StorytellingStorytelling and and storymakingstorymaking: :
paving the way for paving the way for literacy at literacy at
kindergartenkindergarten
Prof. Florencia I. VialeProf. Florencia I. VialeArgentinaArgentina
Tales from my land…Tales from my land…
HilarioHilario
On Stories…
The destiny of the world is determined less by the battles that are lost and won than by the stories it the stories it loves and believes inloves and believes in.
Harold Goddard
What is a story?What is a story?– An account of incidents or events– A statement regarding the facts pertinent to a
situation in question– An anecdote, esp. an amusing one– A fictional narrative shorter than a novel– The intrigue or plot of a narrative or dramatic work– A widely circulated rumour– Lie/falsehood– Legend/romance– A news article/broadcast– Matter / situation
(Merriam-Websters)
Functions of Language Functions of Language (Halliday, 1975)(Halliday, 1975)
InstrumentalInstrumental (parable, fable, folk tale, legend, myth)
InteractionalInteractional (Bedtime story, anecdote, gossip, hearsay, joke)
PersonalPersonal (Diary, journal, blog, memoir)
ImaginativeImaginative (fairy tale, fiction, libel)
RepresentationalRepresentational (testimonial, report, account, chronicle)
Children are motivated to develop
language because it serves certain purposespurposes or
functions for them (either to satisfy physical, satisfy physical,
emotional and social emotional and social need need or to come to terms to come to terms with his or her with his or her environmentenvironment).
Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?
• Historical reasons
Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?
• Social reasons
Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?
• Psychological reasons
Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?
• Ontological reasons
Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?
• Didactic reasons
On Storytelling…
Stories have powerpower. They delight, enchant, touch, teach, recall, inspire, motivate, challenge. They help us understand. They imprint a picture on our minds. Consequently, stories often pack more punch than sermons. Want to make a point or raise an issue? Tell a storyTell a story.
Janet Litherland
Storytelling and Young Storytelling and Young LearnersLearners
Once is not enough…Once is not enough…
• StorytimeStorytime is intimate and enjoyable.• From books and the conversations
they initiate, children learn language.• They learn how stories work, how
pictures represent action, how print carries and preserves meaning.
• They are comforted by repetition and familiarity (routines and predictable actions and reactions soothe and assure).
• Slowly, happily and quietly becoming literate.becoming literate.
Once is not enough…Once is not enough…
• Children are practising for themselves what readers do.
• Children familiar with a lot of stories know that the sounds of written languagewritten language are not only special but also distinct from spoken language.
Once is not enough…Once is not enough…
and
Or Literacies?
What is Literacy?What is Literacy?
Definitions of literacy shape our perceptions of individuals who fall on either side of the standard (what a 'literate' or 'nonliterate' is like) and thus in a deep way affect both the substancesubstance and stylestyle of educational programs.
(Sylvia Scribner, 1984)
What is Literacy?What is Literacy?
Literacy abilities are acquired by individuals only in the course of participation in socially organized activities with written language.
Social outcome
Cultural transmission(Scribner, 1984)
What is Literacy?What is Literacy?
What activities are carried out with written symbols?
What significance is attached to them? What status is conferred on those who
engage in them? Is literacy a social right or a private
power?
(Scribner, 1984)
What is Literacy?What is Literacy?
Adaptation
Power
A state of Grace
(Scribner, 1984)
EffectiveEffective literacy education creates a critical consciousness through which a community can analyze its conditions of social existence and engage in effective action for a just society.
(Paulo Freire, 1970)
A story A story “can become the ‘“can become the ‘hubhub’ ’
round which we can round which we can build a series of links build a series of links
that encourage that encourage language learning.” language learning.”
(Claudia Ferradas Moi)(Claudia Ferradas Moi)
Daniel Fernández introduced the notion of:
“Literacy as a dynamic interaction of the social and cognitive domains where students move
from knowledge of theirtheir world to knowledge of thethe world
(Langer, 2002)
“Literacy is a social practicesocial practice (which has an impact on the four areas of life: personal
familywork community
and engages 5 core skills communicationnumeracyproblem-solving
working with others ICT.”
(Susan Hillyard )
ListeningListening • “the Cinderella skill in SLA”
(Nunan, 1999)• First stage on the road to
literacy.• Knowledge in scriptsscripts
(María inés Pistorio)
“In our students’ world seeingseeing comes before
reading, speakingspeaking comes before writing and feeling
before understanding.”
(Magdalena Sprinster de Botto)
On Storymaking…
LANGUAGELANGUAGE
TEACHERTEACHER
LEARNERLEARNER
LEARNERSLEARNERS
a) Ability to grasp meaning holistically.
b) Capacity for indirect learning.
c) Instinct for play, fun and imagination.
TEACHERSTEACHERS• Conceptual / Procedural / Attitudinal Objectives.
• Linguistic authenticity by planning lessons around a literary objective.
• Exposure to problems and tasks that require planning and solutions.
• Group-work dynamics (enhancing social and cognitive skills as well as emotional support)
• Food for divergent thinking
STORIESSTORIES• Source of contextualized input.
• Telling over reading a story. - A.V.A (bb, magnet board, specially
designed flashcards) on the spotlight.
- Control of what learners see and when.
• A reading corner and proper sitting arrangement enhances physical closeness among teacher and learners.
• Stories usually pose a moral.
LANGUAGELANGUAGE• Indirect role in the learning process.• INPUT
- Salient/noticeable- Paralanguage - Meaningful in terms of children’s
needs. • Teachers need to help children look for
significant patternssignificant patterns in the verbal and visual information presented in order to encourage effectiveeffective neurological connectionsconnections, which in the long run guarantee understanding and learning.
The teacher will measure success if learners finally internalize the new language but, most important of all, if they are hooked to the narration and experience it as real.
Theory of Theory of First Impressions…First Impressions…
The BRAIN takes first-impression Polaroids—creating a composite of all the signals given off by a new experience.
The bestbest stories have
•a strong theme, •a fascinating plot, •a fitting structure, •unforgettable characters, •a well-chosen setting, •an appealing style.
Teaching pointTeaching point
• Onion• Carrot• Tomato• Lettuce• Orange• Watermelon• strawberry
Chaos in the FridgeChaos in the Fridge
Teaching pointTeaching point
• Pencil• sharpener• ruler• book• marker• pencil-case• crayon
The Pencil’s taleThe Pencil’s tale
Teaching pointTeaching point
Mum’s new looksMum’s new looks
Teaching pointTeaching point
Where’s Otto?Where’s Otto?
Teaching pointTeaching point
Spike’s busy Spike’s busy nightnight
September September
20102010
Teaching pointTeaching point
• Carrot
• Tomato
• Lettuce
• ARTART
ARCIMBOLDO ARCIMBOLDO and the stolen vegetablesand the stolen vegetables
Storytime…Storytime…
Juanito’s X-Juanito’s X-Mas WishMas Wish
Dear Juanito,Dear Juanito,
Sorry for being late, Sorry for being late, I was just looking for I was just looking for the right material the right material to make you the most to make you the most special ball ever. special ball ever. I never forget good kids! I never forget good kids!
Love, Love, SantaSanta
AllAll I really need to know about how to live how to live and what to dowhat to do and how to behow to be
I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the
graduate school mountain, but there…