Using storybooks


This is a summary of the third chapter of the article “Tell it Again! The Storytelling Handbook for Primary English Language Teachers” by Ellis and Brewster. In this article there are some questions and answer about how to use storybooks.

DOES EACH PUPIL REQUIRE A COPY OF THE STORYBOOK?
No because if we give a book to each child, element of surprise and active involvement can be lost. The best idea is putting one or two copies into the class library and children can look at them in their own time

HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD A STORY BE READ?
We can read it once or twice each lesson or a few times during several lessons. The repetition is good because children recycles language previously introduced, they learn to predict and participate in the story and their confidence grows.

WHAT HAPPENS TO ANY WORK CHILDREN PRODUCE?
Is good that children create a story folder or a portfolio in which they include exercises, drawing or masks related to the stories.

WILL I NEED TO USE THE CHILDREN’S FIRST LANGUAGE?
Using the first language can be used as a tool to them learn the foreign language. Some occasions when you might use the first language are:
•       Set the scene and contextualize the story
•       Predict what comes next
•       Comment the main storyline
•       Explain vocabulary, grammatical rules or cultural information
•       Explain how to do an activity
•       Discuss learning strategies

HOW CAN I HELP CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND A STORY?
You should make story-based lessons more accessible, for example:
•       Modify the story
•       Provide visual/audio support
•       Identify language focus
•       Decide when you will read the story
•       Provide a context and introduce characters
•       Elicit key vocabulary and phrases
•       Decide in which order to introduce the language
•       Decide follow-up activities

STORY-BASED METHODOLOGY




STORY-BASED LESSONS














CHARACTERISTICS OF FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
The essential characteristics of follow-up activities are:
•       Create opportunities to extend and consolidate language
•       You get a final product by making something, organizing an event or researching a topic
•       Integrated skills work like writing, speaking, interviewing…
•       Independent learning
•       Activities can be short term or long term
•       Children enjoy
•       Children develop their creativity

WHAT’S STORYTELLING?
•       Consists on telling a story to people who are willing to listen. This can be told it from a book by reading it or without a book by word of mouth. The real challenge of storytelling is to maintain the listener’s interest and attention. Some people are natural storytellers. Most of us not, but we can improve our storytelling skills. To do it we can prepare ourselves by:
•       Familiarising with the book and illustrations
•       Reading the story to know the content and vocabulary
•       Listening the CD or DVD
•       Deciding where you Will break up the story
•       Deciding the pauses to invite your pupils to join in
•       Planning what you are going to say about the illustrations
Some storytelling techniques are:
•       Sitting children on the floor around you
•       Read the story slowly and clearly giving time to your pupils to look at the illustrations
•       Make comments about the illustrations
•       Encourage pupils to take part in the story by repeating or asking
•       Use gestures, mime and facial expressions
•       Vary the tone, volume and pauses
•       Keep eye contact with the children

HOW CAN I ASSESS MY SKILLS AS A STORYTELLER?
You should listen a recording of the story to have an example about how to tell it. You shuld also read the story several times to memorize it. If it’s possible, you can record yourself and listen and review your recording paying special attention on your pronunciation, stress, rhythm, variation, gestures, eye contact and pupil participation.

HOW CAN I ASSESS STORY-BASED WORK?
Some techniques that you can use are:
•       Progress tests that show pupils what they can do
•       Observation of individual children
•       Individual Profiles
•       Self-assessment

HOW CAN I INVOLVE PARENTS?
You can incorporate tasks that bring the out-of-school context into the classroom. You can also show records or story-based work to their parents. Finally, encourage parents to read stories to their children.

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