Storytelling in Kindergarten Classes

OBJECTIVE:

To emphasize the importance of using Storytelling to teach English to Kindergarten students in a

contextualized and meaningful way.

“Storytelling is as old as hills and as new as a sunrise”

Allison M. Cox

Fairy Tales

Imaginative stories dealing with magic or the supernatural.

The term is used loosely to include all tales in which:
-Inanimate objects are personified;
-Animals are given human characteristics
- Supernatural beings –whether called fairies or by some other name- are depicted as
intervening, for good or evil, in human affairs.

Reasons for using Fairy Tales in kindergarten classes

 Are appropriate to kindergarten children;

 Offer us different cultural background;
 Involve magic and talking animals.

Besides, they might enable children to:

 Use their imagination;

 Learn about people;
 Learn about themselves;
 Be aware of their surroundings, both natural and human-made;
 Begin to distinguish between real happenings and the make-believe ones.

Remember that the main objective in Kindergarten level is to make children feel stimulated and
comfortable with learning the new language and that the listening skill is going to be the first one
to be developed as it is in the mother tongue. So, expose your students as much as possible to
stories, poems and rhymes.

Learning Expectations/ Objectives

 Establish in advance:
 What the Learning Expectations/ Objectives of kindergarten level are;
 What children should know by the end of each grade of kindergarten level.

Make a list of objectives, relating them to the necessary language.

Cross-Curriculum Learning Program

Areas of knowledge:
Language Development; Mathematics; Personal and Social Development; Science; History;
Geography; Art; Music; Technology.

Reasons for Cross-Curricular Learning Program:

 Children grasp ideas more easily.

 Children connect their learning to their own lives and the world around them.
 Children see how knowledge and skills in one area are relevant for other areas.

Learning Expectations/ Objectives in a Cross Curriculum Learning Program.

Example of some Curriculum Expectations/Objectives for Kindergarten 1 in different Areas of

Knowledge.

By the end of kindergarten 1 children will be able to:

 Language Development
Practice the language singing and saying words;
Start to express needs to adults and peers;
Start to express feelings;
Feel confident to answer familiar questions.

 Mathematics
Count orally till 5
Sort and classify objects according to colour, size and shape.To exemplify that; we’ll focus in only
one point:
Learning Expectation / Objective:

 Language Development:
Start to express feelings;

 Basic Language needed:

How are you? / How are you today? How are you feeling today? / Are you ok? / What’s up?

I’m fine. / So, so/ Not so good/ Not ok/ Feeling sad/ Really happy today/ Great/ Angry/Surprised.
  How to Contextualize and teach in a meaningful way
We have great opportunities to present to kindergarten children the objective above in a
contextualized situation and in a meaningful way through stories like:

 Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

 The Gingerbread Man

Asking children:

 In “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” story:

“- How was Baby Bear feeling when he got home and saw his bowl empty?”

Examples of Cross-Curricular procedures:

1. Language Development and Personal and Social Development areas:

 Did Goldilocks demonstrate a positive attitude in the Bears’ house?
 Did she demonstrate consideration for others eating their porridge?

2. Language Development, Mathematics and Science areas:

In Cookery class when working with:
 The story “The Gingerbread Man”, a ginger cookie can be made.
 The story Goldilocks and The Three Bears, porridge can be made.

Teacher can explore:

 In Mathematics
How to use simple measurement terms correctly (big/ small, empty/full)
Identify numbers and count
Compare quantities using more/less

Differentiate between first, next and last

Identify equal parts

 In Language Development
Relate information in a logical sequence
Acquire information
Follow direction
Be exposed to a variety of types of text.
Demonstrate awareness of some conventions of written materials

 In Science
Identify nutritious food
Talk about different temperatures / colours/ tastes

Stories always offer our children some of the richest opportunities for listening, speaking, reading
and writing.
Children are being more prepared for successful learning experiences in the following levels if
they:
 Listen to stories;
 Identify their favorite books;
 Retell the stories in their own words;
 Demonstrate understanding of a story by making predictions;
 Make connections between their own experiences and those of storybook characters;
 Demonstrate awareness of some conventions of written materials;
 Identify some features of books;
 Contribute words or sentences to a class narrative, among others.

10 Tips to tell a story

1. Decide if you are going to tell the story or read it aloud.

2. Have a routine to put them in the right “frame of mind”

 Have a Storytelling corner
 Have an object, a song or a ritual (sitting on the floor in a circle) to start the activity. You
may use something related to the story.
 Use typical beginnings as: “Once upon a time...” or “Long ago, before any of you were
born”…Have a regular time for your storytelling. But don’t begin until you have everyone’s
attention and total silence.

3. How to remember the story:

 You don’t have to remember every detail of the story, but the gist of it.
 Read or listen to it several times and then try to retell it to someone
(a friend or a tape)
 Try to memorize important sentences (punch lines), the beginning and the ending. E.g.:
“This porridge is too hot/too cold/just perfect”.
 Make an outline/a story skeleton selecting the key points.
 Try to visualize the story: “When did it happen? How was the setting? How were the
characters? What were their characteristics?

 What about their feelings? What’s the mood of the story?”

 The more you tell the story the more you feel at home with it.

4. Think about the characters and how you will distinguish them:
Making different voices, faces, gestures (for the narrator and for each of the characters:
low/high, soft/harsh…)
Using pictures, puppets, drawings, dolls, real objects, anything as props.

5. Think of other sounds that you can include: steps, knockings, animal voices, …to create
suspense or make it more real!

6. Think about the tone you intend to use: conversational as a teller (“My grandfather told me
this story and it goes like this…”) or theatrical as an actor (“Once upon a time…”). But
 remember to look at people as you tell the story! And do things in a slower and greater way
(with dramatic quality than in normal speed)

7. Think about the language you are going to use. It must be natural and satisfying to the ear.

8. Think about the position (sitting or standing) and the gestures you intend to use. Get them
much nearer to you: to see you or the visuals and to change the relationship between you and
them. You can go to a specific corner, remain seated, move quickly or slowly, act out …

9. During or after the story, decide how to involve your students

 tell them to repeat/say the most important sentences
 teach them songs and games related to the story
 make craft work
 ask them to retell the story/a part of it
 ask them to perform it
 make a video /class recording
 develop a whole project based on the story
 relate the story to their world.

10. Find your own style or adapt yourself according to the story.

“If you want your children to be brilliant, tell them fairy tales. If you want your
children to be even more brilliant, tell them even more fairy tales.”
Albert Einstein

Por:

Lucia Miranda e Daniela Gallina

Bibliography:

 Vygotsky L.S. 1998 – A formação Social da Mente – Martins fontes

 Ellis, Gail and Brewster, Jean. 1991 – The Storytelling handbook for Primary Teachers -
Penguin Book.

 Vale, David and Feunteun, Anne. 1995 – Teaching Children English – Cup

 Wright, Andrew. 1995 – Storytelling with children – Oxford English

 Wright, Andrew. 1997 – Creating Stories with children – Oxford English

 Holliman, Linda. The Complete Guide to Classroom Centers – Creative Teaching Press

 Rinvolucci, Mario and Morgan, John. Once Upon a Time – Cup

 Passerini, Sueli P. 1998 – O Fio de Ariadne – Antroposófica