“Children love stories. Stories are magic, they can create other worlds, emotions, ideas and make the everyday seem incredible. They can teach us empathy and take us on terrific journeys. They can make us laugh, cry, jump with fright and then comfort us with a happy ending.” Carys Shannon
Storytelling is an art. It is a real creative skill to be able to captivate your audience and engage them so much that they are deep within your imaginary world.
It is as old as time, and many have been passed on from generation to generation. There is something very alive when you tell a story. If you get it right, you capture the essence of the narrative, almost experiencing it as if you were there at the original event.
Educators use storytelling as a means of connection and skill development. Its essence is based upon Narrative Theory which supports the notion that it is almost a primal instinct to tell stories. In a world that can be tricky to navigate, or where concepts are difficult to understand, we have always resorted to storytelling to help explain them.
Vygotsky supported this, believing that it is imagination that feeds children’s creativity and that even though they may not be physically active, their brains are working hard and learning how to think.
The benefits of storytelling include,
- Improvement of language skills as well as being able to communicate their own thoughts and feelings.
- Boosting memory
- Fosters imagination and creative thinking and helps them consider new ideas.
- Supports the development of cognitive skills.
- Encourages children to want to learn about learning, writing and reading.
- Develops a moral and cultural base.
- Helps children make sense of the world around them.
- Supports the development of empathy and understanding particularly where people, places and situations are unfamiliar.
- Offers insights into different ways of life, including traditions, values and life experiences shared by them and their peers.
- It’s a fun experience that promotes feelings of well-being and invites them to relax.
With so many advantages it is no wonder that KneoWorld built its program of learning upon a foundation of storytelling. It is these powerful storytelling adventures that encourage children to interact in an immersive world where they learn while also interacting with a story. Online games, offscreen collaborative experience and hands-on tasks also enable children to develop essential skills in literacy, and math as well as social and emotional development.
KneoWorld has captured the joy of storytelling by bringing its characters to life through colorful and immersive learning experiences which capture students’ imagination. Their beautifully crafted, specific grade-level adventure stories encourage student engagement. When children enjoy an experience in this way, it makes it easier for them to absorb the educational concepts and develop their problem-solving skills.
After significant research over a 10-year period that took them across the globe, KneoWorld’s passionate educators and leaders created their storytelling pedagogy. Its intention is to provide high-quality foundational instruction that is not only based upon their research but is effective – it works. Alongside the other strands of their platform which include targeted assessments, progress monitoring and individualized learning, students are provided with an enriched learning program and Educators are supported with tools and resources to make learning outcomes achievable and their life easier.
Top Storytelling Tips
- Make sure everyone can see the story.
- Explore the book by pointing out the different pictures and descriptions.
- Engage with the story by asking questions such as “What do you think they will do next?” or “How do you think that makes him feel?”
- Become a part of the story by using your voice and facial expressions to fit in with the mood and style. This is great for keeping your children engaged! Add a few actions, to make it even more exciting!
- Enjoy the story!! Your enthusiasm is contagious!
You can learn more about KneoWorld’s storytelling program and how it can fit into your curriculum here.
