LGA3103 Topic 3 Stories and the Teaching Contexts

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

16

TOPIC 3

STORIES AND THE TEACHING CONTEXTS

IN THE PRIMARY ENGLISH CURRICULUM

3.0 SYNOPSIS

This topic explores about World of Self; World of Stories and World of Knowledge in the primary

English curriculum. It is also discusses the stories and the development of personalities; the

hopes of mankind, forming moral judgment, stimulate mental processes and effect on

personality of learners.

3.1 LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

understand more about the teaching context in the primary English curriculum

analyse the use of stories in the primary school curriculum

learn more about stories and the development of personalities

3.2 FRAMEWORK OF TOPICS

STORIES & THE TEACHING CONTEXTS:

WORLD OF SELF

WORLD OF STORIES

WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE

STORIES & DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONALITIES

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

17

3.3 Stories and the Teaching Context

Why are stories so important for children? Children need stories so that they

can learn about the world and what life can be like. Children like reading

because to them it is like entering another world: the more they read more the

more they get to see what happens. It makes them feel good about

themselves.

3.3.1 World of Stories

When we talk about the World of Stories, we are dealing with a whole new experience that you

gain as you enter into a world beyond your personal experience. Here, you can try out different

experiences without having to deal with the actual consequences in real life. Children can get a

lot of ideas from reading stories. They learn from the characters in stories who dealt with

situations and apply this in their own lives.

Stories are often captivating as they are about situations, real or imagined, featuring characters,

calling out emotional responses from our minds. Children responds well to stories they listen to-

which is why children love to be told stories (and be read to), and have favourites which they

can hear again and again. The story goes into the listener’s very mind and heart complete with

all its details, and with such emotional connection, often becomes beloved, like a personal

treasure, shared with the storyteller/author.”

Through stories a child is also helped to build a rich vocabulary which enables them to articulate

their thoughts and feelings more clearly.

Reading allows a child to enter a safe private world. It is very nice not to be told what to do by

adults all the time and instead, for an interlude, be free to learn from imaginary characters.

Stories nourish and feed the imagination. And if children can dream it they can do it. They may

begin to see their own lives as a story or a play, where they are the lead character, and find

ways to write the kind of “script” they would enjoy reading from.

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

18

Even Einstein said “When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the

conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive

thinking.

3.3.2 World of Knowledge

Reading is an important skill that needs to be developed in children. Not only is it necessary for

survival in the world of schools and (later on) universities, but in adult life as well. The ability to

learn about new subjects and find helpful information on anything from health problems and

consumer protection to more academic research into science or the arts depends on the ability

to read. Futurologists used to predict the death of the printed word but, ironically, Internet has

made reading more and more a part of people's daily lives. The paperless society is a myth. The

computer's ability to process and analyze data means that endless variations on reports and

other types of documents can be and are generated. Internet, itself an enormous new source of

information and recreation, is based on the humble written word. To effectively utilize the web

and judge the authenticity and value of what is found there, both reading and critical thinking

skills are of prime importance.

The more children read, the better they become at reading. It's as simple as that. The more

enjoyable the things they read are, the more they'll stick with them and develop the reading

skills that they'll need for full access to information in their adult lives. Reading should be viewed

as a pleasurable activity - as a source of entertaining tales and useful and interesting factual

information. The more young children are read to, the greater their interest in mastering reading.

Reading out loud exposes children to proper grammar and phrasing. It enhances the

development of their spoken language skills, their ability to express themselves verbally.

Reading, by way of books, magazines or websites, exposes kids to new vocabulary. Even when

they don't understand every new word, they absorb something from the context that may

deepen their understanding of it the next time the word is encountered. When parents read

aloud to children, the children also hear correct pronunciation as they see the words on the

page, even if they can't yet read the words on their own.

Through stories and novels children can vicariously try out new experiences and test new ideas,

with no negative consequences in their real lives. They can meet characters who they'll enjoy

returning to for comforting and satisfying visits when they reread a cherished book or discover a

sequel. Books also give kids the opportunity to flex their critical thinking skills in such areas as

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

19

problem solving, the concepts of cause and effect, conflict resolution, and acceptance of

responsibility for one's actions. Mysteries allow children to follow clues to their logical

conclusions and to try to outguess the author. Even for very young children, a simple story with

a repetitive refrain or a simple mystery to solve gives a confidence boost. Children can predict

the patterns and successfully solve the riddles.

Children are influenced by and imitate the world around them. While a steady diet of violent

cartoons may have a detrimental effect on children's development, carefully chosen stories and

books can have a positive influence on children, sensitizing them to the needs of others. For

example, books can encourage children to be more cooperative, to share with others, to be kind

to animals, or to respect the natural environment.

3.3.3 World of Self

As children grow they become more aware of the world further away from themselves and their

mother, then father, and brothers and sisters. The home is the centre of their world, and then

they discover the yard, and the car. When they start school they discover a whole new realm

with school, and friends, and so on. Stories for young children centre on the family and home.

Activity 1

1. Collect a few stories and keep it in your portfolio. Classify the stories

according to the three ‘worlds’.

Once upon a time…and so the magic begins. Children need to hear stories, and love to hear

stories. Stories that are read to them, or that they read themselves; sometimes, and best of

all, stories told from direct experience or made up on the spot. “Tell us about the time when…”

is often preferred to a story read from a book.

But why are stories so important for children? I asked Georgie, 10 years old and an avid

reader. “Children need stories so that they can learn about the world and what life can be like.

I like reading because it’s like you are entering another world and you just want to read more

and more and see what happens. It makes me feel nice.”

Through stories a child is also helped to build a rich vocabulary which enables them to

articulate their thoughts and feelings more clearly.

Written by Janet Freemantle.

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

20

3.4 Stories and the development of personality.

Teaching children is not an easy task and yet teaching can be simple, effective and doable. Part

of your job as a teacher is to sometimes read to your school children and using stories to teach

is a technique that is within the capabilities of everyone. When we read to our children, we do

not confine them to academic excellence but also extend into their emotional and behavioral

learning.

The following are 5 reasons why using stories to teach is effective:

3.4.1 The child doesn’t feel threatened. It’s not another lecture.

When we read to our children, we are able to address a situation in a non-threatening way.

What do I mean by threatening? Let’s take a look at some examples of habitual phrases we

tend to use when “teaching our lesson”:

“You shouldn’t lie.”

“You are so messy.”

“You shouldn’t be scared. You are just being silly.”

“You are not listening to me.”

Usually this is done in a blaming or angry tone of voice. When we finger point and use the word

“you”, children hear negative and the situation becomes tense. Some may even become

defensive. Put yourselves in their shoes. If someone were to start attacking you with words,

would you be in a teachable mood? Maybe not. Rather than focusing on the solutions to the

problems, children are focusing on their feelings of anger, hurt, fear etc… that they are

experiencing at that moment.

Using stories to teach, we take out the blame and place less emphasis on the problem. We talk

and discuss solutions and speak positively. So instead of a lecture, we now have a healthy

discussion.

3.4.2 Working on “prevention” and “cure”.

When we use stories to teach, we can help our children work through situations they are

currently experiencing. It also allows us to mentally prepare them for situations that may arise.

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

21

Children gain experience vicariously through the stories we read. Children are able to learn from

vicarious experience just as well as they learn from real ones. The only difference is that this

kind of learning takes place in the safety of your home. For example, you could use a book

about being bullied to teach your child what to do if and when they face such a situation.

3.4.3 The child has a model to follow. They identify with the characters in the book.

Children make connections with the characters of the stories you relate. You can help them

further by asking questions such as:

Is there anyone in the book who reminds you of yourself?

How is that character like you?

Which character would you like to be?

Why would you want to be that character?

Relate the lesson to their own lives and experiences: Like the little pig who build a house

of bricks (in the story of the Three Little Pigs), what would you do make your house

strong?

After reading the story of The Little Engine That Could, my daughter began to identify herself

with the Little Blue Engine who said “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” It served to be a

good model for her to follow at times when she felt inadequate.

3.4.4 Children remember stories better than they remember reprimands. It’s a good way

to catch their attention.

In Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain (Addison-Wesley, 1994), Renate and

Geoffery Caine states, “There is strong reason to believe that organization of information in

story form is a natural brain process… In a nutshell, neuroscience is discovering that the brain is

wired to organize, retain and access information through story. If that is true, then teaching

through story means that students will be able to remember what is taught, access that

information, and apply it more readily.”

Maybe this is why children can rattle off dialogs from their favorite shows but can’t remember

what mom said about picking up their toys.

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

22

3.4.5 Allows for critical thinking.

Stories are a safe way for children to explore emotions and behaviors. A book like Jane

Simmons’ Come Along, Daisy, encourages children to think about the importance of

keeping close to parents when out and about . Use thought provoking questions that will

lead them to identify problems and feelings such as “How did Daisy get separated from

her mother?” and “What was Daisy feeling when she found her mother missing?”

The best kind of teaching you can employ is to teach our children to be authors of

solutions. Ask leading questions that will underscore the point of the story such as “How

can Daisy avoid getting lost in the future?” What a boost it will be to your children to

know they can come up with such genius solutions.

Reading and sharing stories with your children can help you become a better parent. It

opens the channel of communication and strengthens the parent-child bond. The magic

of stories can be a powerful influence for good. Does that magic exist in your home?

Start reading to your child today.

Teachers, researchers, parents, and the public agree that children need to develop and

use what are sometimes called "basic skills," such as the ability to use phonics

knowledge in reading, the ability to spell conventionally, and the ability to use

grammatical constructions effectively and according to the norms of the communities

with which they want to communicate. What many people do not realize, however, is that

the ability to use these skills is best fostered by teaching them in the context of their use.

Research demonstrates that skills taught, practiced, and tested in isolation are not used

as consistently or effectively as skills taught when children are actually reading and

writing.

3.4.6 Phonics

Recent research demonstrates that in classrooms where phonics is taught in the context

of rereading favourite stories, songs, and poems, children develop and use phonics

knowledge better than in classrooms where skills are taught in isolation. Similarly,

phonics knowledge is developed by encouraging and helping emergent writers to spell

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

23

by writing appropriate letters for the sounds they hear in words (for a summary, see

Weaver, 1994b).

Effective phonics instruction focuses children's attention on noticing the letter/sound

patterns in initial consonants and consonant clusters and in rimes (the vowel of a

syllable, plus any consonants that might follow, such as -ake, -ent, -ish, -ook). Focusing

on rimes rather than on vowels alone is particularly important in helping children learn to

decode words (for a summary, see Adams, 1990).

Effective reading instruction helps children learn to use phonics knowledge along with

their prior knowledge and context, rather than in isolation. For example, children can be

encouraged to predict words by using prior knowledge and context along with initial

consonants, then look at the rest of the word to confirm or correct their prediction.

Both teachers and parents can do various things to help children gain phonics

knowledge in the context of reading and writing. For example: (1) read and reread

favorite nursery rhymes to reinforce the patterns of the language, and enjoy tongue

twisters and other forms of language play together; (2) reread favorite poems, songs,

and stories and discuss alliteration and rhyme within them; (3) read alphabet books to

and with children, and make alphabet books together; (4) discuss words and make lists,

word banks, or books of words that share interesting spelling/sound patterns; (5) discuss

similar sounds and letter/sound patterns in children's names; (6) emphasize selected

letter/sound relationships while writing with, for, or in front of children; (7) help children

write the sounds they hear in words, once the children have begun to hear some

separate sounds; (8) when reading together, help children predict and confirm as

explained above (Mills et al., 1992; Powell & Hornsby, 1993; Wagstaff, n.d.; Griffith &

Olson, 1992; Weaver, 1994a and b).

3.4.7 Spelling

Children who are encouraged to spell words as best they can when they write typically

score as well or better on standardized tests of spelling by the end of first grade than

children allowed to use only correct spellings in first drafts. Meanwhile, the children

encouraged to spell by writing the sounds they hear in words seem to develop word

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

24

recognition and phonics skills sooner (Clarke, 1988). They also use a greater variety of

words in their writing.

With children at the lower levels, is not clear that spelling instruction has much of an

effect beyond what is learned through reading alone, if children are reading extensively

(Krashen, 1991).

Emergent writers benefit from help in writing the sounds they hear in words. Gradually,

with extensive writing experience, their early invented spellings will give way to more

sophisticated invented spellings and to conventional spellings.

Extensive exposure to print and reading helps children internalize not only the spellings

of particular words, but spelling patterns (Moustafa, 1996). Just as children learn the

patterns of the spoken language from hearing it, children learn patterns of the written

language from reading and rereading favorite texts. Texts with regular patterns like "Nan

can fan Dan" are not necessary, however, nor are they even as readable as texts written

in natural language patterns.

In the long run, teaching children strategies for correcting their spelling is far more

important than giving them the correct spelling of any particular word. Such strategies

include: (1) writing the word two or three different ways and deciding which one "looks

right"; (2) locating the spelling in a familiar text or in print displayed in the classroom; (3)

asking someone, consulting a dictionary, or using a computer software program or a

hand-held electronic speller (Wilde, 1992).

Discussing spelling patterns and drawing spelling generalizations as a class will also

help children develop an ever-growing repertoire of words they can spell correctly in first

drafts. Such interactive, thought-engaging lessons are likely to be more productive than

spelling lists and tests (e.g. Wilde, 1992; Wagstaff, n.d.; Cunningham, 1995; Buchanan,

1989).

3.4.8 Grammar

Decades of research demonstrate that teaching grammar as a school subject does not

improve most students' writing, nor even the "correctness" of their writing (Hillocks and

Smith, 1991). What works better is teaching selected aspects of grammar (including

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

25

sentence variety and style, punctuation, and usage) in the context of students' writing-

that is, when they are revising and editing their writing (Calkins, 1980; DiStefano &

Killion, 1984; see summary in Weaver, 1996).

For improving editing skills, it is most effective and efficient to teach only the

grammatical concepts that are critically needed for editing writing, and to teach these

concepts and their terms mostly through minilessons and writing conferences,

particularly while helping students edit their writing.

Research shows that systematic practice in combining and expanding sentences may

increase students' repertoire of syntactic structures and may also improve the quality of

their sentences, when stylistic effects are discussed as well (Hillocks and Smith, 1991;

Strong, 1986). Thus sentence combining and expansion may be taught as a means of

improving sentence variety and style. However, isolated activities are not necessarily

any more effective than minilessons and writing conferences in which teachers help

students rearrange, combine, and expand their sentences for greater effectiveness.

REFERENCES

Wickham, R. (2013). Stories and the Teaching Contexts in the Primary English Curriculum.

Brighton Education.

Freemantle, Jane (2010). Children Need Stories . Accessed from

www.janetfreemantle.wordpress.com/2010/06/

Prepared by:

Rohaida A Rahmat

IPG Kampus Kota Bharu.