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Tell it Again – The Storytelling Handbook for Primary English Language Teachers Part 1: Methodology 3. Many storybooks are sold with an attached CD-ROM or DVD. If possible, listen to the story as an example of how it can be read aloud to boost your confidence. It will also serve as a guide for pronunciation of certain words as well as for sentence stress, intonation patterns and rhythm and storytelling techniques. Using the CD-ROM or DVD to introduce a story to children, however, runs the risk of becoming impersonal and may result in passive listening. It is best to read the story to the children to create a personal, shared rapport with them and to involve them actively in the story. Once children are familiar with the story you can use the CD-ROM or DVD so children can hear English spoken by someone other than their teacher – another voice, another variety of English. There are many story readings available on YouTube – you can watch Eric Carle reading his classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar at www.youtube. com/watch?v=eXHScpo_Vv8 4. Decide where you will break up the story. The story notes provide guidance on this but you may decide to alter the length of some of the sections. 5. Decide where you wish to pause in the story to invite your pupils to join in (the story notes give specific guidance on this, but with experience you may decide to alter the length of sections). 6. Plan what you are going to say about the illustrations. 7. Read the story several times until you feel at ease and confident, and know the story well enough without having to read it word-for-word. Use storytelling techniques Once you feel confident with the story text, consider the different techniques you can use to provide further support for your pupils’ understanding, to bring the story alive and to make the experience more enjoyable and successful for your pupils. ●● ●● ●● If they are unfamiliar with storytelling, begin with short sessions that neither demand too much from them nor over-extend their concentration span. If possible, have children sit on the floor around you when you read the story. Make sure all pupils are sitting so they can see you and the illustrations and can hear you clearly. This will make the storytelling session a special event where you and the children share the emotions, the humour, the action and the suspense, the anticipation and the surprise of the story. In this way, a natural communicative situation is provided where pupils interact with the story, the storyteller and each other. Read slowly and clearly. Give your pupils time to look at the pictures, to think, ask questions, make comments. However, do vary the pace of your voice when the story speeds up. ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● Make comments about the illustrations and point to them to focus the pupils’ attention. When you say a word, point to the illustration at the same time to focus their attention. Involve your pupils actively by asking them to point to the illustrations. Encourage your pupils to take part in the storytelling by giving them opportunities to repeat key vocabulary items and phrases. You can invite them to do this by pausing and looking at them with a questioning expression and by putting your hand to your ear to indicate that you are waiting for them to join in. Then repeat what they have said to confirm that they have predicted correctly and, if appropriate, expand by putting the word into a full phrase or sentence. Use gestures, mime and facial expressions to help convey the meaning of feelings and actions. Vary the pace, tone and volume of your voice. Are you going to whisper to build up suspense? Are you going to introduce an element of surprise by raising your voice? This technique will also signal to the children that something is going to happen. Pause where appropriate to add dramatic effect or to give children time to relate what they hear to what they see, and to assimilate details in the illustrations. Disguise your voice as much as you can to signal when different characters are speaking and to help convey meaning. This will help keep your pupils’ attention and they will love imitating the different voices. Make sound effects where possible. Make eye contact with the children. If you have done the necessary preparation and rehearsal before reading the story aloud to them then this will be possible. Do not keep your nose in the book, or strain your neck or keep your eyes down. Look at all the children and watch their reactions and be ready to respond to them. It is possible to fold some books in half so the pictures are facing the children and the text is facing you. See for example The Elephant and the Bad Baby and My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes. Commentate on the story where appropriate and relate it to the children. For example, in My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes, ask ‘Has anyone got a cat?’ ‘Oh, you have Charles.’ ‘What’s your cat called?’ ‘What colour is he?’ Ask questions to involve the children: ‘What do you think is going to happen next?’ ‘What would you do?’ (See page 27 for further guidelines on questioning techniques.). Do not be afraid to repeat. This increases opportunities for exposure to the language and gives children a second (or third) chance to work out the meaning and have it confirmed. If you need to walk around the class to show children the pictures, repeat the text again. 26 Part 1: Methodology © British Council 2014
Tell it Again – The Storytelling Handbook for Primary English Language Teachers Part 1: Methodology As pupils enjoy hearing stories over and over again, do read a story, or part of it, as often as possible, so your pupils hear English frequently. Listening to the stories in this way will help to reinforce pupils’ learning. You might like to record or film yourself reading a story aloud and use the self-assessment questions suggested below. What questions can I ask in story-based lessons? Teachers ask questions before, during and after storytelling for a variety of reasons. Depending on your pupils’ level, it may be necessary to sometimes ask questions in the mother tongue. Here are some of the reasons and example questions: ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● to involve pupils actively and to relate a story or topic to the pupils’ own experience: ‘Today we’re going to read a story about a bear.’ ‘Who’s seen a real bear?’ ‘Where?’ ‘What was it like?’ to elicit language or information: ‘So the Elephant and the Bad Baby went into town and visited some shops.’ ‘Which shops did they go to?’ to find out what pupils already know about a topic: ‘Can you tell me the names of any animals that come from Australia?’ to arouse curiosity and motivate: ‘We’re going to find out about bears.’ ‘How many types of bears do you know?’ ‘What do they eat?’ to focus pupils’ attention: ‘Look at the picture.’ ‘What can you see?’ to encourage the pupils to predict what they think will happen next in the story: ‘What day is it next?’ ‘And what do you think the caterpillar eats on Saturday?’ to check pupils’ understanding and learning: ‘What did the elephant say at the grocer’s shop?’ to encourage pupils to think about and express their reactions to a story or character: ‘Who was your favourite character?’ ‘Why?’ to show that you are genuinely interested in what they think and have to say: ‘That’s interesting!’ ‘Does anyone else agree with Michel?’ To summarise, a good question must be probing and motivate thought so that it encourages children to justify their responses; it must focus their attention and encourage observation, invite enquiry and stimulate because it is open-ended; it should be productive and seek a response and generate more questions. (See Fisher 2005: 20). How can I assess my skills as a storyteller? As mentioned earlier, storytelling needs rehearsing. We suggest you follow the steps below to help develop your confidence and identify areas for improvement. 1. Listen to a recording of the story if possible for an example of how to read it. 2. Rehearse reading the story aloud several times. 3. Record or film yourself. Imagine you are reading the story to your pupils or, if possible, film yourself with your class. 4. Listen to or view your recording and use the following questions to evaluate your performance and your talents as a storyteller. Self-assessment questions 1. Pronunciation. Did I pronounce vowels and consonants correctly? 2. Stress. Did I stress syllables in individual words or words in sentences correctly? 3. Rhythm. Did I read too slowly or too quickly? Did I pause in the right places? 4. Intonation. Did I sound interesting or boring and did I vary my intonation where appropriate? Did I use the appropriate intonation for questions, statements, lists, and so on? 5. Variation. How did I vary the speed and volume of my voice where appropriate? Did I adapt my voice enough for the different characters? 6. Visual/audio clues. How did I use visual/audio clues (facial expressions and gestures, sound effects) to support children’s understanding? 7. Eye contact. Did I retain eye contact with all children during the storytelling to develop a shared rapport with the class? 8. Pupil participation. Did I pause in the correct places and use appropriate intonation to involve pupils actively in the story? Did I ask the appropriate questions so pupils can relate the story to their own experiences? Did I encourage pupils to join in or to predict what happens next? 9. General impression. How did I sound in general? Clear? Expressive? Lively? 10. What do I need to improve? What shall I focus on this week? Although aimed at telling oral tales, David Heathfield (2014) describes many storytelling techniques that can be applied to reading a story aloud. Part 1: Methodology © British Council 2014 27
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