This document discusses strategies for telling stories to young English language learners. It provides tips for telling stories, such as using gestures, pictures, and varying one's voice. Retelling stories is recommended as it helps children practice language skills. When retelling, teachers can use props like flashcards or have children act out parts. Asking questions about the story helps check comprehension. Stories can be used for various activities with children like listening, speaking, reading, writing, coloring and acting.

1. GARCÍA RUBIO, SARA
LÓPEZ GARCÍA, SILVIA
REDONDO ROSELL, Mª LUZ
RONCERO MENASALVAS, MIRIAM

2. • INTRODUCTION
• TELLING A NEW STORY
• READING A STORY TO VERY YOUNG
LEARNERS
• WAYS TO RETELL A STORY
• RETELLING A STORY AS A CLASS

3. Stories can be used later on to
practise listening, speaking,
reading and writing

4. THE VALUE OF STORIES FOR LANGUAGE
TEACHING

5. REMEMBER…

6. TELL A STORY
• Speak spontaneously
• Use natural intonation
• Look at the children to check
if they understand
• Use gestures with face and
body
• Practise first and have some
support
• Don’t need to worry if you
make some mistake
READ A STORY
• Repeat and rephrase in a
natural way.
• Stop and talk to the children
about what is happening.
• Stop and show pictures and
talk about them.
• Talk to individuals about an
aspect of the story

7. To revise words
and introduce
some new words.
To think about the
way you are going
to catch your
pupil’s attention.
You can use picture
flashcarsds or other
support material
and your own
actions.
You can use
different voices for
each character.
As teachers, before telling a new story we have to take in
account:

8. SOME TEACHERS ARRANGE THEIR CLASS
DIFFERENTLY FOR STORY TIME

9. Who…? questions
What…? questions
How/ Why do you
think…?questions
Prepare different questions and promps about the story

10. 20/11/15
ACTIVITY 1. Listen to the story, and answer the questions

11. WHEN YOU TELL A NEW STORY TO CHILDREN WHO ARE
JUST BEGINNIG TO LEARN ENGLISH YOU CAN:

12. WHEN TELLING A STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME TO ANY
GROUP OF CHILDREN:
Use actions, gestures, pictures or other
support material
Let the children predict what
they think will happen next
Change, leave out bits and
add to a story to make it
more suitable for your
class.

13. If there is something
important that children don’t
understand, explain the
problem in their mother
tongue and then say it again
in English.
Practise
repeating
phrases and
adding
questions
for the
children.
Practise
using your
voice for
characters.
Involve the
children as
much as
possible.
Speak to
them and
look at them
when you
are telling
the story.

14. 20/11/15
TELLING AND PERFORMING A STORY WITH VERY
YOUNG LEARNERS
Body language,
gestures and
actions
Children act and
perform
Connect the
language they are
hearing with what
they are doing.

15. ACTIVITY 2. Listen to the story and copy your teacher’s
gestures.
http://www.turtlediary.com/kids-stories/the-little-fish.html

16. • WHEN WE TELL A STORY TO CHILDREN WE CAN HELP
THEM TO UNDERSTAND IT BY:

17. Using books
with pictures
Repeating key words
and phrases

18. Children…
Repeat the phrases
that the teacher use.
Talk a lot in their mother
tongue about what they
can see in the pictures.

19. 1. Moving away from the text.
The teacher asks questions related to the context of
the story to increase the children’s interest. For
example…
The three little pigs
What is your
favourite animal?

20. 2. Talking about what is happening.
Children enjoy repeating the same kind of language
that was used in other parts of the story.
They feel
confident

21. • Read the story several times before you use it in class.
• Prepare the questions you are going to ask.
• Prepare the comments you are going to do about the
picture.
• Keep all the stories you read in your reading corner.

22. • ACTIVITY 3. Listen to Elmer the elephant’s story.

23. • ACTIVITY 4. Choose one picture and take turns to roll
the die. Match the number to the colours below your
pictures and colour all of the squares. The first one
colouring Elmer wins the game!

24. When we retell a story…
• Children will be more confortable with the story
language.
• Children will be more participative.
• Children will participate in different ways.
There are two ways to retell a story:
Listening to the
story again
Reading the
story a second
time

25. Check if children remember the argument.
Mime actions about the story.
Choose a/some actors for acting with us.
Organize the story with flashcards.
WHEN CHILDREN ARE LISTENING TO THE STORY
AGAIN, WE CAN…

26. Show pictures from the story.
In groups, playing only the main character.
Check children’s attention with mistakes.

27. 20/11/15
Flash cards
with words
from the story
Cards with short
sentences from
the story

28. ACTIVITY 5. Organize Elmer’s story in the correct
order with the next sentences.
Elmer was different: it
was a color elephant.
The elephants enjoyed with Elmer
After this, all elephants
dressed up with colours.

29. ACTIVITY 6. Now we are actors. What story is it?

31. ACTIVITY 7. In groups, think about the Three Little
Pigs Story. Imagine what would have happen from the
Wolf’s point of view.

32. ACTIVITY 8. Read The true story of the three little pigs.