Storytelling is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination.

2. WHY STORYTELLING ?

Stories provide opportunities for children to make use of their instinct to ‘go for meaning’. Children are able to work out what is happening in a story by the context it provides and then attach this to the language in it. Stories provide authentic language which children may ‘pick up’ incidentally and containing natural repetition of patterns and words which help to exposure students to the target language.

REFERENCES :

http://www.storynet.org/resources/whatisstorytelling.html

http://www0.gtcfla.net/cai/jpkcw/jpkcj/gjj_sj/xxyyjxyyj/files/wlxt/Unit%20IV%20Story%20Telling_JA.htm

Advantages:

i) Children can discover the joy of literature and learning because it can bring stories to life and to spark young imaginations.

ii) The puppets can be used anytime and anywhere because it is portable.

iii) Does not cost a lot because the puppets can be made out of
anything from catalogs to paper cups, and from envelopes to plastic straws.

iv) Help a beginning storyteller to relax and have more fun because the audience will give their focus more on the puppet.

Disadvantages:

i) The puppets will be ruined if the storyteller has a voice problem such as sore throat.

ii) The storyteller need to be creative or else the story will be lame.

iii) The puppets can say things that might be offensive because it is spoken by a person.

iv) Children nowadays are more likely to see something that dynamic and colourful animation using high-tech animated images like 3D computer animated films.

Sources:

http://www.libsci.sc.edu/storytelling/techniques/collinspuppethanout.pdf

1) Practice telling a story a few times before telling it to other people.

2) Memorize the story to make sure you know the story backwards and forwards and then focus when you are telling it.

3) Create various of characters so that the different people in the story feel different.

4) Use details which help the audience picture the action and feel the things.

5) Change your pitch, tone, and volume to make stories seem calm or exciting, depending on where you are in the story.

6) Move your whole body to act out the story but it's no need to reenact every motion.

7) Focus on what important and cut the details that aren't important for the story.

8) Master your ability to create and change facial expressions to match what you are saying.

10) Keep engage and respond to the audience to grab their attention.

11) If the audience start to get bored, wrap it up, and if they are really enjoying a particular part, build on that.

12) Make sure the environment is not too distracting or noisy.

13) Make sure the conclusion of the story feel conclusive.

Source:

http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-a-Story

a) Understand your brand and audience; speak in an authentic voice.

- If you are writing a story for an older audience from an established, dignified brand, a life insurance or financial services company, you would never use phrases like “LOL”, or “OMG.”

b) Get your facts straight with 5 Ws.

- Who is your story about?

- What happens in your story?

- When does your story take place?

- Where does your story take place?

- Why did your story happen?

c) The power of specifics, details, and imagery.

When you see children doing something new, imitate and enlarge upon listening to songs, or acting out a song, it ensures that they are optimally engaged in the music experience. In fact, research shows that infants can perceive the beat more readily if bounced to it. With the variety of active participation activities we experience in class, children stay focused and time flies!

Source from: www.themusicclass.com/About/FAQ.aspx

-Have students march in place as they count by 2, 5, or 10, sing the ABC’s song, say the multiplication tables, etc.

-Sing “Head, and shoulders, knees and toes,” as follows:

“Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes, knees and toes,

Eyes, ears, mouth and nose.”

Have the children touch the body part as it is named. You can substitute names of different body parts for the third line, such as “Neck and hips and knees and cheeks.”

References:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/527778-importance-of-music-movement-in-the-education-of-young-children/

http://www.education.com/reference/article/music-center-enhance-children-development/

1) Make sure the puppet’s eyes focus on the audience even when it talks to other puppet.

2) When one of the puppets speaks, other puppet must stay still so it will not distract the audience.

3) When your puppet is speaking and you are not behind a stage, do not make eye contact with the audience. Look at the puppet, draw attention to the character.

4) Only open the puppet’s mouth when it comes to important words or syllables.

5) Only your thumb downwards inside the lower jaw of the puppet moves down, the head doesn’t move up while speaking.

6) Use your whole hand, wrist and arm to make the movements.

7) Be consistent when creating characters. Keep the same voice, the same kind of actions for each character.

8) If you have a crying puppet, don’t be afraid to have it weep and wail.

9) Do not let kids use your puppet, it may lose its personality on somebody else hand.

10) Approach children gently with puppets. If a child is scared or shy, move the puppet’s focus away, never insist that child.

Source:

http://www.storyteller.net/articles/265