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Using Storytelling in the Classroom
by Joy Jones
Ah... the pleasure of having Mommy or Daddy read you a
story at bedtime. Or perhaps you were the Mommy or
Daddy sharing a story with your little one just before
she went to sleep. Stories are magical - and
practical. Storytelling is not just good for bedtime
but can be useful during class time too - and not just
for the kindergarten set, either. Teachers can use the
magic of storytelling to help students improve writing
skills or increase literacy. I’m often invited to lead
writing workshops or to talk to students about the
benefits of reading. When I’m gone, however, it’s up to
the regular classroom teacher to keep that interest
going. What follows are some ideas for helping to make
writing and reading more exciting.
For more
compelling storytelling:
Before
the story:
- practice reading it aloud
- look for connections to other subjects
- compose thought-provoking questions
Telling
the story
- be lively!
- vary your gestures, movements and voice
- add music or singing, where possible
- allow students to act out parts of the story
- have students write based on themes or lessons learned
from the story.
Extras
- invite a storyteller to class (this can be a parent or
staff member)
- have students conduct oral histories
- let students create their own stories, then have them
read aloud.
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