Storytelling

Reciting a story or reading aloud from a book

Importance of Storytelling

Promotes children’s intellectual, emotional, and social development

Importance of Storytelling

Understand other people

Develop a positive attitude towards books

Develop listening skills

Build correct concepts of objects and form new ideas

Increase their vocabulary and encourage verbal expression

Associate written and spoken words

Understand that printed words carry meanings

Develop an appreciation for printed words

Develop a desire to read

Learn that people read from left to right across the page

Storytelling helps young children:

SELECTING BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

Selecting Books for Children

Storytelling is an art that requires study and practice

The key to a good story is selection

Selecting Books for Children

** Keep the selection process in mind when creating your own children’s book

Selecting Books for Children

Fictional Content– Stories should reflect the children’s

developmental level, backgrounds, and experiences

– Familiar objects, people, and situations make stories more interesting

Selecting Books for Children

• Illustrations– Create interest and arouse children’s

imagination– Illustrations should be

• Large, colorful, and plentiful• Represent the written word• Reflect actions• Avoid unneeded detail• Be realistically and attractively colored

http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/authors/wiesner/books/books_tues.shtml

Selecting Books for Children

Vocabulary– A good children’s book uses words that

can be understood by most children of a certain age

– Repetition of some words will increase children’s enjoyment

Selecting Books for Children

Durability– Children should be allowed to hold and

carry books as well as turn pages• Covers must be sturdy and made with strong,

washable material• Pages should be easy to handle

Selecting Books for Children

Length– Varies with children’s age– Interest is reflected in the number of pages in the

books– Infants and Toddlers:

» Interested for a few minutes=few pages– Two-year-olds:

» 5-8 minutes– Three-year-olds:

» 6-10 minutes– Four-year-olds:

» 8-12 minutes– Five-year-olds:

» 10-15 minutes

READING STORIES TO CHILDREN

Reading Stories to Children

Good oral reading takes time and effort

Reading Stories to Children

Preparing to Read– Read the story several times so you know

it well– Practice reading in front of a mirror– Record yourself reading

Reading Stories to Children

Introducing the Story:– Briefly set the mood

• Ask questions, make personal comments, or show the book cover to get children involved in the story

• Props

Reading Stories to Children

Reading the Story– Read stories with pleasure and feeling– Maintain eye contact with children– Read in normal speaking voice, you can

add interest my whispering, shouting when appropriate, mimicking sounds, and changing pitches

Reading Stories to Children

Concluding the Story– Clear– Ask a question about the story– “Thank you for listening”