English Stories for Kids English stories and poems can be a great educational tool for learning English

l anguage. There are many beginner level English stories for kids and books that c an be used in an ESL classroom or for learning one-on-one. There are many websit es available that offer useful information and educational materials for ESL lea rners. This ESL site, for example, can be a great resource for on line learners: http://www.rong-chang.com/. English Stories for ESL Learners There are other sources for English easy stories and we have compiled a list of useful links for those interested in learning the language or enhancing his or h er vocabulary and reading skills. Here is a site that offers 100 free simple English short stories for reading on line learners: http://www.rong-chang.com/qa2/. Here is a great source for on line short English stories for children for interm ediary level learners: http://www.rong-chang.com/eslread/index.htm. Reading stories can be a fun way to enhance your English language skills. While there are many collections of stories in English specifically designed for ESL l earners, it can be a good idea to try and read some basic children s stories written for native English speakers. Reading stories written for English speakers can g ive a better feel for the language and it s structure and vocabulary. Most stories w ritten for children use simple words and have basic sentence structure which is fitting for various levels of ESL students. Here is an example how stories for children featured at Story Time for Me.com ar e used to teach English to students of various levels of skills and development: http://gulfnews.com/life-style/education/free-online-children-s-stories-promotestorytelling-1.823631. Story Time for Me (http://storytimeforme.com/) has a collection of English stori es for children who are native speakers of the language, but can also be used to enhance the learning in an ESL classroom. The stories are animated and come wit h supplementary education material, which makes it easy to use them for ESL lear ners of all levels. Using English Stories for Kids to Teach English All over the world, the educational value of using English has always been und isputed. Recently more and more English as a Foreign Language (EFL), or English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers are specifically selected stories from the world of children s English literature for teaching all age and grade levels of stud ents. The acquisition-based methodology of teaching English which uses storytell ing as the primary teaching technique complies to the major objectives of an ESL or EFL teaching course. It covers all the aspects, including linguistic, cognit ive, psychological, social and cultural. EFL/ESL teachers can use stories to su pplement their main materials and to create self-contained learning units that constitute mini-syllabuses. This way, stories can provide the starting point for developing a wide range of related language learning activities which will eng age the students personally, actively and creatively in a well rounded all inclu sive curriculum approach. Selecting English Stories for Kids According to the Students Level Storybooks that are used to teach ESL students should be carefully selected to m atch the skill level of the students. It is important to pick English stories fo r children that are well known and contain examples of genuine English, as well as as literary techniques such as repetition, rhyme, onomatopoeia, suspense and humour. The stories should contain colorful illustrations which match the text and enhance the students understanding and help develop their visual literacy. The

English stories that are used for ESL learners should that take place in varied settings and address issues such as multicultural education and citizenship to help increase intercultural awareness. It recommended to use stories that devel op social skills and emotional development of the students. The English stories used for teaching language skills should also be linked to other subjects to enh ance the students general knowledge, reinforce new concepts and help them learn how to learn. Finally, good English stories for kids that are used by ESL teachers should offer a concrete outcome following the form of dramatization, as well as related songs and rhymes, a game,a book-making activity, a quiz or a test, post er-design, arts and crafts project, etc. Benefits for Students and Teachers The educational benefits from using authentic children s English stories can be perc eived directly from students personal response to the stories. It is important to a lways get feedback directly from the students, to assess how they have assimilat ed the material. Younger students particularly enjoy to the stories with colorfu l illustrations. Older and more advanced students often become involved in a det ailed discussion of the particular genre, setting, illustrations,characters, and what they liked the most about the story. After each lesson, the teacher shoul d inquire what the students think they have learned from each of the English s tories presented in the class. Implementing a story-based approach in the ESL classroom requires a great deal o f energy, creativity and excellent classroom management skills as well as certai n amount of flexibility from teachers. This approach can, however, put teachers under a certain amount of pressure. Yes, this technique does keep you on your toes and keeps the language teaching process at a high pace. Using English stori es for kids to teach, however, has a direct benefit for teachers themselves, as their resourcefulness, confidence and critical appraisal develop greatly.