LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

STORIES AND THE TEACHING CONTEXTS TOPIC 3 IN THE PRIMARY ENGLISH CURRICULUM

3.0 SYNOPSIS This topic explores about World of Self; World of Stories and World of Knowledge in the primary English curriculum. It is also discusses the stories and the development of personalities; the hopes of mankind, forming moral judgment, stimulate mental processes and effect on personality of learners.

3.1 LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of this session, you will be able to: understand more about the teaching context in the primary English curriculum analyse the use of stories in the primary school curriculum learn more about stories and the development of personalities

3.2 FRAMEWORK OF TOPICS

STORIES & THE TEACHING CONTEXTS: WORLD OF SELF WORLD OF STORIES WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE

STORIES & DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONALITIES

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LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS 3.3 Stories and the Teaching Context Why are stories so important for children? Children need stories so that they can learn about the world and what life can be like. Children like reading because to them it is like entering another world: the more they read more the more they get to see what happens. It makes them feel good about themselves. 3.3.1 World of Stories When we talk about the World of Stories, we are dealing with a whole new experience that you gain as you enter into a world beyond your personal experience. Here, you can try out different experiences without having to deal with the actual consequences in real life. Children can get a lot of ideas from reading stories. They learn from the characters in stories who dealt with situations and apply this in their own lives. Stories are often captivating as they are about situations, real or imagined, featuring characters, calling out emotional responses from our minds. Children responds well to stories they listen towhich is why children love to be told stories (and be read to), and have favourites which they can hear again and again. The story goes into the listeners very mind and heart complete with all its details, and with such emotional connection, often becomes beloved, like a personal treasure, shared with the storyteller/author. Through stories a child is also helped to build a rich vocabulary which enables them to articulate their thoughts and feelings more clearly. Reading allows a child to enter a safe private world. It is very nice not to be told what to do by adults all the time and instead, for an interlude, be free to learn from imaginary characters. Stories nourish and feed the imagination. And if children can dream it they can do it. They may begin to see their own lives as a story or a play, where they are the lead character, and find ways to write the kind of script they would enjoy reading from.

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LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS Even Einstein said When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking. 3.3.2 World of Knowledge Reading is an important skill that needs to be developed in children. Not only is it necessary for survival in the world of schools and (later on) universities, but in adult life as well. The ability to learn about new subjects and find helpful information on anything from health problems and consumer protection to more academic research into science or the arts depends on the ability to read. Futurologists used to predict the death of the printed word but, ironically, Internet has made reading more and more a part of people's daily lives. The paperless society is a myth. The computer's ability to process and analyze data means that endless variations on reports and other types of documents can be and are generated. Internet, itself an enormous new source of information and recreation, is based on the humble written word. To effectively utilize the web and judge the authenticity and value of what is found there, both reading and critical thinking skills are of prime importance. The more children read, the better they become at reading. It's as simple as that. The more enjoyable the things they read are, the more they'll stick with them and develop the reading skills that they'll need for full access to information in their adult lives. Reading should be viewed as a pleasurable activity - as a source of entertaining tales and useful and interesting factual information. The more young children are read to, the greater their interest in mastering reading. Reading out loud exposes children to proper grammar and phrasing. It enhances the development of their spoken language skills, their ability to express themselves verbally. Reading, by way of books, magazines or websites, exposes kids to new vocabulary. Even when they don't understand every new word, they absorb something from the context that may deepen their understanding of it the next time the word is encountered. When parents read aloud to children, the children also hear correct pronunciation as they see the words on the page, even if they can't yet read the words on their own. Through stories and novels children can vicariously try out new experiences and test new ideas, with no negative consequences in their real lives. They can meet characters who they'll enjoy returning to for comforting and satisfying visits when they reread a cherished book or discover a sequel. Books also give kids the opportunity to flex their critical thinking skills in such areas as 18

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS problem solving, the concepts of cause and effect, conflict resolution, and acceptance of responsibility for one's actions. Mysteries allow children to follow clues to their logical conclusions and to try to outguess the author. Even for very young children, a simple story with a repetitive refrain or a simple mystery to solve gives a confidence boost. Children can predict the patterns and successfully solve the riddles. Children are influenced by and imitate the world around them. While a steady diet of violent cartoons may have a detrimental effect on children's development, carefully chosen stories and books can have a positive influence on children, sensitizing them to the needs of others. For example, books can encourage children to be more cooperative, to share with others, to be kind to animals, or to respect the natural environment. 3.3.3 World of Self As children grow they become more aware of the world further away from themselves and their mother, then father, and brothers and sisters. The home is the centre of their world, and then they discover the yard, and the car. When they start school they discover a whole new realm with school, and friends, and so on. Stories for young children centre on the family and home.
Once upon a timeand so the magic begins. Children need to hear stories, and love to hear stories. Stories that are read to them, or that they read themselves; sometimes, and best of all, stories told from direct experience or made up on the spot. Tell us about the time when is often preferred to a story read from a book. But why are stories so important for children? I asked Georgie, 10 years old and an avid reader. Children need stories so that they can learn about the world and what life can be like. I like reading because its like you are entering another world and you just want to read more and more and see what happens. It makes me feel nice. Through stories a child is also helped to build a rich vocabulary which enables them to articulate their thoughts and feelings more clearly. Written by Janet Freemantle.

Activity 1 1. Collect a few stories and keep it in your portfolio. Classify the stories according to the three worlds.

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LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS 3.4 Stories and the development of personality. Teaching children is not an easy task and yet teaching can be simple, effective and doable. Part of your job as a teacher is to sometimes read to your school children and using stories to teach is a technique that is within the capabilities of everyone. When we read to our children, we do not confine them to academic excellence but also extend into their emotional and behavioral learning. The following are 5 reasons why using stories to teach is effective: 3.4.1 The child doesnt feel threatened. Its not another lecture. When we read to our children, we are able to address a situation in a non-threatening way. What do I mean by threatening? Lets take a look at some examples of habitual phrases we tend to use when teaching our lesson:

You shouldnt lie. You are so messy. You shouldnt be scared. You are just being silly. You are not listening to me.

Usually this is done in a blaming or angry tone of voice. When we finger point and use the word you, children hear negative and the situation becomes tense. Some may even become defensive. Put yourselves in their shoes. If someone were to start attacking you with words, would you be in a teachable mood? Maybe not. Rather than focusing on the solutions to the problems, children are focusing on their feelings of anger, hurt, fear etc that they are experiencing at that moment. Using stories to teach, we take out the blame and place less emphasis on the problem. We talk and discuss solutions and speak positively. So instead of a lecture, we now have a healthy discussion. 3.4.2 Working on prevention and cure. When we use stories to teach, we can help our children work through situations they are currently experiencing. It also allows us to mentally prepare them for situations that may arise. 20

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS Children gain experience vicariously through the stories we read. Children are able to learn from vicarious experience just as well as they learn from real ones. The only difference is that this kind of learning takes place in the safety of your home. For example, you could use a book about being bullied to teach your child what to do if and when they face such a situation. 3.4.3 The child has a model to follow. They identify with the characters in the book. Children make connections with the characters of the stories you relate. You can help them further by asking questions such as:

Is there anyone in the book who reminds you of yourself?

How is that character like you? Which character would you like to be? Why would you want to be that character? Relate the lesson to their own lives and experiences: Like the little pig who build a house of bricks (in the story of the Three Little Pigs), what would you do make your house strong?

After reading the story of The Little Engine That Could, my daughter began to identify herself with the Little Blue Engine who said I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. It served to be a good model for her to follow at times when she felt inadequate. 3.4.4 Children remember stories better than they remember reprimands. Its a good way to catch their attention. In Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain (Addison-Wesley, 1994), Renate and Geoffery Caine states, There is strong reason to believe that organization of information in story form is a natural brain process In a nutshell, neuroscience is discovering that the brain is wired to organize, retain and access information through story. If that is true, then teaching through story means that students will be able to remember what is taught, access that information, and apply it more readily. Maybe this is why children can rattle off dialogs from their favorite shows but cant remember what mom said about picking up their toys.

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LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

3.4.5 Allows for critical thinking. Stories are a safe way for children to explore emotions and behaviors. A book like Jane Simmons Come Along, Daisy, encourages children to think about the importance of keeping close to parents when out and about . Use thought provoking questions that will lead them to identify problems and feelings such as How did Daisy get separated from her mother? and What was Daisy feeling when she found her mother missing?

The best kind of teaching you can employ is to teach our children to be authors of solutions. Ask leading questions that will underscore the point of the story such as How can Daisy avoid getting lost in the future? What a boost it will be to your children to know they can come up with such genius solutions. Reading and sharing stories with your children can help you become a better parent. It opens the channel of communication and strengthens the parent-child bond. The magic of stories can be a powerful influence for good. Does that magic exist in your home? Start reading to your child today. Teachers, researchers, parents, and the public agree that children need to develop and use what are sometimes called "basic skills," such as the ability to use phonics knowledge in reading, the ability to spell conventionally, and the ability to use grammatical constructions effectively and according to the norms of the communities with which they want to communicate. What many people do not realize, however, is that the ability to use these skills is best fostered by teaching them in the context of their use. Research demonstrates that skills taught, practiced, and tested in isolation are not used as consistently or effectively as skills taught when children are actually reading and writing.

3.4.6 Phonics

Recent research demonstrates that in classrooms where phonics is taught in the context of rereading favourite stories, songs, and poems, children develop and use phonics knowledge better than in classrooms where skills are taught in isolation. Similarly, phonics knowledge is developed by encouraging and helping emergent writers to spell

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LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS by writing appropriate letters for the sounds they hear in words (for a summary, see Weaver, 1994b).

Effective phonics instruction focuses children's attention on noticing the letter/sound patterns in initial consonants and consonant clusters and in rimes (the vowel of a syllable, plus any consonants that might follow, such as -ake, -ent, -ish, -ook). Focusing on rimes rather than on vowels alone is particularly important in helping children learn to decode words (for a summary, see Adams, 1990).

Effective reading instruction helps children learn to use phonics knowledge along with their prior knowledge and context, rather than in isolation. For example, children can be encouraged to predict words by using prior knowledge and context along with initial consonants, then look at the rest of the word to confirm or correct their prediction.

Both teachers and parents can do various things to help children gain phonics knowledge in the context of reading and writing. For example: (1) read and reread favorite nursery rhymes to reinforce the patterns of the language, and enjoy tongue twisters and other forms of language play together; (2) reread favorite poems, songs, and stories and discuss alliteration and rhyme within them; (3) read alphabet books to and with children, and make alphabet books together; (4) discuss words and make lists, word banks, or books of words that share interesting spelling/sound patterns; (5) discuss similar sounds and letter/sound patterns in children's names; (6) emphasize selected letter/sound relationships while writing with, for, or in front of children; (7) help children write the sounds they hear in words, once the children have begun to hear some separate sounds; (8) when reading together, help children predict and confirm as explained above (Mills et al., 1992; Powell & Hornsby, 1993; Wagstaff, n.d.; Griffith & Olson, 1992; Weaver, 1994a and b).

3.4.7 Spelling

Children who are encouraged to spell words as best they can when they write typically score as well or better on standardized tests of spelling by the end of first grade than children allowed to use only correct spellings in first drafts. Meanwhile, the children encouraged to spell by writing the sounds they hear in words seem to develop word 23

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS recognition and phonics skills sooner (Clarke, 1988). They also use a greater variety of words in their writing.

With children at the lower levels, is not clear that spelling instruction has much of an effect beyond what is learned through reading alone, if children are reading extensively (Krashen, 1991).

Emergent writers benefit from help in writing the sounds they hear in words. Gradually, with extensive writing experience, their early invented spellings will give way to more sophisticated invented spellings and to conventional spellings.

Extensive exposure to print and reading helps children internalize not only the spellings of particular words, but spelling patterns (Moustafa, 1996). Just as children learn the patterns of the spoken language from hearing it, children learn patterns of the written language from reading and rereading favorite texts. Texts with regular patterns like "Nan can fan Dan" are not necessary, however, nor are they even as readable as texts written in natural language patterns.

In the long run, teaching children strategies for correcting their spelling is far more important than giving them the correct spelling of any particular word. Such strategies include: (1) writing the word two or three different ways and deciding which one "looks right"; (2) locating the spelling in a familiar text or in print displayed in the classroom; (3) asking someone, consulting a dictionary, or using a computer software program or a hand-held electronic speller (Wilde, 1992).

Discussing spelling patterns and drawing spelling generalizations as a class will also help children develop an ever-growing repertoire of words they can spell correctly in first drafts. Such interactive, thought-engaging lessons are likely to be more productive than spelling lists and tests (e.g. Wilde, 1992; Wagstaff, n.d.; Cunningham, 1995; Buchanan, 1989).

3.4.8 Grammar

Decades of research demonstrate that teaching grammar as a school subject does not improve most students' writing, nor even the "correctness" of their writing (Hillocks and Smith, 1991). What works better is teaching selected aspects of grammar (including 24

LGA3103 STORIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS sentence variety and style, punctuation, and usage) in the context of students' writingthat is, when they are revising and editing their writing (Calkins, 1980; DiStefano & Killion, 1984; see summary in Weaver, 1996).

For improving editing skills, it is most effective and efficient to teach only the grammatical concepts that are critically needed for editing writing, and to teach these concepts and their terms mostly through minilessons and writing conferences, particularly while helping students edit their writing.

Research shows that systematic practice in combining and expanding sentences may increase students' repertoire of syntactic structures and may also improve the quality of their sentences, when stylistic effects are discussed as well (Hillocks and Smith, 1991; Strong, 1986). Thus sentence combining and expansion may be taught as a means of improving sentence variety and style. However, isolated activities are not necessarily any more effective than minilessons and writing conferences in which teachers help students rearrange, combine, and expand their sentences for greater effectiveness.

REFERENCES Wickham, R. (2013). Stories and the Teaching Contexts in the Primary English Curriculum. Brighton Education. Freemantle, Jane (2010). Children Need Stories . Accessed from www.janetfreemantle.wordpress.com/2010/06/

Prepared by: Rohaida A Rahmat IPG Kampus Kota Bharu.

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