Methods of Storytelling

In this article, you will read about different methods of storytelling to bring stories to life and get children involved.

Methods of Storytelling you could use to tell stories to children.

Storytelling is one of the most effective teaching-learning practices at school, home and caregiving centres.

Storytelling evokes empathy, and forms a deep link to the characters and stories.

The purpose of storytelling is to get children’s attention and get them interested in learning. As parents, teachers, caregivers or educators, you can use the special tool of storytelling to unlock the magic of stories.

Stories can be an essential part of a child’s growth years and could serve as an inspiration to read books, get knowledge, manage their emotions, and learn life skills.

1. Verbal Storytelling

The best way to keep children’s attention, manage feelings, open perspectives and introduce concepts, is to tell them a story. It uses the power of the spoken word, voice inflexion, and lively movements to make a clear picture in the mind.

When using this method, storytellers should use colourful words, different tones, and stops to build tension and keep kids’ attention.

Adding sound effects, imitating the voices of the characters, and getting the kids involved through repeat or call-and-response can get them more involved and help them remember the story.

2. Written storytelling

Written stories are an old method of storytelling to share stories and thoughts with children. In this method, authors/storytellers use the power of printed words to tell their stories.

While in ancient times, people used stone carvings and primitive scrolls, over the past hundred years storytellers tell their stories through various types of books.

With diverse writing techniques, writers can describe scenes and feelings in great detail, and bring characters to life.

Reading improves children’s vocabulary and this impacts their reading and writing skills. As they learn new words, their improved reading fluency helps them learn more.

Kids turn the pages of a book to experience exciting journeys, learn about other places, and people and discover new perspectives.

Reading the written word gives readers the amazing ability to go beyond time and space. This means that written stories can be passed from one generation to the next and loved for years to come.

3. Telling a story visually

Visual storytelling is a way to convey ideas and make a story visually interesting. This is done by using pictures, props, puppets or drawings. Picture books use the visual storytelling method because their large pictures ensure that kids see what’s going on in the story while listening to the words.

The pictures are usually bright, colourful, and visually interesting. This keeps children’s attention and pulls them into the story. When combined with narration, interesting pictures can help a child observe details, understand and remember the story.

Traditionally, puppets, dance and shadow play were used in various parts of the world to put across stories and ideas visually. Adding to these, in modern times, visual stories are told through signages, billboards, and other media.

4. Interactive storytelling

In this method, children participate in interactive stories, encouraging them to think and spark their imagination. This method can be done in many different ways, such as:

• Role-playing: This entails getting kids to act out different characters. It helps them see the story from different points of view and build empathy.

• Storytelling games: giving kids games in which they have to make decisions or solve problems related to the story. This helps them think critically and keeps them interested in the story and activities.

• Crafts and activities: Adding hands-on tasks linked to the story, like making art or building things, helps kids connect more deeply with the story.

5. Digital Storytelling

In the digital age that we live in, new ways to tell stories are possible due to technology. Digital storytelling means using music, video, and interactive features to capture children’s attention.

These technological tools are e-books, animated movies, teaching apps and internet-based platforms. Using these tools may let kids experience stories in a multi-sensory way and also stimulate their intellectual capabilities. Additionally, digital tools make it easier to put across complex ideas creatively.

Also read: Types of Nonfiction

These digital tools amuse the kids while using audio-visuals for storytelling, and help children better understand the story ideas. Digital storytelling could also be interactive when children have to answer questions for the story to proceed further.

Conclusion

Storytelling is one of the best methods you can use to inspire kids to love reading and learning. Through stories, kids learn to use their past experiences, recall, evaluate, grasp and synthesise ideas, form inferences and present their thoughts.

In the above write-up, you learnt about different methods of storytelling, such as written narrative, verbal storytelling, visual tools, interactive storytelling, and digital platforms.

Also read: Types of Fiction Genres

You can make learning a fun activity, and make the experience exciting and interesting to children by using these storytelling methods.

So, you can tell a captivating story told sitting around a campfire, read out a beautifully illustrated picture book, or participate in an interactive digital adventure. The power of storytelling lies in its ability to take children to different worlds and encourage them to explore the vast realm of their creative minds.

By exploring the various methods of storytelling, you can engage children’s creative imagination and help them learn concepts.

Further reading

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