Reading Response (Week 1): An Introduction to Storytelling
Image sourced from https://www.discoverfrome.co.uk/event/kindness-stories-at-the-library/2023-03-07/
Storytelling has played an important role in the lives of children and adults throughout history as a means of sharing information, cultural heritage, life lessons, and pure entertainment. Chapters 1 and 2 in Storytelling: Art and Technique highlight the different ways storytelling was implemented and valued throughout history in various cultures and identified some of the historical figures that helped to make the art of storytelling what it is today (Greene et al., 2010). Storytelling has historically been valued for passing on stories through generations of storytellers and continues to be valued for the many ways a good story can influence the development literacy, social, and thinking skills through active engagement. While storytelling and read alouds are technically different, storytellers can still promote literary connections by having a book version of their story or relating stories available for audience members to enjoy long after the story has already been told. One of my favorite quotes from chapter 3 of Storytelling Art and Technique is “when books are read to children by a warm and caring adult, children associate reading with pleasure” this can encourage students to continue to want to read more, fostering a budding love for reading, and using storytelling can be a great way to connect students to great books (Greene et al., 2010). Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of the same text discuss many additional aspects that storytellers must consider such as story selection, area layout, preparation, and presentation, all of which help the storyteller anticipate the needs of their audience and their expectations for the event in order to deliver an effectively compelling storytelling experience.
As a future elementary school librarian, my goal will be to incorporate storytelling elements into my library that help young readers establish their reading identity while also promoting the development of literacy skills. The article Why Storytelling Matters highlights a study done on the literary impact that storytelling had on a group of second graders and showcased how their responses to this event indicated that students utilized visualization, critical thinking, cognitive engagement, and sequencing skills when participating in this storytelling activity (Agosto, 2016). Story telling can also help students learn story elements, develop language skills as the learn and use new vocabulary, which can be an especially beneficial strategy for speech language pathologists working to help students improve various speech skills (Cherry-Cruz, 2001). Storytellers and librarians can use gestures, props, different voices, music, repetitive phrases, or rhymes to make storytelling more engaging (Venkat, 2020). There are also many ways that librarians can extend the storytelling event with drawing and writing responses, re-enactments and retellings, incorporating book versions of the story or similar stories, and asking questions or participating in book discussions with the students (Agosto, 2016). By including storytelling activities in the school library, librarians can provide engaging and enjoyable experiences for students that promotes the development of academic, social, and cognitive skills.
Image sourced from https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/storyteller-storytelling-story-time.html?sortBy=relevant
Picture books are one of my favorite subsets of the children’s literature genre. Through the combination of vivid illustrations and stories that can convey a wide variety of events, themes, and emotions, children can find themselves utterly captivated by a great story. One of my favorites is The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors which features a fun and humorous take on the well know and well-loved game of Rock Paper Scissors. I believe this storybook would be great to adapt for a storytelling event as you could use different voices for the 3 main characters, use props to bring the story to life, and gestures to bring the action to life. There are also plenty of opportunities for extension activities after telling this story as students could participate in writing or drawing activities, a retelling or recreation of the story by adding in new competitors for the main characters to battle, and compete in their own rock, paper, scissors tournament. Following these activities, the students could be introduced to the storybook version of this tale so that they can continue to enjoy the story through their own reading and reflect warmly on this event as they continue to play rock, paper, scissors for years to come. Other children books written by this author could also be promoted during this event to continue enforcing literacy development, introduce students to other titles they may enjoy, or even help them learn the ways readers often seek out other books by authors they enjoy.
Fairy tales are also great for storytelling and are often already well known by children for their many adaptations in movies, TV shows, and other books. Using fractured fairy tales like The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka take the originally fairy tale and turn it into something new that the children will enjoy because it is different, but similar enough to the original that they can make connections between the experiences. You can tie in the literary concepts of comparing and contrasting that most students must learn by using different versions of fairy tales and fractured tales to help students build these skills and learn to think critically about the details of the stories. Another aspect of fairy tales that makes them ideal for storytelling is the use of repetitive phrases and rhyming words that are often found in this genre. This helps the children remain engaged as they can predict what is coming next or participate in the telling of the story because they know the repeated words or phrases, such as in Three Billy Goats Gruff or The Gingerbread Man. These tales are known for their fantastical elements that pull you out of this world and place you in a land where anything can happen, making them a great choice to truly captivate and transfix a storytelling audience.
Image sourced from https://www.pinterest.com/debbieluck/plays-and-acting-out-stories/
Another genre that lends itself well to the storytelling experience are fables. These stories are typically short and simple, but exciting enough that children will be able to follow along and enjoy, while learning some sort of moral or lesson at the end. The best part about using fables when storytelling is that they can be easily adapted in a way that you can truly take the bare bones of the story and make it your own. Fables such as The Blind Men and the Elephant, The Lion and the Mouse, or The Boy who Cried Wolf, can be brought to life using props, acting out the scenes, and adjusting you voice for different characters and sounds. Due to the popularity of these fables, many children may already be familiar with the tale and could therefore get involved in the storytelling process and become a part of the story themselves. These stories have been told for years and can continue to be reimagined and retold for years to come and serve as a great way to teach children about kindness, honesty, and perspective.
The literature explored this week showcases the value that has been placed on storytelling over time, the flexibility of this art form as stories can be adapted to fit various audiences and storytellers, and the impact it can have on listeners by bringing them joy, establishing connections to literature and promoting skill development in young children. As a future elementary school librarian, I plan to make storytelling a regular of the programs offered in our library. After modeling various storytelling techniques, I also want to encourage the students to get involved by having an area where they can perform stories found in the books in the library, write their own stories, and create props and puppets to use when storytelling. I would even like to add a level of digital incorporation by allowing the students to record themselves sharing their stories to view at a later time or share with their classmates, teachers, and family members. When compared to reading stories aloud, storytelling may be more time consuming and require more energy than simply reading a tale off a page. However, I think that, if possible, librarians should find a way to include some storytelling aspects in their library lessons as a fun way to show young readers how they can become fully immersed in a great story.
ISCI 600 Storytelling: Reading List
- The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt
- Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
- Creepy Crayon! by Aaron Reynolds
- Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester
- The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
- The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka
- The Gingerbread Man by Beatrix Rodriguez
- Three Billy Goats Gruff by M. J. York
- Rapunzel by Catherine McCafferty
- The Princess and the Pea by Xanthe Gresham
- The Blind Men and the Elephant by Sumati Thakur
- The Boy Who Cried Wolf by David Edwin
- The Tortoise and the Hare by Bernadette Watts
- The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson
- The Lion and the Mouse by Jairo Buitrago
References
Greene, E., Negro, J. D., & Zipes, J. D. (2010). Storytelling: Art and technique. Libraries Unlimited.
Venkat, S. (2020). Using oral storytelling techniques in reading sessions. Knowledge Quest: Strengthening Reading Culture, 48(5), 54–56.
Hi Christina - I enjoyed reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteThe picture that you utilized to show the storyteller acting out the story was so visual. I thoroughly enjoyed reading, too, how storytellers act out the stories, as you referenced by Venkat (2020). I can foresee myself incorporating these methods of stories into my story time, as well. The article by Underdown - DuBois (2011) provided some great tips on telling your stories and "making a fool of one's self." I found myself getting excited to incorporate these techniques into the kindergarten classroom that I assist with during the school year.
Also, I loved how you referenced The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors. That has been a huge hit with my own children and also students at school. I like your idea with acting this out with different voices and props. I think that would be so manageable to do and enjoyable for the students. Thank you for an informative blog writing!
Reference
Underdown - DuBois, C. (2011). Bringing storytime alive with acting and storytelling techniques: An interactive article. Tennessee Libraries. https://www.tnla.org/page/426
I loved what you said about when you get into the school library you want to use storytelling to help children establish their reading identity! That is such a great way of looking at the role of a school librarian. I think that story telling is a fantastic way of helping students immerse themselves into a book and see how much they let their imagination take the lead. Thank you so much for a great blog post to read!
ReplyDeleteHi Christina,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your blog this week! I appreciated your descriptions on the differences between a read aloud and traditional storytelling. I too think we, as librarians, can blur the lines between the two by having other books available to encourage reading in littles ones or to even incorporate more storytelling techniques and tactics into our read aloud programs! I also liked how much we’re focusing on the physical aspects of a storytelling room, like the presentation of the room, the materials, or even ourselves as “warm, caring adults” as you put it. I think we often think about storytimes and read-alouds heavily with the material we’re selecting, but reading about things like a wishing candle, how to dress for a storytelling session, and how to frame one’s voice for a program are equally important in my opinion.
It is so exciting that you are on your path to becoming a school librarian! Your passion for building your storytelling craft while promoting literacy and reading identity in your future students leaps out of your writing. I also love The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors, and based on your blog, I think I need to use it in a read aloud program soon.
I enjoyed your musings on fairy tales too and why they work so well for kids. It’s true they have been around for what feels like forever, but they continue to captivate children through books, songs, movies, and television shows. I mean, Disney has used classic fairy tales to make so many of their blockbuster movies for children, and they are one of the most popular companies in the world! (A side thought, could a Disney movie such as Tangled or Frozen be considered a fractured fairy tale as they are based on much earlier source material but given more modern twists?)