Areas of learning and Experinece. 2

What are the Benefits of Storytelling and can Storytelling be used in Primary Education? 

Social co-operation was key for survival many thousands of years ago. This was achieved through storytelling. (Y. Harrai, 2011:36). Large scale human co-operation is based on myths, legends and religion, all of which are forms of storytelling; it's written into our genome! (Y. Harrai,  2011:36). Oral storytelling is an activity that can be said to be hardwired into us, it acts as an organiser of all the experiences and exchanges we encounter in the world. (Bruner, 1990). It is believed that people have an internal readiness to organise their experiences into narrative form. (Bruner, 1990). However, despite this there is little oral storytelling consistently in schools. (Alexander, 2012).

'We dream in narrative, daydream in narrative, remember, anticipate, hope, despair, believe, doubt, plan, revise, criticise, construct, gossip, learn, hate and love by narrative. In order to really live, we make up stories about ourselves and others, about the personal as well as the social past and future.'  (Hardy, 1997: 12-13) 

From an early age, children use storytelling and imaginary play as a way of thinking and constructing an understanding of the way they make sense of the world. (Cremin, 2016:13). Making sense, developing stories and sharing with others is what largely makes us human. (Cremin, 2016:13). Some benefits of storytelling are that it can allow children to: become more self confident; help them understand themselves; work collaboratively with other as a team. (Hibbin, 2016:219). Children may tell stories which draw parallels with experiences they have encountered, which allow the child to personalise the story. This can help manage emotional concerns as the child identifies with the characters. (Alexander et al., cited Hibbin, 2016:219, Cremin et al., 2017:5). This is because the child is playing the role of a tiger or moody Margret or whomever. It gives the child the chance to voice their opinion in an indirect way; through a different persona. (Cremin, 2016:37, Hibbin, 2016:219). Children can explore their emotions in a way which is less threatening. (Hibbin, 2016:219). These forms of symbolic activities can impact a child's social, emotional and language development as well as influencing their identity formation. (Cremin, 2016:23). Also, shared narrative between children and adults are the building blocks for oral language, literacy, social and emotional development. (Schick and Melzi, 2010). Longitudinal study by Nelson and Fivush (2004) found children begin to organise and talk about their mental representations of past events through bi-directional storytelling with mothers and caregivers. Over time, children slowly internalise these stories to form autobiographical memories. (Cremin et al., 2017:5).

Participation in storytelling allow children's oral language to develop over a long term basis, especially when combined with classroom activities such book reading. (Cremin, 2016:35). Participating in storytelling also engages and heightens children's interests and motivations through play, fantasy and friendship. (Cremin 2016:47). Storytelling allows children to engage in using their imagination using narrative- which is considered to be a bedrock of schooling. (Cremin, 2016:121). Therefore, it is suggested that if classrooms can be designed in a way which provides a stage, (literally and figuratively) to participate in pretend play; and teachers who are skilled in leading storytelling, young children are in the best environment for an education which harnesses their greatest potential. (Cremin, 2016:122).

A good way to implement storytelling into the primary school curriculum, is demonstrated by a study by Vivian Paley. Paley combined storytelling with group story-acting. (Nicolopoulou, 2015:147). This technique is used in many pre-school and kindergarten classes in the United States as well as abroad. During a period in the day, a child may choose to tell a story to a teacher. The teacher writes down the story as the child tells it. Later that day, the stories are read aloud by the teacher to the class; during group time. The author/ child then picks other children to act out the story. (Nicolopoulou, 2015:148). Children enjoy storytelling, but the idea of having their story acted out by children they choose is extra motivation, as well as helping familiarise children with writing in an engaging manor. (Nicolopoulou, 2015:149). Fantasy play, which storytelling/ story-acting normally involves, binds together all other areas of teaching of reading and writing skills. (Paley, 2004:8 cited in Cremin 2016:23). The children's storytelling and story-acting are interwoven into the classrooms daily routine and everyday group life. This has strong relational and emotional significance. (Nicolopoulou, 2015:149). As suggested by Vygotsky's theory of play, this is valuable for promoting young children's learning and development. (Nicolopoulou, 2015:149).

Another way of implementing storytelling into primary school is through story sacks. I was introduced to story sacks during a seminar.

A story sack is large cloth bag with a favourite children's book inside along with supporting materials. (National Literacy Trust, 2019). Making stories from story sacks can help make storytelling meaningful and fun, as well as stimulating language development and making reading more memorable. (National Literacy Trust, 2019). Children can use their stories as 'ice-breakers' with other groups and provide opportunity to mix with sub-groups in their classroom, seeking and affirming both friendship and prestige. (Cremin, 2016:37). Here is a photo of a story sack which we used during our seminar.

'The turtle and the island.' 

   
















Reference List.

 Alexander, R. (2012). 'Neither national nor a curriculum? FORUM Symposium Journals,' 54, 369–384.

Bruner, J. S. (1990). 'Acts of meaning' (Vol. 3). London: Harvard University Press.

Cremin, T., Flewitt, R., Mardell, B., & Swann, J. (Eds.). (2016). 'Storytelling in early childhood: Enriching language, literacy and classroom culture.' Taylor & Francis.

Cremin, Teresa, Flewitt, Rosie, Swann, Joan, Faulkner, Dorothy, and Kucirkova, Natalia. 'Storytelling and Story-Acting: Co-Construction in Action.' Journal of Early Childhood Research 16.1 (2018): 3-17.

Hardy, B. (1977), ' Narrative as a primary act of the mind' in Meek, M., Warlow, A., and Barton, G. 'The cool web, the pattern of childrens reading'. London: The Bodley head.

Harrai, Y. (2014), 'Sapiens: A Brief history of humankind.' London: Penguin.

National Literacy Trust. (2019). 'How to make use of a story sack.' Available at:https://literacytrust.org.uk/resources/how-make-and-use-story-sack/. Accessed: 23/03/2019.

Nicolopoulou, Cortina, Ilgaz, Cates, and De Sá. (2015) "Using a Narrative- and Play-based Activity to Promote Low-income Preschoolers’ Oral Language, Emergent Literacy, and Social Competence." Early Childhood Research Quarterly 31.3: 147-162.

 Rebecca Hibbin. (2016). 'The psychosocial benefits of oral storytelling in school: developing identity and empathy through narrative, Pastoral Care in Education.' 34:4, 218-231.

Schick, A and Melzi, G. (2010). 'the development of children's oral narratives across contexts. early education and development.' 21(3) : 293-317.