Children may be attracted to story telling in different ways and as teachers we must provide them with different ways of interacting and entering the literacy world. A few ways in which read aloud stories can be enhanced are by incorporating puppetry into the stories. Puppets allow children to interact with them as they would with their peers. Puppets may also help introduce a story, characters or get discussions going about certain themes or topics. Another way in which we can present a read aloud story interactively is by choosing stories which have repetition of sounds, rhythm or style. Although some children may not be able to read the actual words on the pages they will be able to remember words that are repeated and/or sounds that the book emphasizes. The books style (white spaces, color, focus of picture on the pages, etc.) also allows children to interact with the books on their own, making up their own story.
Acclaimed children's author and literacy advocate, Mem Fox also emphasizes how important the way in which we read children's books can be. On her website she provides a Read Aloud Lesson in which she emphasizes that our voices play a vital role in story telling. Our voice rhythm, the ups and downs, the loudness or softness as well as our rhythm, fast or slow, can influence how children experience a story. We must also be aware of what we are reading and which tone of voice to use. Stories about adventure ask for a fast paced, loud voice while stories about family may need a softer, loving voice. Fox also mentions that the first and last lines of a story are also crucial in how children will receive a story. It's important to capture the audience's attention, by using the different tricks of our voices as well as facial expressions and pauses. The last lines of a story can also be captivating. She explains that the last lines of a story are a farewell to the audience and that as readers we must make sure that we emphasize words and provide closure for the audience.
We must keep in mind that stories can be an emotional journey and that as teachers we need to provide different ways for children to enter that journey.
Esthela,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that stories can be an emotional journey! I enjoyed listening to Mem Fox and I feel that by changing your voice definitely helps make the story more engaging and helps children want to listen to more stories which helps build their literacy skills. I like how you mentioned using puppets to capture children's attention and introduce a story.