952 as The Diary of a Young Girl. Written when
Anne was a teenager, it describes her family's
life in hiding because they were Jewish during
World War II. It was published in 1947 and has
been translated into more than 50 languages.
Dorothy Straight of Washington, D.C., was only 4
years old when she wrote How the World Began.
Her book was published in 1964, two years later.
S. E. (Susan Eloise) Hinton started her writing
career in high school, beginning the first draft of
The Outsiders at the age of 15; A book about
youth gangs & their confrontations, it was
published in 1967, when she was 17.
West Indian girl Manghanita Kempadoo wrote
Letters of Thanks (published in 1969), when she
was 12. The book is a series of thank-you notes
that parody the gifts in the carol “The Twelve
Days of Christmas.”
Alexandra (Ally) Elizabeth Sheedy published She Was
Nice to Mice in 1975, when she was 12 years old. It is
the story of Esther Esther, an extraordinary mouse who
is taken back in time through her family history to the
days of Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare.
A group of young Native American children in Arizona
told their stories to their teacher, Byrd Baylor, who had
them published in 1976 as And It Is Still That Way.
Jamie DeWitt was 12 years old when he entered his
true adventure story “Jamie's Turn” in the 1984
Raintree Publish-a-Book Contest. His story describes
an accident on his family's farm in Wisconsin. What is
truly remarkable is that Jamie has a learning disability
that makes it difficult for him to write down what he is
thinking.
When Jason Gaes was stricken with Burkitt's
lymphoma, a rare form of cancer, at age 7, he decided
to write My Book for Kids with Cansur. His twin
brother, Tim, and 10-year-old brother, Adam, illustrated
the book, which was published in 1987. It provides
comfort and inspiration to people of all ages.
When he was 9, David Klein wrote “Irwin the Sock” for
a school assignment. The story of Irwin and Irma,
matching argyle socks, was submitted to the Raintree
Publish-a-Book Contest and won. It was published in
1988.
Gordon Korman wrote his first book, This Can't Be
Happening at MacDonald Hall, as a seventh-grade
English project. By the time he graduated from high
school, he had written and published five more books,
including Go Jump in the Pool and Beware the Fish.
Like adult writers children must be given the chance
to choose their own topics, to have an environment in
which writing is encouraged and facilitated, to take
greater control of their writing.
They must have 'real' readers - people who read their
writing to hear what they have to say, not just to
correct their spelling and grammar.
Children must be allowed to make mistakes, to use
approximations in draft writing and to become risk-
takers in writing.
As teachers we need to shift our attention from simply
product and the surface features, to an equal concern
with process and meaning.
(Professor
Donald Graves)
To teach young writers is to teach them the craft
of writing.
Spelling and grammar are best taught in the
context of meaningful writing not simply as
decontextualised activities.
Teachers (and parents) must become observers of
young writers, asking them questions that teach
and that focus their attention on meaning not just
the surface features of writing and neatness.
Writing is about revision and re-writing and that
like adult writers, children often need to 'make it
messy to make it clear'.
(Professor
Donald Graves)
How To Teach Children To Write Stories

 Whether you are a teacher or a parent, teaching children

to write a story is one of the most important tools you can
give them.
 Once the child is comfortable with writing phrases and
sentences, Show the child how to start writing a story,
create main characters and use correct vocabulary while
writing a story.
 Although not all children will be a master storyteller right
away, encouraging the child to have fun and write about
anything will help develop his/her writing skills through
creativity.
Step 1
Read three well-known fairy tales aloud. The ideal fairy tales
for this are short stories that the children already know, like
"Little Red Riding Hood" and "Jack and the Beanstalk.“

Step 2
Ask the children to identify all of the characters in each
story. For "Little Red Riding Hood," the characters are Little
Red, Little Red's Mother, the Wolf, Grandma and the Hunter.
Write a list of all of the characters from each story on a
chalkboard or whiteboard.
Step 3
 Ask the children to identify the beginning, middle and end of
each story. For example, in the beginning of "Little Red Riding
Hood," Little Red's Mother sends Little Red to Grandma's
house. In the middle, Little Red goes to Grandma's house with
the Wolf disguised as Grandma. In the end, the Hunter saves
Grandma and Little Red Riding Hood. Write these moments on
the chalkboard or whiteboard.

Step 4
 Hand out pencils and paper, instructing that each story must
have characters and a beginning, middle and end.
Step 5
 Write story prompts, if desired. Some children may have a
difficult time starting a story, so write a few story starter
sentences on the board, like "Sweetie Jenkins had always
flown first class with her Mummy and Daddy" and "Listening
to the weather report on the police radio, the family huddled
around a candle in the dark house".

Step 6
 Talk to each child about her story and read what she has
written so far. Some children will start writing immediately,
while it may take others a longer time. Ask what each child's
characters are and what the beginning, middle and end will
be. Be as encouraging as possible while guiding the children
through their storytelling.
Tips and Warnings
Not every child's story will be perfect right
away, and there are no right and wrong
answers as long as the child has followed the
directions for the assignment.
If a child is unable or unwilling to follow
directions, individual help may be required.
Children as Storytellers
Children enter a world of ‘storying’ from a very early
age.
When a parent arrives home and asks, “What have you
been doing all day?” a child is getting an invitation to
‘storying’.
The child’s response may range from a single word to a
long and complicated account of his or her day, but any
response represents a story.
Almost as soon as children can speak they start to
engage in ‘storying’.
They develop different strategies to ensure that adults
pay attention to these stories, strategies that most
adults continue to make use of throughout their lives.
Think of the children coming into early-years
classrooms in the morning.
They may announce their stories to the
teacher or one another in the following ways:
“D’you know what...?”
“You know my cousin, well...”
“Have you heard about...?”
“Did I ever tell you about...?”
“Sorry I’m late but...”
“You’ll never guess but...” or just
“Miss...?”
In different parts of the world and
within different kinds of communities
children will announce and tell their
stories in different ways (Heath, 1983).
However, this variability in storytelling
is a richness to be treasured, not
something to be managed, controlled,
and ultimately reduced to an officially
sanctioned set of ways of using talk and
‘storying’.
Children tell a wide range of stories
Meek (1993) points to three important findings in a
research by Fox (1993):
- that storytelling has close relations to children’s
symbolic play
- that through narrative children explore much more
than
stories, and
- that narrative fiction “offers them an opportunity to
escape from the intrusive gaze of others on their
actual
lives, while at the same time giving them the scope
to talk
about what is deeply meaningful to them”
Why Teachers Should Encourage
Children as Storytellers
Given the power of stories, their centrality in
children’s lives, and our concerns as teachers
that children gain greater control over the
use of oral language, it is worth exploring
how room for ‘storying’ can be made in the
classroom so that these storytelling voices
may be both heard and encouraged.
Why Teachers Should Encourage
Children as Storytellers
• They create space for children’s stories to
be composed, heard, and seen.
• They provide excellent experience of
authorship.
• By creating the space for other children to
listen and comment they focus all the
children’s attention on the structure and
meanings of stories; they enable young
children to become more critical
composers and listeners.
• They lay the groundwork for later movement
into the authorship of written stories and for
more formal literacy development, as well
as the development of children as effective
readers.
• They create a role for the adult that involves
respect for the children’s authorship, not
the re-composition of the children’s words
into an acceptable adult formulation.
Encouraging Children as Storytellers
• It is good to begin any storytelling session or
group with children by encouraging them to
participate.
Participation within a group is a good
springboard to the children having
confidence to tell stories on their own.
Songs, rhymes, jokes and riddles all make
excellent beginnings.
Try this riddle:

"Creaking, cracking, crunching

flesh inside its bones
Eyes upon its back and hands
that can crush stones"
(Answer: a
crab)
Helping children to develop
storytelling skills
A good way to put the children more in
touch with their imagination is to take
them through a guided fantasy to the
place they are happiest in the whole world -
this is their land where stories grow.
Helping children to tell stories
• Begin by immersing the children in a wide variety of stories.
 Once each child has found a story which they would like to retell,
the following exercises are useful as memory aides.
• Pin up a clothes line. Help the child to break the story
down to its 'bare bones', ie. main characters and event, write
each 'bare bone' on a piece of card and ask the child to arrange
the cards in sequence along the clothes line.
• Ask the children to sketch their story as a comic strip or draw
one section of the story in detail to add some flesh to the bare
bones.
• Record the children on audio or video cassette and play back
the recordings.
Creating stories
Story in a circle
Begin a story with a sentence such as "There was
once a wee girl called Angela and one day she
went outside in the pouring rain and .......”
Ask each child in the circle to add a sentence
about what happened next until the story reaches
a conclusion.
This exercise can be simplified by making it
word-based, e.g. pack a suitcase around the
circle with each child adding an object – you can
ask them to describe their object, e.g. colour, size
etc.
Story Bag
Pass around a bag full of interesting objects
and ask each child to create a story about the
object they have chosen.
To make this exercise more difficult and to
add some excitement, ask each child to tell a
story including three objects out of the bag
and use a timer.
The story must be complete before the timer
is out.
Story Cakes
Give each child a cake with a small object
inside wrapped in tin foil.
Warn them to be careful when eating the
cake as there is the seed of a story inside it.
Ask them to create a story around the object
in the cake.
Story Smells
Stories might also be inspired by a box of
smells, i.e. bottles of essential oil or a box of
cloth in different textures.
Drama and Improvisation
Many children love dressing up and acting
out the characters in a story.
This can help with the learning of a story as
well as the dialogue – it is often easier to
know what a character would say when you
have become that character.
Some children enjoy improvising and
creating a story as they go along.
This type of work can be a good starting
point for creative writing.
Family and personal stories
An excellent source of stories lies within each
child's personal and family experience.
Encourage the children to collect and retell
stories from parents and grandparents –
invite the families in to hear their stories
retold.
The children might like to retell the stories in
some art and craft work to complement the
verbal retellings.
A Story Calendar
 Give each child an A4 piece of card with six windows
in it like a calendar.
 Ask the children to draw a picture on each window of
the calendar to represent a story from their life, e.g.
baby story, holiday story, birthday story, an accident,
my baby brother etc.
 This is a good exercise for getting parents involved
as the children can ask their parents for details about
their childhood stories and add a new story to their
calendar every day/week.
Reference
 http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/readexpert/
readalouds.htm
 http://www.benchmarkeducation.com/educational-leader/
reading/understanding-read-alouds.html
 http://teacherweb.com/WA/ItsANewDayPreschool/
JudyStender/YoungChildrenasStorytellers.pdf
 http://www.livestrong.com/article/41795-teach-children-
write-story/