Story Vines: Improving Reader ComprehensionBy: Kristen Chepeleff, Jennifer Tress, & Megan Wolfinger

Story Vinesbring language to life

are based on research

are tear free (with gradual release of responsibility

are fun (be creative!)

are a valuable addition to literacy instruction

Objectives for ProjectUse story-telling representing multiple levels and broad

interests in effective reading and writing instruction for learners at different stages of literacy development and from different multicultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Model and use appropriate research based practices, approaches, and methods, including technology based practices for emergent and early literacy learners from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Plan emergent and early literacy instruction that supports children in integration of their graphophonemic knowledge with developing skills (semantics and syntax) in making sense of text and to integrate reading with other language skills; listening, speaking, and writing.

Let’s Start at the Very Beginning…Rooted in the early, Native American stories, though varied,

have common themes. Storytelling is part of the culture. Stories are told that have lessons, that explain how to conduct ceremonies, and that describe natural processes, among others. “Stories are possessed with such power that they have survived for generations despite attempts at repression and assimilation.” (PBS, 2004)

Story telling has been an integral event in African communities. It was used as an avenue to teach life lessons and answer questions. When slaves were brought to America, the one thing they brought with them were stories that had been passed down within their villages. Most commonly told were folktales. Although folktales were entertaining to slave owners, they provided information and strategies for slaves. (Wilson, M., 2005)

What is a Story Vine?A multisensory, visual representation of story

elements.Usually displayed on a braided vine or rope,

pictures and objects are used by a story teller as an aid in their retelling.

What’s the Research Say?Graphic Organizers

Offer an entry point into complex materials for visual learners, increase comprehension and retention, and can be used with all students ranging from gifted and talented to those with mild cognitive disabilities. (Fountas & Pinnell, 2001).

Information is more easily learned and understood with visual organizers. Once students acquire the basic yet solid foundation of a concept, the future content can be addressed at higher cognitive levels leading students to become more strategic learners. (Ellis, 2001)

Summarizing Summarizing can be done in writing, but also orally, dramatically, artistically, visually,

physically, musically, in groups, or individually. Summarization is one of the most underused teaching techniques we have today, yet research has shown that it yields some of the greatest leaps in comprehension and long-term retention of information. (Wormeli, R., 2005)

Multisensory Approach R.D. Farkus' (2003) study found that multisensory instructional resources significantly

influence academic achievement, lead to improved attitudes towards learning, increase empathetic response, and indisputably yields a greater transfer of skills.

Research Continued“Letting a listener or reader retell or rewrite a story offers active

participation in a literacy experience that helps develop language structures, comprehension, and a sense of story structure.” (Ritchie, James-Szanton, & Howes, 2003)

“Props such as felt-board characters or the pictures in the text can be used to help students retell. Pre- and post-discussion of texts helps to improving retelling ability, as does the teacher’s modeling a retelling for children.” (Morrow, 2009)

“A large body of evidence supports the use of graphic organizers to help students organize their ideas. The use of graphic organizers, including story maps, can help students recall the most important story elements. Graphic organizers that reflect the text structures of expository text can help students recall and organize the ideas in informational texts.” (McKenna & Stahl, 2009)

Language DevelopmentChildren’s oral and written language development can be

enhanced through the modeling and practice of retelling.

Target Vocabulary can be incorporated: For early learners Memory

Your memory is your ability to remember things. If you do something from memory, you do it without looking at anything

written or printed. She can sing that song from memory. She never looks at the words.

If you lose your memory, you forget things that you used to know. For more advanced learners Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease is a disorder of the brain resulting in a gradual decline in mental abilities. People who suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease may forget things they used to know or repeat things they just asked minutes before because they forget that they had asked and forget the answer.

What’s the Story Vine Process?1. Before Reading Activities

Preteach content vocabulary (i.e. Memory/Alzheimer’s Disease) Build background knowledge for the story (i.e. Teacher’s basket of

personal objects related to memories of the story)2. During Reading

Model story structure using a story map and/or story board frames Discuss story structure and the use of the story vine Teacher read aloud, partner reading, independent in class or at

home reading3. Creating the Story Vine

Explain/review story map rubric Create story map or story board Gather visual representations for the vine Plan and place the representations

Process Continued…4. After Reading

Explain/review story telling rubric Practice in pairs and small groups with feedback Present and share Celebrate and reflect Display the story vines

5. Extensions Use story vine to create written summary Students bring in objects to share that relate to story (i.e.

something warm, from long ago, makes you cry, etc.)6. Home/School Connections

Use story vine to retell the story to their parents Parent participation in writing and making connections Students share home experience

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge Story Vine Lesson Overview

Demonstration Shared Demonstration Guided Practice Independent Practice

- Pre-teach Vocabulary- Build background

knowledge- Explain story map rubric

- Create story map/story board

- Create story vine using enlarged class model

- Using small Story Grammar Markers and small picture cards, retell story

- Retelling Center using Story Grammar Markers and picture cards

- Use Story Grammar Marker to write summary

- Making Connections: Students bring in memory objects to share

- Home/School Connection: Bring book and Story Grammar Marker home to practice

I DoYou Watch

I DoYou Help

You DoI Help

You DoI Watch

Story Map

Student Story Grammar Marker & Picture Cards

Enlarged Story Grammar Marker

Completed Story Grammar Marker

Connections to Written Language: Elementary Sample

Connections to Written LanguageStory vines can be used to help students

focus when writing.

Connections for Older StudentsOlder learners can create story

vines for children’s stories and present them to younger children.

Story Vines can help organize story events for novels with embedded plots.

Teachers can use stories for younger audiences (e.g., Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge) to build background knowledge and introduce vocabulary for novels (e.g., Josie in Pictures of Hollis Woods has Alzheimer’s Disease).

Benefits of Story VinesCan be used to tell social stories

to support students with Asperger’s syndrome.

Story Grammar Marker Used for Conflict Resolution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJzOo8mRs7I

Home – School ConnectionEducate Parents about

Story Grammar Marker at fall parents’ night. Help them to understand the purpose, how to use it, and how to support their child.

Send home SGM with photos from stories, and copies of the text if appropriate, for students to practice with parents at home.

Story Vineswarm bring language to life

long ago are based on research

cry are tear free (with gradual release of responsibility

laugh are fun (be creative!)

as precious as gold are a valuable addition to literacy instruction

ReferencesFarkus, R.D. (2003). Effects of traditional versus learning-styles

instructional methods in middle school students. The Journal of Educational Research, 97 (1).

Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G. (2001). Guiding readers and writers grades 3-6: Teaching comprehension, genre, and content literacy. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann.

McKay, Marlene. (2008). Story vines and readers theatre: Getting started. Canada: Portage & Main Press.

McKenna & Stahl. (2003). Assessment for reading instruction. Guilford Press.

PBS. (2004). Many Voices: Honoring all life. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/circleofstories/voices/index.html.

Wilson, Madafo L. (2005). African & African American storytelling. N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

Wormeli, R. (2005). Summarization in any subject. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.