First Road To Learning

First Road to Learning

Language through Stories

Questions? 1. Why are stories so useful in

language learning? 2. How have you used stories in your

teaching or learning? 3. Although the article is about using

stories with young learners, how could these ideas be adapted for older learners?

Why use stories?

Tell me…..

Why would you use stories? Fun High interest

Attention Grabber?

“Let me tell you a story…”

BUT Not trivialNot frivolous

Scholars

Strong pedagogical support for the use of story in language learning.

References in the Forum article

Why are stories important?

They develop ALL language skills: Develops speaking skills Heightens listening skills Provides motivation for reading Fosters creative language growth

More reasons

Promotes cultural literacy Expands understanding of other

cultures, eras, traditions through the wisdom of the world’s stories

Develops appreciation of one’s own heritage through its stories

Philomena Temu in Tanzania

Practical reasons for stories

Large classes

Limited resources (paper, copies, books)

Types of stories

Folk tale or fairy tale Fable or legend Nursery Rhymes Little stories

Using a story…

The story, The Tug-of-War. ?What does Tug-of-War mean? ?Please describe a hippo, an

elephant, a tortoise. How do they differ from each other?

pre-teach?

Unfamiliar vocabulary? tug-of-war insult apologize challenge vine respect

Tortoise Meets Elephant

Tortoise Meets Hippo

Story telling

Now, I will tell you the story. The Tortoise and the Tug of War Just sit back close your eyes and listen

One more time A story can be repeated. This time, let’s use choral reading:

Many years ago, Tortoise was walking in the jungle. He was unhappy because Hippo had chased him out of the river. Suddenly, Elephant ran across his path and almost stepped on Tortoise.

choral reading “Watch where you’re going, you big

fool!” said Tortoise. Elephant did not like to be insulted. He

said, “You watch where you’re going, tiny Tortoise, and also watch your tongue. Don’t insult me.”

You don’t frighten me,” said Tortoise. I’m stronger than you think. In fact, I’m as strong as you.”

Shadow Reading (Shadow reading is reading together, but

the students mouth the words, but with no sound) (No, you’re not!) shouted Elephant. “You

are too small to be strong. Apologize or I will step on you.”

“I have a better idea,” said Tortoise, as he took hold of a thick vine. “I challenge you to a tug-of war. You hold one end of this long vine with your trunk and I’ll go down to the river with the other end. I will yell, “Pull big animal, pull! when I’m ready.”

Comprehension Do the students understand the story Ask thinking questions: 1. What did Tortoise do to trick Hippo and

Elephant? 2. Why did the big animals show respect to

Tortoise in the end? 3. What did Tortoise prove?

Re-telling Now ask the students to tell the

story… divide the class into groups they take turns telling the story have one student write an outline?

Then a group can re-tell the story to the whole class.

Re-telling

Crossword puzzle

puzzlemaker

http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/CrissCrossSetupForm.asp

Role Play 1. Elephant and tortoise: The tortoise meets the

elephant and is angry. 2. Tortoise and hippo: Hippo tells the tortoise to

go away 3. Elephant and hippo: They meet and discover

what tortoise did. 4. Tortoise and friend: He brags about his victory. 5. All: Divide class: tug of war

Role Play

Play and Write

“You don’t quit playing because you get old.

You get old because you quit playing.”

Keep playing….

Students creating stories

Collect objects: toys, parts of games, ordinary objects like spoons, combs, money etc.

Or use pictures from magazines, postcards…

Good at any age…

Any objects?!!!

Any picture?

Or pictures/post cards

A Super Motivating Creative Activity Get in groups of 4-5. Teacher gives each group 5-7 objects/pictures As a group, create a story, using the objects;

plan that each group member will say something. Don’t write.

Tell this story to another group, holding up the objects as they play their parts in the story.

After telling Two options: The best: have each student

write her/his version of the story. They can change it if they want.

The group could write the story together.

Having fun…

and more fun & learning

A sad story?

Skills involved This object-story activity includes what

skills? Speaking Listening Writing Great kinesthetic/tactile learning

activity.

How to find these objects? Someone’s toy chest? broken sets? Second-hand stores Chinese ‘everything’ stores Use postcards … one for each group Famous people pictures for one

item

Bingo with a SongA great listening activity

Make your own Bingo box

My Darling Clementine

The story? Do you know it? About the young girl Clementine?

The song

Select any nine words from the list below and write them in the boxes of your bingo cardducklings alas ruby splinter bubbles morningnumber lost excavatingfairy forever minersandals cavern daughter

BINGO

How to play

When the song plays cross off the ones you hear as you hear them. When you have 3 boxes crossed off (down, across, or vertical) raise your hand.

The Song

Now we will listen to the song. When you hear a word on your bingo card, cross it off.

When you have three boxes crossed off (across, down or on a diagonal) call out Bingo.

Listen to the Song

Click the icon to listen

Clementine

1. In a cavern in a canyon, Excavating for a mine, Lived a miner forty-niner, And his daughter Clementine. (CHORUS) Oh, my darlin’, Oh my darlin’, Oh my darlin’ Clementine. You are lost and gone forever, Dreadful sorry Clementine.

2. Light she was and like a fairy, And her shoes were number nine: Herring boxes without topses, Sandals were for Clementine. Repeat Chorus: Oh, my darlin’, Oh my darlin’, Oh my darlin’ Clementine. You are lost and gone forever, Dreadful sorry Clementine.

3. Drove she ducklings to the water, Every morning at nine. Stubbed her toe against a splinter; Fell into the foaming brine. Repeat Chorus: Oh, my darlin’, Oh my darlin’, Oh my darlin’ Clementine. You are lost and gone forever, Dreadful sorry Clementine.

4. Ruby lips above the water Blowin’ bubbles soft and fine. But, alas, I was no swimmer, SO U lost my Clementine. Repeat Chorus: Oh, my darlin’, Oh my darlin’, Oh my darlin’ Clementine. You are lost and gone forever, Dreadful sorry Clementine.

Words in the order of being sung

1. cavern 2. excavating 3.miner4. daughter 5. lost 6. forever7. fairy 8. number 9. sandals10. ducklings 11. splinter 12.ruby13. bubbles 14. alas

URL

http://exchanges.state.gov/media/oelp/audio/09-9-clementine.mp3

Combined Skills Total Physical Response Use verbs from a story Clementine: digging; blowing; falling; swimming Tug-of-War walking; chasing; running; stepping on; laughing; yelling; apologizing; pulling

picture of us pulling

Students telling stories

How to learn to tell a story?

Story time line What happened first in Tug-of-War? The hippo chased Tortoise…. What happened next?

Elephant almost stepped on TortoiseAnd then?Students list the events of the story in

order, using simple words.

Story Board

Students do simple line drawings of the story in time sequence.

You model on the board; show them they do not have to be artistic to do this.

Story Board

RE-Write the story

Encourage creativity: change the story change the ending simplify the story change the characters

Chanting Create chants for a story For Tug of War Did the hippo kill the tortoise? No, he didn’t kill the tortoise. Did the tortoise eat the elephant? ……..

For Clementine Who is Clementine? Where did she live?

Find the story on my website: www.riomediagroup.com/blanche35now (if you forget, look me up on Google)

Sentence Patterns Use a story that features repetitive language. Write the sentences on the board: “Who is sleeping on my bed?” (Goldilocks) Remember the wealth of stories in Nursery Rhymes Old stories: Three Little Kittens, The Three

Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood

Jigsaw Reading & Story Theater Divide a story into four equal numbered parts; For Jigsaw, post the 4 parts in different corners Divide Students into 4 groups, each a part Each Student reads a part, returns to seat &

writes what they remember. Gather 4 students together, one from each

group to tell his/her group the story in tandem.

Story Theater Same four parts Same four groups Each group has a section to read, decide how

to act out and present the part the group has. Freely adapt description into narration. Use

props if possible. Use action. Practice for 15-20 minutes.

Line up & give the story in sequence.

Story Theater

A tamer group

Story Theater

Story Theater

Soooooo

Please try story theater You and your students will love it. Use a story with 4-5 characters, or

some of each group will have to be the water, or the wind or….

They WILL be creative…

Thank You!