Introduction Story telling is an ancient tradition that crosses cultures and generations. It has always been a way of passing on ideas, expressing values and entertaining. We tell our own stories all the time, relating anecdotes about our day or stringing together events in our minds to make a memory (Jenny Barber, EYE). The EYFS suggests that practitioners 'tell and read stories and encourage children to act them out' (card 4.1). Behind this simple statement lie the creative opportunities and rich learning potential of story making. The benefits of story making reach right across the Principles of the EYFS, incorporating adult led and child led activities. The value of story telling in the early years Each child will have their own impression of a told story. As Louise Phillips writes, 'storytelling does not spoon feed it's audience with imagery. Instead, a sketchy outline is drawn for the audience to give colour, texture and shape in a way that is relevant to them, and the experience of the story then becomes personal' (The Seeds of Children's Creativity, p.6) A child's personal journey through a story can support many aspects of the Areas of Learning and Development: Language and vocabulary - as they tell stories children extend their vocabulary and use storybook language (Communication, Language and Literacy). Communication - as they build a story, children explain their ideas to each other and to adults (Communication, Language and Literacy). Sequencing and memory - children need to think about what has already happened in their story and what will happen next (Communication, Language and Literacy). Problem solving - stories that have a problem to be worked out or a decision to be made will support the children's ability to think through an idea or make a plan (Problem solving, Reasoning and Numeracy, and Personal, Social and Emotional Development). Building Relationships - story telling is an interactive experience and working together to make stories strengthens a sense of community in the setting (Personal, Social and Emotional Development). Similarities, differences and values - a told story provides a secure place to explore ideas about right and wrong and to understand similarities and differences between people and cultures (Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Knowledge and Understanding of the World). Developing imaginations - ideas and creativity can flourish as children tell a story, travelling through real and fantasy worlds (Creative Development). Movement - story telling involves lots of movement and actions as children take on the roles of different characters (Physical Development). Making a story with children is also an excellent time to observe them. Practitioners can gain new insights into how children think and what they know as they take on roles within a story. Setting the Scene Before beginning to tell stories with children, it is a good idea to reflect on what a story is. Jenny Barber writes that 'a story is a series of events, real or imaginary, which are linked together to be told or portrayed through speech, song, dance or mime. Each and every story has a narrative, which is the basic structure of a story' (P.10). This structure is, of course, a beginning, middle and end. Practitioners can build up to story making with children in lots of ways. When reading a book with children, asking them what they think will happen next, or what happens after the end of the tale, helps them to think about the structure of a story and what sort of story they would make. Adults can model the use of objects to inspire a story by using props with a big book, or telling their own story to children with props. Children step into a story wholeheartedly. Louise Phillips explains that 'young children are unclear about the boundaries between fantasy and reality, and for this reason it is important to make a clear distinction between the two' (Storytelling for Young Children, p.2). Phillips suggests having a special signal to let the children know that you are all entering the world of story. This could be closing their eyes, playing some music or saying a story spell. When the story telling session is over, the children need to be brought back to the real world in a similar way. If the story has been told using props, the end of the session can be marked by putting the objects away, using their story names. The West Yorkshire Playhouse storytelling project used this approach: 'Each object came out of the bag with its real name, e.g. blue material, but returned to the bag in its symbolic state e.g. a river, lake or sea. This ritual marked the end of the story and brought them back to reality' (WYP). Telling a Story There are so many ways to make stories with young children. Here are a few story telling starting points: Themed story telling boxes A special box or container that holds a collection of related objects can be an excellent introduction to story telling. A seaside story box could have a bucket and spade, sunhat, starfish and crab in it, or a funky shopping bag could contain a purse, some toy money, a set of keys and a shopping list for a day at the shops story. A practitioner will need to model how to use the resources at first. Once the children can use the props to tell a story the box can remain available for them to return to. Children may decide to create their own story telling boxes, and what began as an adult led activity can evolve into a child led project. Open-ended storytelling bags The props for telling a story can be quite abstract and seemingly unrelated. Collecting some fabric and a couple of other items together in a special bag to present to the children will give them the opportunity to create their own themes and plots. For example, the early years storytelling project run by the West Yorkshire Playhouse used bags that contained props such as green material, a feather and a torch, or stripy material, a torch and a nut. With careful open-ended questioning by the adults 'the children created a story using body language, words, facial expression, sound and movement' (WYP). It is a good idea to let the children feel the objects inside the bag, guess what they might be, and then take them out and spend some time exploring them before coming together to make a story. Interactive Storytelling This kind of storytelling begins from a familiar book or rhyme. The plot is then taken on a different journey by the children and practitioner. Hendy explains that it is not the same as acting out the original story: 'it is important not to impose a storyline on the action but to let the storyline emerge and the action develop' (Practical Preschool, June 2005). It involves a combination of improvisation and dramatic play guided by the practitioner. Everyone needs to be someone in the story, including the adults. Friends and relatives of characters can be invented, or the children may have ideas for their own role in the story. Interactive storytelling is an excellent vehicle for problem solving, working together and exploring ideas. Specific issues can be ‘ 'planted' by the adult in their story role, or can arise spontaneously as the plot unfolds. Hendy and Toon suggest using devices within the storytelling such as stopping to have a meal together, as a way of making space to discuss what has happened and what might happen next. It is important to remember that the children are the story makers: 'children need to feel some ownership of the story and that the contributions they make to the dramatic play are valued' (Hendy and Toon, p.111). Each story needs to be resolved and reach a satisfactory ending. This can happen within one session, or a story may have so much momentum that it can be told over a number of sessions. Story making outside Whether outside in the play area of an early years setting, or on a visit to the local park or wood, being outdoors provides great opportunities for making stories. A story can begin by setting a task, such as finding a home for a tiny creature, or looking for something that could be a gateway to somewhere else. Children might find a gap between the roots of a tree, or the arch made by the bars of the climbing frame. With careful open-ended questioning these starting points can become a little story. For example, an adult could ask who lives in the home they have found, what are they doing, what happens to them? Or they could ask where the gateway leads to, who will go through it, and what will happen when they do? In this way children are encouraged to look at everyday things in a different way and exercise their imaginations. Traditional storytelling The ideas looked at so far have been based on making stories with children. Taking on the role of a more traditional storyteller can be an alternative to using a big book at story time, or provide a moment to come together outside. The adult already knows the story they will tell. Rather than learning it by heart, it is better to have some key reminders written down. These are often called the 'story bones'. It can be fun to have a special storyteller's chair or cloak to let the children know that you have become the storyteller for a while. Repeated refrains, props or music can all be used to keep the children engaged. The story teller Steve Maynard advises that 'the tone, pitch and inflection of your voice are all important. So too is the look in your eyes, the expression on your face and the movements of your hands and body' (www.teachingexpertise.com). Follow up activities Children will often want to explore the stories they tell in other ways. This can happen spontaneously as they initiate follow up play with resources they have accessed themselves. Practitioners can make more structured provision for following up a story by selecting resources such as small world characters, books that relate to the theme of a home made story, or a craft activity (Phillips, Storytelling for Young Children). The practitioner may have noticed the children's interest in a part of the story they have told, and provide the opportunity for exploring this further. For example, if the main character was a tiger, the children might want to find out more about tigers, or if they have created a superhero, they could investigate the powers superheroes can have. In this way, an adult led activity can be turned into a child led investigation. Providing opportunities to follow up their stories extends children's learning and allows them to process events in the stories they tell. Helpful hints When telling stories with young children, remember: Choose a starting point for your story telling that seems appropriate for the children at the setting - a themed story box is more defined than interactive story telling from a rhyme. Use special signals to begin and end the story telling session. Give the children time to explore any props you are using. Take on a role yourself and be a part of the story while letting the children be the story makers. Use open-ended questions to advance and guide the plot. Use body language, facial expression and tone of voice. Use devices within the story, such as needing to have a meal, to create a pause for discussion about what has happened so far. Value all children's contributions. Use follow-up activities, child-led where possible, to explore children's interests highlighted by the story telling. Be prepared for the first attempts at story telling to be challenging - children will need time to become proficient story tellers. Have lots of fun! Conclusion In our modern, western society, stories are all too often ready-made for children through television, film and virtual games. The use of story telling in the early years setting can provide an opportunity for children to explore their imaginations and express themselves in safe and magical ways. References Story telling: the Seeds of Children's Creativity, Louise Phillips, in Australian Journal of early Childhood, Vol. 25, No.3, 2000, pp1-5 Storytelling for Young Children, Louise Phillips, in Junior Horizons, Vol.7, No.3, 2002, pp 6-7) Supporting Drama and Imaginative Play in the Early Years, Lesley Hendy and Lucy Toon, in Supporting Early Learning series, 2001, Open University Press Interactive Storytelling, Lesley Hendy, in Practical Preschool, issue 53, June 2005 Imagining Worlds - Creative Learning Through Play, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Arts Development Unit, Quarry Hill, Leeds, www.wyp.org.uk Storytelling in the Early Years, Steve Maynard, www.teachingexpertise.com, November 2005 Storytelling, Jenny Barber, EYE, Vol.4, No.12, April 2003 Make a Storytelling Box, Lorraine Frankish, Practical Preschool, Issue 40, 2003 The paragraph on Themed Storytelling Boxes was supported by Lorraine Frankish's article on a similar topic, and the section on Interactive Storytelling was informed by reading work by Lesley Hendy and Lucy Toon. The paragraph on Story making outside was inspired by a course run by East Sussex story teller and Forest School teacher Rachel Bennington.
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