Introduction
Literature enhances children’s thinking and imagination. Children who listen to stories have wide imaginations and thinking. Stories help the children to be creative and critical thinkers. Stories also give children a pattern in writing. They will be able to know the beginning, the middle, and the end when writing a story. Stories also build the emotion of the children. The way a storyteller narrates the story to the children affects the listening and understanding of the children’s audience. The storyteller should therefore have a good way of attracting the children in his or her storytelling. There are different that a storyteller may use to effectively tell a story to the children.
Main body
One of the strategies is using pictures to elaborate the story Pictures attract the children’s attention. Good paintings in the picture also enhance understanding of the story. The children will be eager to know what the picture means. Books should be suitable for children’s level of abilities. Large pictures to accompany large text words in small sentences will catch their eye and help them to assimilate the story visually as well as listen to it through verbal orientation. By selecting large pictured books is perfect for group reading so that all the children will be able to see the pictures as well as listen to them being read out loud. It is also important to select books based on the materials that they are made of concerning the age group of the children. Hard-cover books will be more effective with younger children so that they last and are more durable. Drawings and paintings should be made large enough for the children to see clearly. Large pictures attract attention and will enhance the interest of the children. However, too many pictures may make the story boring and lose its meaning (Horner & Ryf, 2007).
Demonstration of the story, using facial expression and gestures is another important strategy in storytelling. This will increase the interest of the children in listening to the story as it will seem funny. Facial expression will help them understand the story more. The teller should however not exaggerate as this will make the listener bored. A teller can put a happy face when telling a happy situation and put a sad face telling the sad situations. Young children are slow at learning so facial expression is very important as it will help them feel the story and understand it more.
Conclusion
Words should be said clearly and loudly. Small children are not keen on the words and it is the work of the storyteller to encourage them to listen so that they get and understand them. Voice variation is also important. The storyteller should vary the sound to demonstrate the behavior and the tone of the characters. Voice variation will help the children in understanding the tone of the speaker. It also makes the story interesting to listen to. The small voice may be used for tiny creatures like a mouse and a loud voice may be used for bigger animals like an elephant. Repetition of sounds for animals of the same size is okay. Props are also very important in telling stories. Props will make the atmosphere interactive. An interactive atmosphere increases understanding and listening. A storyteller can prop the questions at the middle of the story. The listeners will then answer the questions hence creating an interactive environment (Moore, 2009).
References
- Horner, C. & Ryf, V. (2007). Creative teaching: English in the early years and primary Classroom. New York: Routeledge
- Moore, O. (2009). Inclusion Strategies for Young Children: A Resource Guide for Teachers, Child Care Providers. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Corwin Press