WELCOME TO STORYTELLING

WHY TELL STORIES?Student Benefits:

Community buildingImprove memory and Expand vocabularyImprove listening, verbal and speaking skillsImprove comprehensionDevelop imaginationIncrease logical sequencing understandingImprove writing

WHAT TYPE OF STORY DO I WANT?

• There is a wide variety of types of stories to tell. You will need to evaluate the pros and cons of each type depending on the goal of the lesson.

• There are fairy tales, myths, legends, parables, folk tales, tall tales, por qua, ethnic tales, personal, original, fictional, and picture books.

OTHER TYPES OF STORIES

You don’t always need to find a story, you can make them up! This is a great way to personalize your stories for your students. You can make up stories from pictures, objects, photographs, or a piece of fabric. You can tell curriculum stories for all subjects. Birthday stories using students as characters is always a big hit.

WHEN DO I TELL A STORY?

• Stories can be used creatively to introduce new material, review material, and assess comprehension.

STORY ELEMENTS1. A good opening2. Interesting characters3. Interesting setting4. logical sequencing5. A good climax6. Unexpected solution7. A moral8.Relatable Title9. Evokes emotion10. Creates links to other stories

STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES

1. Facial expression2. Intonation3. Pauses and Pace4. Connection to audience5. Hand gestures6. Volume and Pitch7. Passionate performer8. Relaxed comfortable teller9. Interaction

AUDIENCE RESPONSIBILITIESRemind students that they have to be an attentive and respectful audience. You may want to design a simple rubric so students know what is expected of them. Below is an example.

Listening skill E S N Comments

Listened well

Gave positive and thoughtful feedback

Was supportive and respectful

EXTENTION ACTIVITIES

• Students can retell parts of the story such as characters, setting, plot or resolution. This will help students build a rich, descriptive vocabulary.

• Students create an alternative characters, settings, or outcomes.

• Audience participation in the telling of the story. Stories with repeating dialog or phrases work great.

EXTENTION ACTIVITIES• Students draw images they imagined of characters,

setting, plot of the story. Each could be a future story.• Create oral and written sequels of the story. Once

students understand elements of story telling they can make up their own personal and imaginary stories.

• Students can share their stories with their class, different classes, during assemblies and special school functions.

• Write poem, song or chant of the story.• Act out a skit or a play.

RESOURCES

• There are many books and internet resources to get you telling stories and keep you telling stories. Below is only a small sample to help get you started. There are resources to help give you ideas of for the creation and retelling of stories. Remember everyone is a storyteller, so relax and enjoy discovering your inner storyteller!

BOOKSHamilton, Martha and Weiss, Mitch. (2005). Children tell stories: Teaching and Using Storytelling in the Classroom

MacDonald, Margret Read. (1993). The Storyteller’s Start – Up Book: Finding, Learning, Performing, and Using Folktales

Norfolk, Sherry, Stenson, Jane, and Williams, Diane. (2006). The Storytelling Classroom: Applications Across the Curriculum

Pellowski, Annie. (1984). The Story Vine: A Source Book of Unusual and Easy-to-tell Stories from Around the World

Yolen, Jane. (1986). Favorite Folktales from around the World

WEB SITESProfessor D.L. Ashliman’s Home Page http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/ashliman.html

Heather Forest – Story Arts Onlinehttp://www.storyarts.or/index.html

Myths, Folktales and Fairytaleshttp://www.teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/index.html

National Storytelling Network (NSN)http://www.storynet.org

Before we go on to our second session on Reader’s Theater let’s reflect on what you have learned.

REFLECTIONWhat? – What did you learn? ____________________________________________________________________.So what? – How will this information help you? _____________________________________________________.Now what? _ How will you use this information? ____________________________________________________.