storytelling and storymaking: paving the way for literacy at kindergarten storytelling and...

  StorytellingStorytelling and and storymakingstorymaking: :

paving the way for paving the way for literacy at literacy at

kindergartenkindergarten

Prof. Florencia I. VialeProf. Florencia I. VialeArgentinaArgentina

Tales from my land…Tales from my land…

HilarioHilario

On Stories…

The destiny of the world is determined less by the battles that are lost and won than by the stories it the stories it loves and believes inloves and believes in.

Harold Goddard

What is a story?What is a story?– An account of incidents or events– A statement regarding the facts pertinent to a

situation in question– An anecdote, esp. an amusing one– A fictional narrative shorter than a novel– The intrigue or plot of a narrative or dramatic work– A widely circulated rumour– Lie/falsehood– Legend/romance– A news article/broadcast– Matter / situation

(Merriam-Websters)

Functions of Language Functions of Language (Halliday, 1975)(Halliday, 1975)

InstrumentalInstrumental (parable, fable, folk tale, legend, myth)

InteractionalInteractional (Bedtime story, anecdote, gossip, hearsay, joke)

PersonalPersonal (Diary, journal, blog, memoir)

ImaginativeImaginative (fairy tale, fiction, libel)

RepresentationalRepresentational (testimonial, report, account, chronicle)

Children are motivated to develop

language because it serves certain purposespurposes or

functions for them (either to satisfy physical, satisfy physical,

emotional and social emotional and social need need or to come to terms to come to terms with his or her with his or her environmentenvironment).

Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?

• Historical reasons

Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?

• Social reasons

Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?

• Psychological reasons

Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?

• Ontological reasons

Why do we tell/hear stories?Why do we tell/hear stories?

• Didactic reasons

On Storytelling…

Stories have powerpower. They delight, enchant, touch, teach, recall, inspire, motivate, challenge. They help us understand. They imprint a picture on our minds. Consequently, stories often pack more punch than sermons. Want to make a point or raise an issue? Tell a storyTell a story.

Janet Litherland

Storytelling and Young Storytelling and Young LearnersLearners

Once is not enough…Once is not enough…

• StorytimeStorytime is intimate and enjoyable.• From books and the conversations

they initiate, children learn language.• They learn how stories work, how

pictures represent action, how print carries and preserves meaning.

• They are comforted by repetition and familiarity (routines and predictable actions and reactions soothe and assure).

• Slowly, happily and quietly becoming literate.becoming literate.

Once is not enough…Once is not enough…

• Children are practising for themselves what readers do.

• Children familiar with a lot of stories know that the sounds of written languagewritten language are not only special but also distinct from spoken language.

Once is not enough…Once is not enough…

and

Or Literacies?

What is Literacy?What is Literacy?

Definitions of literacy shape our perceptions of individuals who fall on either side of the standard (what a 'literate' or 'nonliterate' is like) and thus in a deep way affect both the substancesubstance and stylestyle of educational programs.

(Sylvia Scribner, 1984)

What is Literacy?What is Literacy?

Literacy abilities are acquired by individuals only in the course of participation in socially organized activities with written language.

Social outcome

Cultural transmission(Scribner, 1984)

What is Literacy?What is Literacy?

What activities are carried out with written symbols?

What significance is attached to them? What status is conferred on those who

engage in them? Is literacy a social right or a private

power?

(Scribner, 1984)

What is Literacy?What is Literacy?

Adaptation

Power

A state of Grace

(Scribner, 1984)

EffectiveEffective literacy education creates a critical consciousness through which a community can analyze its conditions of social existence and engage in effective action for a just society.

(Paulo Freire, 1970)

A story A story “can become the ‘“can become the ‘hubhub’ ’

round which we can round which we can build a series of links build a series of links

that encourage that encourage language learning.” language learning.”

(Claudia Ferradas Moi)(Claudia Ferradas Moi)

Daniel Fernández introduced the notion of:

“Literacy as a dynamic interaction of the social and cognitive domains where students move

from knowledge of theirtheir world to knowledge of thethe world

(Langer, 2002)

“Literacy is a social practicesocial practice (which has an impact on the four areas of life: personal

familywork community

and engages 5 core skills communicationnumeracyproblem-solving

working with others ICT.”

(Susan Hillyard )

ListeningListening • “the Cinderella skill in SLA”

(Nunan, 1999)• First stage on the road to

literacy.• Knowledge in scriptsscripts

(María inés Pistorio)

“In our students’ world seeingseeing comes before

reading, speakingspeaking comes before writing and feeling

before understanding.”

(Magdalena Sprinster de Botto)

On Storymaking…

LANGUAGELANGUAGE

TEACHERTEACHER

LEARNERLEARNER

LEARNERSLEARNERS

a) Ability to grasp meaning holistically.

b) Capacity for indirect learning.

c) Instinct for play, fun and imagination.

TEACHERSTEACHERS• Conceptual / Procedural / Attitudinal Objectives.

• Linguistic authenticity by planning lessons around a literary objective.

• Exposure to problems and tasks that require planning and solutions.

• Group-work dynamics (enhancing social and cognitive skills as well as emotional support)

• Food for divergent thinking

STORIESSTORIES• Source of contextualized input.

• Telling over reading a story. - A.V.A (bb, magnet board, specially

designed flashcards) on the spotlight.

- Control of what learners see and when.

• A reading corner and proper sitting arrangement enhances physical closeness among teacher and learners.

• Stories usually pose a moral.

LANGUAGELANGUAGE• Indirect role in the learning process.• INPUT

- Salient/noticeable- Paralanguage - Meaningful in terms of children’s

needs. • Teachers need to help children look for

significant patternssignificant patterns in the verbal and visual information presented in order to encourage effectiveeffective neurological connectionsconnections, which in the long run guarantee understanding and learning.

The teacher will measure success if learners finally internalize the new language but, most important of all, if they are hooked to the narration and experience it as real.

Theory of Theory of First Impressions…First Impressions…

The BRAIN takes first-impression Polaroids—creating a composite of all the signals given off by a new experience.

The bestbest stories have

•a strong theme, •a fascinating plot, •a fitting structure, •unforgettable characters, •a well-chosen setting, •an appealing style. 

Teaching pointTeaching point

• Onion• Carrot• Tomato• Lettuce• Orange• Watermelon• strawberry

Chaos in the FridgeChaos in the Fridge

Teaching pointTeaching point

• Pencil• sharpener• ruler• book• marker• pencil-case• crayon

The Pencil’s taleThe Pencil’s tale

Teaching pointTeaching point

Mum’s new looksMum’s new looks

Teaching pointTeaching point

Where’s Otto?Where’s Otto?

Teaching pointTeaching point

Spike’s busy Spike’s busy nightnight

September September

20102010

Teaching pointTeaching point

• Carrot

• Tomato

• Lettuce

• ARTART

ARCIMBOLDO ARCIMBOLDO and the stolen vegetablesand the stolen vegetables

Storytime…Storytime…

Juanito’s X-Juanito’s X-Mas WishMas Wish

Dear Juanito,Dear Juanito,

Sorry for being late, Sorry for being late, I was just looking for I was just looking for the right material the right material to make you the most to make you the most special ball ever. special ball ever. I never forget good kids! I never forget good kids!

Love, Love, SantaSanta

AllAll I really need to know about how to live how to live and what to dowhat to do and how to behow to be

I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the

graduate school mountain, but there…