introduction to narrative therapy - black sheep press · black sheep press, 67, middleton, cowling,...

Reception Narrative, 3rd Edition, WIG4 © Bec Shanks, Stockport PCT, Helen Rippon, Black Sheep Press Ltd, 2012. Black Sheep Press, 67, Middleton, Cowling, Keighley, W. Yorks, BD22 0DQ, England. Tel.+44(0)1535 631346; email: [email protected] ; web: www.blacksheeppress.co.uk

It is only permitted for the licensee shown below to print/photocopy these worksheets for use in their clinic/school. See page 3 for full details of the licence conditions.

6

Introduction to Narrative Therapy

Language is crucial to all learning. Young children cannot function e�ectively

until they can listen to, understand, and use language.

The development of an intervention approach that uses a highly structured

framework to create narratives (Catherall, 1998) has proved e�ective and

enjoyable for many children. This pack of copiable resources provides both

Speech and Language Therapists (SALT) and early years practitioners with a

highly flexible approach to developing children’s speaking and listening skills

through narrative. So why narrative?

Narrative may be the oldest and most basic human language activity . . . and

is very much concerned with going over sequences of events and giving

them shape and pattern and, consequently, some kind of meaning and

significance. This representation of experience in order to understand them

is a marked feature of human thinking. Young children’s urge to tell about

events, to recall sequences . . . to indulge in re-telling must be nurtured as

the only sound basis of literacy. (Whitehead, 1997)

In the Times Educational Supplement (TES) in 2005, Bill Lair says:

‘Time and again children’s writing lacks narrative substance, simply because

those who do not have enriching, diverse experiences will struggle to

construct coherent substantial plots and to maintain a coherent storyline.’

He goes on to suggest that ‘alongside a curriculum as rich as possible, and

some focussed work on children’s speaking and listening (there is a need to)

establish a policy for the provision of narrative’.

If children are struggling to have the skills to even tell the teacher what

they have done at the weekend, then they will not be able to tell more

complex narratives, and if oral narratives are di�cult, then written stories

will very obviously be a�ected. The programme outlined in this pack mirrors

the development of narrative skills in children from raising awareness of

the individual components of a simple story, to retelling a story and then

generating their own ideas for stories.

It is becoming a critical issue for Foundation stage workers that an increasing

number of children are entering school with reduced and impaired language

Low resolution sample for viewing on the web




19

Use of the packThe programme outlined in this pack mirrors the development of narrative

skills in children from raising awareness of the individual components of

a simple story, to retelling a story and then generating their own ideas for

stories.

The small group session plans in this pack can be used for small group work

or 'dipped into' for whole class activities. The activities are merely a guide

and not meant to be prescriptive. They can be modified, adapted, changed

to suit your class needs and preferences.

The sessions work through ‘Who?’, followed by ‘Where?’, and then ‘When?’

and 'What happened?'.

They can be delivered in any order, but developmentally children learn the

‘Who?’ concept before ‘Where?’ and ‘When?’, so this should be considered.

Preparation for Sessions

Sta� may wish to laminate and/or mount on card, a master colour copy for

classroom use. Black and white duplicates of the colour picture pages are

available in Appendix II. These could be selected if wished when multiple

copies of worksheets are required for the children to work on.

Tabs alongside activities in the session plans detail items needed, and

contain links to associated pictures/exercises.

Small numbers in the corner of the pictures on pages that are to be cut up

aid subsequent identification and organisation. By organising and labelling

material that has been cut and laminated, the items required should be easily

retrievable for subsequent sessions, and avoid the need to print more than

one colour set.

The Story Component cards, will be used throughout the sessions,(and

probably beyond) and should always be available in the classroom.

The Acrobat format enables pages to be projected onto an interactive

whiteboard.





23

Session 2, WhoPeople

NB ‘Who’ story component card should be on display throughout the

session. Recap on the rules of good-looking, listening, and sitting.

Introduction

Use Makaton™ signs as you say ‘Hello, I am.... Who are you?’

Sound lotto game

Use a sound Lotto game, which requires the children to identify human

sounds. Games are available to buy from high street shops and/or

educational suppliers, but pictures are provided in this pack (pages 25–26)

to make your own sound Lotto game. ‘Who can we hear?

Hats in a magic sack

Place a variety of hats in a ‘magic sack’. Each child, in turn, puts their hand in

the sack, and pulls out a hat. Adult asks: ‘Who are you?’ When all the children

are wearing a hat, the activity can progress to ‘Who puts out a fire? Who lives

in a castle? Who chases burglars?’ etc. This activity can be used as a ‘Pass

the Parcel’ game to develop listening, attention, and turn-taking skills.

Kim’s game

Using small figures or ‘People who help us cards’ or pictures provided on

page 27. Have a few Who’s on a tray. Talk about who is on it, for example, a

farmer, a baby, an old lady, etc. Then cover the tray with a cloth and take a

‘Who’ away. Can the children guess who is missing. If the group is focused,

get them to do it to you!

Faces

This activity can be carried out in one of two ways. The coloured pages 28–

30 can be used as a group activity, asking questions such as ‘Who is wearing

a red hat?’ Alternatively the black and white versions, pages 179–181, can be

distributed and directions given such as:

‘Who is wearing a hat? Colour the hat green.’

‘Who is wearing glasses? Colour his hair black.’

‘Who has bobbles in their hair? Colour her hair brown.’ Etc.

Materials

‘Who’ story component

card, page 166

sound lotto game, pages

25–26

a selection of di�erent

hats

sack/bag

people who help us cards,

page 27/small figures

‘faces’ sheet, pages

28–30 colour, black and

white pages 179–181

tray, cloth





25

Laughing Crying

Coughing Singing

SneezingClapping

Whistling Snoring

Laughing Crying

Coughing Singing

SneezingClapping

Whistling

Sound lotto pictures

25 25

25 25

25 25

25 25





70

Session 1, Where

The ‘Where?’ story component card should be on display throughout the

session.

Introduction

Ask each child, in turn, ‘Who are you? Where are you?’ Use Makaton™ signs

to reinforce ‘Who?’ and ‘Where?’ words.

Storybook

Give each child a simple storybook to look at. After a few minutes, ask each

child to tell you who is in the story (people, animals, insects, etc.) and where

the story is set.

Skittles/Fishing

Use ‘Who?’ and ‘Where?’ pictures (pages 73–75; see list below). Print the

pictures and cut into individual cards.

Page 73

A dog under the sea/water.

A spider in a cup.

A teddy in a park.

A baby on a table.

A ladybird on a flower.

A monkey in school/in a classroom.

Page 74

A girl in a house.

An elephant on a farm.

A lion in a bathroom.

A boy in a bus.

A snail in a tree.

A snowman on a beach.

Materials

‘Where’ story component

card, page 167

simple story for each child

picture from pages 73–75

fish, page 161, paper clips,

fishing rod, skittles

three boxes e.g. ice cream

tubs, sound maker e.g.

music box, alarm clock

teddies of di�erent sizes

and colours

Humpty Dumpty

‘Where’s Spot?’

by Eric Hill





73

skittles/fishing

73 7373 73

73 73

73 73





144

144

144

144

144 144

144144144

144

144

144

144

144

144

144

A1

B1

C1

A2

B2

C2

A3

B3

C3

D1

E1

D2

E2

D3

E3



introduction to narrative therapy - black sheep press · black sheep press, 67, middleton, cowling,...

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