What is National Storytelling week?
Over the past 24 years, The Society For Storytelling has achieved so much in its mission to promote the oral tradition of storytelling, the very first way of communicating life experiences and the creative imagination.
At High View, we are huge advocates of reading in general and promote it every day! However, this week gave us, and the children, the opportunity to show off our expression, imagination and incredible speaking and listening skills!
Telling stories to children enables them to learn the art of listening, in an age when many are lacking this skill. Encourage them to tell stories and they will gain confidence, improve their vocabulary and their literary skills.
Year 1
“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world.”
– Robert McKee
In year 1, they used the story, 'How the Bear Lost His Tail,' as a hook for the lessons that week. The children read half of the story up to the point that the bear got his tail stuck in the ice, this wintery tale immersed the children in a frosty setting, oozing with cute characters, fun and adventure. The children then had to think of a creative solution to the bears problem.
How could he possibly get his tail out of the ice?
To record their conclusions to the story, the children used their drawing skills, drama techniques and beautiful ideas to construct some incredible sentences!
I think you will agree they are pretty stupendous!
Year 2
“Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in heart forever.”
In year 2, they brought in their own stories that both the teachers and the children read. Following on from this, they were then given the challenge of changing that story which stimulated their own imagination and ignited their creative flare for story writing.
Once they had written the introduction to their story, they then videoed themselves on the iPads reading their stories to a partner with expression.
To mark the finale of National Storytelling week, they watched the videos together and talked about how they could make them even better... although they were pretty amazing already if you ask me!
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