Story Telling and Children Today

Children have an ingrained love of stories, this is because they create magic and a sense of wonder at the world. Stories are amazing as they teach us about life, about ourselves and the people around us. Storytelling is a unique way for children to develop an understanding, respect and appreciation for other cultures, and today as we live in such a multiracial society, stories can promote a positive attitude to children that are from different races and religions (UK Government, 2016).

 

There are a number of ways in which storytelling can enhance intercultural understanding and communication. Stories can…

·       allow children to explore their own culture  

·       enable children to empathise with unfamiliar people

·       offer insights into different traditions

·       help children appreciate good values

·       show children new experiences and new ideas

·       compare cultures around the world   

                                     

There are numerous benefits of using stories in the classroom. Children of all ages love stories and we all have fond memories of sitting on the carpet in the reading corner waiting to see what story the teacher had chosen. Story telling is proven to improve language skills and when children are read to they listen to the story and this teaches them new ways of speaking as well as new words. When teachers read to children, they concentrate to remember who is in the story, who is a funny character, who is the naughty one? This helps children retain information which consequently improves their memories (Story Telling, 2019).

Teachers are key in supporting and encouraging pupils to enjoy books. Storytelling is fundamental as it is their first insight into reading and it increases their enthusiasm for reading and also helps with communication and it is proven to help children develop good listening skills. Research shows that listening to stories encourages children to learn to write as the interest in stories will encourage them to want to write their own stories. When children are engrossed in storytelling, it promotes speech and improves their oral skills (UK Government, 2016).

The right story is important, and getting the right story is what makes children so interested in stories. Involving the children during story telling is important as getting them talking improves their vocabulary and pronunciation. Of course, while storytelling offers many benefits, it’s important for teachers to choose the right stories for young children. Teachers should choose stories that teach lessons and skills, and it’s important to come up with stories that will make children think and discuss the characters and storyline with each other.

In this digital era we live in, storytelling is proven to reduce their screen time. With the huge amount of technology around us today, young children are learning to use technology very early. Sadly, TVs, smart phones and apps are becoming more and more popular among children and teachers must be instrumental in allowing children to see the benefits of books. When children are read to it teaches them that they can look at alternative ways of keeping themselves busy (UK Government, 2016).  

Scientists have found that children who are read  to on a regular basis relate better to others and show more empathy and have the ability to understand that other people have different thoughts and feelings to us, which is essential for understanding and predicting other people’s thoughts and behaviour (BBC, 2019).

Storytelling Week is huge in Wales and the whole UK today and it is a celebration of all things story: from adventure stories to traditional tales, from mysteries to science fiction (National Story Telling Week, 2019). Children all over the world get involved and dress up and have excellent events on to celebrate this special week.                                                                          

Storytelling is proven to promote a feeling of well-being and relaxation which is so important to maintain good mental health among children today.

In order for storytelling to be a success the storyteller must have the required skills to deliver the story to the children, otherwise they will lose focus and interest and for the teacher to read the story well it is imperative that they have a good relationship with the children in order for them to understand the story. If the teacher is prepared, they can tell the story in their own words and they can truly make it their own by adapting is slightly and improvising. retell it numerous times until it feels like a story.

BBC (2019) Why is story telling important [Available at] http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zyvhpv4#z378d2p[Accessed on 01/05/2019]

Hunter, L (2008) Exploring the Benefits of Storytelling in Nursing Education. University of Vermont

National Story telling [Available at] https://www.sfs.org.uk/national-storytelling-week/ [Accessed on 01/05/2019]

Story Telling Schools (2019) Story telling [Available at] https://storytellingschools.com/ [Accessed on 01/05/2019]

UK Government (2016) The importance of storytelling [Available at] https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-importance-of-storytelling [Accessed on 01/05/2019]