It will come as a surprise to WW customers around the globe to see that a children’s section now forms part of the WW website. The Stories Club was, in fact, inspired by a number of WW students who have small children and are now supervising their children’s school work during the lockdown many of us are now in.
To assist parents in their task, and to help families enjoy their time together, WW would like to share some of the keys to successful storytelling. It is important to note that none of the activities referred to in this blog require a child to read or write herself because the development of reading and writing skills requires careful pedagogic monitoring which can only be provided by your child’s school.
A brief introduction to the 4 learning styles
Every activity will involve one or more of the following learning styles:
- Visual (spatial): use of pictures, images, and spatial understanding.
- Oral (auditory-musical): use of sound and music.
- Verbal (linguistic): use of words.
- Physical (kinaesthetic): use of body, hands and sense of touch.
Using the 5 senses (touch, sight, hearing, smell, taste)
The more fun an activity is, the easier it is for a child to learn, and the more an activity involves the use of the senses the more involved the child will be in the learning process.
The power of your voice
Our voice is one of the most powerful tools we can use to help young children enjoy learning English. We can use intonation, silences and noises to express sensations, emotions and moods, together with non-verbal forms of expression, such as gestures and facial expression, to create notions of atmosphere, places and objects, and to create characters. In effect, the way we use our voice can make a child feel she is actually living the of a story.
By using these traditional storytelling techniques, the carer will be helping to create an atmosphere of trust and fun in which the child can explore and experiment with English.
How to show empathy
The importance of empathy in the learning process should never be underestimated. It involves focusing on every child and listening carefully to what she has to say. Use simple verbal and non-verbal forms of expression to indicate she has your full attention. Try to identify the feelings behind a child’s words and always allow her the time she needs to express herself.
If a child prefers to remain silent, or goes away to do something else, remember that there is no good or bad behaviour when telling stories. Just simply find a way to renew the child’s interest and she will come back to the activity on her own accord.
Activities to introduce a topic
Introductory activities include:
- Drawing pictures of the people, objects and places that are part of the story you are going to read. When a child shows you her work, it is important to always show emotions of happiness and surprise as these will help her gain confidence to continue learning.
- Singing songs that can be linked to the story. For example, “the wheels of the bus go round and round” can be used to introduce the story “A Trip to London” available on this website at “The Stories Club”. Most children’s songs are available online.
- Following instructions (“Show me the park”, “Put your hands on your head”). Instructions provide opportunities to work on grammar (verbs, prepositions, word order, etc.) and comprehension practice, as well as vocabulary expansion. They also help change the pace of classroom activities and allows a child to use movement as a form of expression
The positive role of praise
Confidence is said to be one of the most important qualities that a person needs to have to succeed and this can be built up through an adult’s positive reaction to a child’s active participation in an activity. To convey a positive response it is important to look at the child and to say in a clear and simple manner the things you like about a child’s behaviour or work, as exemplified in the following examples: “That is very good, Susan”, or “That is a beautiful picture Dan. Well done.”
The importance of positive attention
The pedagogic view is that there is no good or bad behaviour during storytelling activities and that one of the main objectives of an adult is to bring out the best in a child by creatively encouraging her to actively engage in the learning process. It is, therefore, key to ignore bad behaviour as long as this does not pose a danger to the child or anyone else. It is also vital that a child never be ignored as it is likely her behaviour will get worse, and little or nothing will be learned.
When things get out of control
Sometimes things go pear-shaped. When this happens and you find that a child goes off at a tangent, the best thing to do is to stop what you are doing, take a few deep breaths – perhaps drink a little water – and look at what is going on.
Then, establish eye contact with the child and show her that you understand what she is doing by calmly acknowledging the situation with simple phrases, such as “Yes, I can see that is a very special toy. Now let’s look at this picture” and, if necessary, repeat the process in different ways.
On some occasions a child may become upset and this is when a previously designated calming space will be required, together with a cushion or a toy that may serve to comfort her until she is ready to participate in the activity once again. When she does, it is important to welcome her back with gestures and phrases that express your happiness. That said, an adult’s patience may on occasions be seriously tested. It is on such occasions that we need to examine our own feelings to work out how we can effectively manage them so that they do not interfere in the child’s learning process.
For older children who are already beginning to read (always following the recommendations of your child’s school)
When a child is beginning to read it is recommended that the adult and child read together. The child will usually signal when she wants to read herself, usually by touching the book or you. When this happens, stop reading and allow her to take over at her own pace.
If she makes a mistake, or has some difficulty to read, give her a moment or two to self-correct, or work out the problem herself before you provide the solution. In the case she is unable to continue reading, take over the reading activity until she indicates she is ready to read again.
© 2024 Walwyn Communications
