Did you know it’s National Share-A-Story Month in May? Storytelling is a great way of getting your pupils actively engaged and motivated in sharing stories with others, so if you’re looking for some inspiration, why not take a look at LearningGrids? We have lots of resources to support all children – even those who are not so confident – in accessing the power of story sharing.
Oral storytelling offers huge benefits in developing children’s language and literacy skills, and a fantastic boost to those children who struggle to get their ideas down with pen and paper. For many children, being able to ‘talk’ their story allows them to fully express themselves in a way that pen and paper may limit. With Clicker, children can not only practise their storytelling but also record it – so it’s a great assessment record. They can rehearse in a comfortable setting – on their own or with a partner – until they are happy, and then share their finished work as a presentation to the class. Retelling stories orally helps children to practise and internalise story patterns and language, as well as developing an understanding of narrative ‘building blocks’ like characters, settings and plot build-up.
Search for Tell the Story Talk Sets on LearningGrids to find lots of resources (covering fiction and non-fiction topics) which offer a framework for children’s oral retelling skills. A really fun one is the Mexican folktale of Señor Coyote and the Cheese. Children will love retelling the story of the greedy coyote and the clever rabbit who outwits him! Storytelling is about being expressive and having fun – let Clicker help your children do just that whilst developing their creative skills.
