A Focus on Listening, Speaking, Reading,
Writing and Vocabulary acquisition.
By: Patience Adjahoe Karlsson
12th January 2013
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Introduction
Why Mother Tongue Education (MTE)?
Why Storytelling?
Storytelling to enhance Listening Skills
Storytelling- Speaking Skills
Storytelling- Reading
Storytelling-Writing
Storytelling-Vocabulary Acquisition
Conclusion
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My Background- Ghana and thesis
My interest in Storytelling
A strong believe in the method-storytelling
Me and Moðurmálskóli
Expectations of Workshop: Interactive
Short breaks-Exercises
We would have fun
Can always contact and/or invite me for
further workshop if needed-through Kriselle
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Why we should we teach mother tongue?
Research show that;
Children with strong foundation in their mother tongue
tend to do better in the later years of their education
MTE-Inclusion of guided transition from learning through
MTE to learning through another language
Cultural and Ethnic Identity
How?
Teaching/Learning-entirely in child’s home language
Build fluency in MTE- Introduce oral (storytelling) in L2 (e.g.
English or Icelandic depending on the children’s ability)
Build oral fluency in L2. Introduce literacy in L2
Use both L1 and L2 for life long learning
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Is part of who we are
Means of passing knowledge, skills and
information since beginning of time
Stories important in mother tongue-culturally
based
Children(if not all humans) enjoy listening and
telling to stories
They are familiar with narrative conventions
They can make predictions about what will
happen next (hence enhancing on their
thinking & imaginative ability).
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Ideal introduction to the Pilipino-as it will
help present the language in a familiar (e.g.
Icelandic) and memorable context.
Stories are very motivating, challenging and
great fun for children.
They can help develop positive attitudes
towards the language, the culture and
language learning on a whole”
Autonomous and involves all aspects of
Multiple Intelligence
Fun- helpful
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Practice-tell your colleagues, friends, co-teachers stories.
Notice the reactions of others to your stories-keep eye contact
to gauge the impact of your stories
Relevancy of story
Stories must have a beginning, middle and end.
Use pros, sounds and visual tools
Consider the age group of your storytelling class and select
suitable theme.
Access the needs of specific age group and plan accordingly
Give explanation &structure to children- reading materials,
hand-outs to adults
Teach storytelling techniques
Give constructive feedback
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Listening to stories helps children become aware
of the rhythm, intonation and pronunciation of
language.
Sharing of social experience-it provokes a shared
response of laughter, sadness, excitement and
anticipation which is not only enjoyable but can
help to build up the child’s confidence and
encourage social and emotional development.
Teaching learning aids: Audio tapes, internet,
books (with pictures),slides or just a story
Beneficial to sit in a circle (enhances social
interaction).
If telling- clear voice, suitable gestures, music
and dance.
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Dialog-Different voices for different
characters
Use voice to create atmosphere or tension as
the story progress
Use gestures and facial expression so
children can visualise
Pacing-Involve volume and rate of speaking
Repetition and ExaggerationTeach children the techniques.
Introduce lesson by telling about your self
and encourage children to do same
 Let each child then introduce the next person
sitting beside him/her
 Tell a story as a group
1. 1st person starts……
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Break for Practice
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Gather children in a circle around you(or
chair). Close to each other (for better eye
contact)
Can place title on a board for children to see
the written word
To set children to thinking mode, begin story
with a question (e.g. Have you ever tasted
food from other country, how did you dis/like
it?). As they answer, encourage them to listen
to others answers (communication and
listening-aha!). Try to use all the senses in a
story.
Encourage them to listen to the story, e.g.
about what happened to Ananse
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Use home-based books.(Big books are better)
Use communication skills like expression,
phrasing, fluency, facial expression,
emphasis of voice so children cam imitate
when retelling the story.
Break??????
Brainstorming activities.
 Beginning1. Catch the reader’s attention
2. • Make the opening dramatic
3. • Make the reader want to read on
4. • Take the reader straight into the story
 Middle
1. Keep the action going, develop the characters
and story line.
 End1. Draw all the threads of the story together
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Resolve any conflict within the story
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Complete the telling of events
Picture writing could be excellent way for younger
children
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Take children for a walk within the school
premises
Let them observe and write down anything
they see (if can’t write in L1, write in L2 then)
Back in the classroom- Let them tell what
they saw, in what mode was what they saw?
Write vocabulary on board.
If possible make a vocabulary folder with
pictures of items saw and their names
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Storytelling can touch on all skills in language
development
It fun, creative and very effective
Involves the use of the whole body (MI)
Holistic teaching method
Storytelling method provides huge space for
fantasy and creativity.
All language skills, functions and structures may
be taught by stories.
Storytelling method is an important teaching
technique. Stories guide a human for his or her
whole life and use them when the human learn
his or her mother tongue. Consequently it is
natural to learn a language with the help of
stories.