Why Storytelling Important?

Daily storytelling enhances language acquisition: a child who hears and retells stories is exposed to more words, richer sentence structures and a broader conceptual framework – all critical to oral and written language.

It’s a skill that engages children’s thinking: listening to a story, explained by the educational researcher Dr Susan B Neuman, ‘helps children develop sequences (beginning, middle, and end) and also expectations about how outcomes will turn out’ (Neuman, 2006).

This thinking in narrative terms shapes written and verbal communication, making children better speakers.

Storytelling is an essential part of humankind’s collective memory – the stories passed down through the generations, from one generation to the next, from one sibling to another.

Think of the oral traditions of hunter-gatherer tribes and their folk tales and myths, told in the dark around a campfire.

Compare that to today’s bedtime stories, or even your grandmother’s tales of the past, all memorised and relived, as those narratives are passed through successive generations.

Let’s explore the concept of storytelling wheels and see how we can use them to share stories with children in a more interactive, stimulating and educational way.

How to Use the Storytelling Wheel

• Introduce the Wheel: Explain each section of the wheel to the children. Use simple language and examples they can relate to.

• Brainstorm Together: Guide children to brainstorm ideas for each section. Encourage them to think about characters, settings, problems, events, and resolutions.

• Fill in the Wheel: Children can draw or write their ideas in the appropriate sections of the wheel.

• Create the Story: Once the wheel is complete, help children use their notes to create a coherent story. They can narrate it aloud, write it down, or act it out.

• Revise and Share: Encourage children to revise their stories based on feedback and share them with peers or family members.

The Storytelling Wheel Template

A Storytelling Wheel is a circular diagram divided into sections, each representing a different element of a story. Here’s a simple template you can create or print:

1. Title Section: Central circle for the story’s title.

2. Characters: Sections for main characters.

3. Setting: Sections for where the story takes place.

4. Problem: Sections outlining the central conflict or problem.

5. Events: Multiple sections for key events or actions.

6. Resolution: Sections for how the problem is solved.

7. Ending: Section for the story's conclusion.

Potential Challenges in Childcare Settings

Using the Storytelling Wheel in childcare settings can present several challenges:

1. Attention Span: The younger the child, the shorter the attention span might be. That means it might not be possible to get to all of the components of the wheel.

2. Literacy Skills: Children with emerging literacy skills might struggle with writing or drawing their ideas.

3. Diverse Learning Paces: Certain children may need more help and time than others because they develop and acquire knowledge at different rates.

4. Group Dynamics: make sure that each child gets a turn to say something and feels heard.

References and Further Reading

References

Mar, R. A., Oatley, K., & Peterson, J. B. (2009). Exploring the link between reading fiction and empathy: Ruling out individual differences and examining outcomes. Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research, 34(4), 407-428. https://doi.org/10.1515/COMM.2009.025

Neuman, S. B. (2006). The knowledge gap: Implications of leveling the playing field for low-income and middle-income children. Reading Research Quarterly, 41(2), 176-201. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.41.2.2

Willingham, D. T. (2012). Why Don’t Students Like School? San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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