Storytelling and Language Acquisition
There is a lot of theory that can go into storytelling. Lots of ideas and lots of games and exercises for the classroom. I hope to touch upon those topics and others in this blog. I hope to be challenged, to share ideas, and to learn from the experience of others.
Stories are the way in which we communicate with one another. They are the way in which we answer questions, the build-up until you get to the punch line of jokes, gossip, news, interviews, and shared conversations.
Stories surround us in our day by day. Personal stories are what follow the automatic “fine, thank you”. Stories are what we did last weekend, what he said, what she said, why we want to go, why we need to go, the excuse we give to get out of a sticky situation.
Stories are talking MEANINGFULLY. There is a reason why I am telling you what I am telling you, so please pay attention.
Stories can induce empathy or sympathy.
Good stories are sexy. All stories are good.
Stories are familiar. We can relate to them. Share a similar story. Or… we can identify, even if we don’t know nor recognize all the words being spoken.
Story time is that circle time on the rug up to that last story before bed. The story doesn’t have to be a new one. In my experience, some of those bedtime stories have lasted for months on end.
Story time is that space that you open for the imagination to soar. That curiosity you ignite in order to know what happens next. That space to interact and interpret. That new space to create and recreate.
The need to use vocabulary is natural. Language for meaning and meaningful situations occurs in storytelling.
