15/06/20151 EL 441 Introduction to teaching young learners Spring Term 2007 Session 5 :Story-telling in the FL YL classroom Tutor: Liz Austin

15/06/20152 Suggested reading 1.Cameron L Teaching Languages to Young Learners CUP (Chapter 7) 2.Ellis G., Brewster J. and Girard D The Primary English Teacher's Guide Penguin English Guide (relevant chapter) 3.Ellis G. and Brewster J Tell it again!: the new storytelling handbook for teachers Penguin English 4.Garvie E Story as Vehicle: teaching English to young children, Multi Lingual Matters 5.Wright A Story Telling with children, OUP 6.Wright A Creating Stories with Children OUP

15/06/20153 Further reading 1.Amer A.A The effect of the teacher’s reading aloud on the reading comprehension of EFL students, ELT Journal Vol 51/1 January Jennings C Children as Story-tellers OUP 3.Machura J 'Using Literature in Language Teaching' in Brumfit C. Moon J. and Tongue J. (eds) Teaching English to Children: From Practice to Principle, Collins ELT 4.Pettman H 'Why Story telling?' MET No. 2: Parker R. and Parker R 'Real Reading needs Real Books' in Brumfit et al. Teaching English to Children: From Practice to Principle, Collins ELT 6.Phillips S Drama with Children: Resource Books for Teachers OUP 7.Tkachenko R 'Storytelling in Practice' MET 1 No. 2: 55-57

15/06/20154 Key questions 1.Why use stories: what do children learn through stories? 2.Characteristics of a good story 3.Ways of using stories 4.Characteristics of a good story-teller 5.Difficulties / challenges in using stories

15/06/20155 Why use stories? Role of stories in child learning  Making sense of the world  Emotional and social development  Stimulus to the imagination Bringing together aspects of the primary curriculum  Exploration of shapes, size, textures, cause & effect  Extension to primary subjects: science, geography, history

15/06/20156 Why use stories? Linguistic rationale  Language in a meaningful context  Tying in new to familiar language  Providing natural context for repetition of language  Theme around which to build language system & 4 skills work  Language awareness (rhythms, sounds, structures) Meta-linguistic features of story-telling  Positive attitude to not understanding every word  Emotional and social development  Skills of searching for meaning, guessing, predicting

15/06/20157 Pitching the language at the right level 1. Grandma said “Come in!” At once the the wicked wolf fell upon the good woman and gobbled her down in an instant! 2. Poor grandmamma was terrified. “He’s going to eat me up!” she cried. And she was absolutely right; He ate her up in one big bite! 3. The wolf came into the room. He was very hungry, so he ate the grandmother. 4. The wolf jumped into the room. Poor grandma was very scared! “Eeek!” she cried. The wolf grabbed grandma and gobbled her up. Yum Yum!

15/06/20158 Story selection criteria  Age  Interest  Balance of new & familiar language  Length  Illustrations  Natural repetition

15/06/20159 Reading aloud versus story-telling Will the teacher read from the text? Will the children have copies of the text? Will children read aloud from the text?

15/06/ Reading aloud versus story-telling Advantages of reading from a text  No need for the teacher to memorise the story  Less preparation time  Promotes reading skills Advantages of telling the story without a text  Single focus of attention  Eye contact  Greater opportunities for dramatising the telling  Language can be modifies