The importance of story telling for children

Salam,

1.How do you become a storyteller?
2.How do you get to be a better storyteller?
3.How do you get to be the best storyteller?

The answers ....

1. The only way to become a storyteller is to tell stories.
2. The way to become a better storyteller is to learn new storytelling skills.
3. and....to become the best storyteller is to develop your own storytelling techniques.

(Barry McWillliam in Effective Storytelling)

Why do we have to tell stories....?? especially to the preschool children?

• to expand their communication skill and language
• to develop their mind
• to let them appreciate their surrounding and environment
• to expand their imaginative skill

The goodness of storytelling

• listening - the children can differentiate words, sound
• speaking- the children can repeat the words and sound
• language - expands the vocabularies
• cultural understanding
• emosional understanding- they can differentiate anger, sadness, happiness, shock, etc

Things we have to prepare before storytelling session...

1. Choose a story
2. What kind of story?
3. Technique in telling the story.
4. Ways to tell the story.
5. Surrounding.

1. We have to know stories that really attract the kids to listen to. The stories should be attractive, fun, easy to listen to, have easy plots, nice theme and characters , short and have nice ending.

2. What kind of story?...Legend? Animals? Humourous ? Fantasy? History?Religious? Own experience?Adaptation?Warrior? You have to pick up the kind that really gives impact to your audience...the children!

3. The technique is the most important one! Good eye contact, good intonation of voice, good body language, good facial expression and the alertness of your audience reaction will assure you to have a good storytelling session.( Hey!..you need to sit for a communication class if you don't have this skill..)

4.Ways..there are lots of them... without props, with props, with books, without books, with pictures, without pictures ..lots more.

5. Surrounding - nice corner or on the stage or at the puppet corner or in the time circle..( or...you can train the whole class to tell a story during the convo in front of their parents..errrr...if you want to!!)

smile..and happy storytelling!

( Ni semua dapat lepas menghadiri kursus Storytelling...letih tapi best!! rugi sapa tak pergi..RECHARGING!)