STORY TIME A Shared and Relaxed Experience For Little Kids!

“STORY TIME…a shared and relaxed experience for little kids!” www.gracebertolini.com.
ar
o STORYTELLING and STORY READING.
o WHY USE STORIES IN YOUNG LEARNERS’ CLASS?
o USING LITERATURE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING.
o HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT KIND OF STORY?
o LISTENING TO STORIES.
o STEPS IN THE STORYTELLING PROCESS.
o STORY READING.
o STORY TIME AREA.
o ATTENTION GRABBERS & PROPS TO START YOUR STORY TIME.
o ROUTINE SONGS FOR GATHERING CHILDREN TOGETHER.
o CREATE YOUR OWN ROUTINE SONGS.
o YOUNG LEARNERS STORIES: CHARACTERISTICS.
o PROCEDURE TO READ A STORY TO LITTLE KIDS.
o WAYS TO COMPLEMENT YOUR STORY READING.
o QUICK AND CREATIVE EXTENSION ACTIVITIES.
o SELF-CREATED STORIES.
o CLASSROOM BOOKS: GROUP BOOKS.
o STORY NECKLACES.
o RETELLING ENVELOPES. LEAPING LADDERS.
o RECOMMENDED STORY: “The napping house”
o STORY STICK.
o KANGAROO. OCTOPUS. ICE-CREAM CONES.
o STORYTELLING BAGS.
o RETELLING CUBES.
o CLOTHES LINE TO RETELL STORIES.
o HANGING MOBILES.
o RETELLING VESTS.
o TRIARAMA - DIORAMA: A BOOK REPORT IDEA.
o MAKING ALTERNATIVE HOME-MADE BOOKS.
o A SHAPE BOOK: “The mitten” , an Ukrainian Folktale.
o MAPPING. FLIP-FLOP BOOKS.
o BOOKS WITH FLAPS. POP-UP BOOKS. ZIG-ZAG BOOKS.
o ABC BOOKS.
o STORY TINS.
o WEARING MASKS TO RETELL STORIES.
o WORKING WITH CHARACTER HEADBANDS.
o SIMPLE COSTUMES.
o REMEMBER TO USE PUPPETS TO RETELL STORIES.
o USING PUPPETS: PEDAGOGICAL AIMS.
o HOW TO USE PUPPETS.
o WALKING PUPPETS. PAPER BAG PUPPETS.
o FINGER PUPPETS . GLOVE PUPPETS.
“STORY TIME…a shared and relaxed experience for little kids!” www.gracebertolini.com.ar
o TOILET PAPER TUBE PUPPETS.
o STICK PUPPETS in a STORY BOX.
o STORY: “The three little pigs”
o BIG BOOKS.
o SHARED READING PROCEDURE.
o STORY: “Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?”
o BOOK SHARING SCHEDULE.
o STORY: “The very hungry caterpillar”
o HOW TO MAKE A CLASS-CREATED BIG BOOK.
o EMERGENT READERS at Shared Reading Time.
o MORE EMERGENT READERS.
o REBUS STORIES.
o READING A ONE-PAGE STORY: “The enormous turnip”
o ALTERNATIVE STORIES: “The enormous carrot” – “The enormous
potato”.
o BOOKS CREATED FOR CHILDREN: PERSONALIZED BOOKS.
o PREDICTABLE PATTERNS.
o CAPTION BOOKS - DOT BOOKS.
o BACK-COVER POCKET ACTIVITIES.
o BIRTHDAY BOOKS - PHOTOGRAPH-BASED BOOKS.
o TRACING BOOKS.
o NAME BOOKS - LETTER BOOKS.
o QUESTION BOOKS. STEP BOOKS.
o FAN BOOKS. SHAPE BOOKS.
o ACCORDION BOOKS. ALL ABOUT ME BOOKS. CIRCLE BOOKS.
o REMEMBER TO USE BOARD GAMES TO RETELL A STORY.
o USING POSTERS AS INTERACTIVE BOARDS TO RETELL
STORIES.
o FELT BOARD. APRON FLANNEL BOARD.
o RETELLING VESTS.
o MAGNET BOARDS.
o MORE ACTIVITIES.
o STORY TIME CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT.
o ORGANIZING YOUR STORY TIME.
o USING AUDIO VISUALS.
o COLLECTING AND ORGANIZING RESOURCES.
o MANAGING PAIR & GROUP WORK.
o DISPLAYING CHILDREN’S WORK.
o SHOW YOUR WORK – OPEN CLASSES.
o ORGANIZE A BOOK CORNER.
o PRAISE CHILDREN – GIVE FEEDBACK.
o SOME CONCLUSIONS
o REFERENCES.
o EXTRA PRINTABLE PATTERNS.
Turn your Story Time into a shared experience
of fun and relax !!
FOR MOTIVATION : most children enjoy :

- Story Telling: stories told to them.
- Story Reading: stories read to them.
When telling an interesting story in an appealing

way, children pay attention till the end.
TO PRACTISE DIFFERENT SKILLS:

Stories are a good reading and writing starting point.
They provide opportunities:
- to make own books.
- to role-play/dramatize.
- to practice and reinforce lexis and structures.
- to develop conceptual skills: prediction - guessing the meaning- training memory
FOR INTEREST: Stories can be specially chosen to reflect on the language topic and on other
areas.
FOR SOCIAL RELEVANCE: To discuss and explore issues of social relevance: awareness of
good / bad social behavior- emotions - share culture and history.
FOR VARIETY: Stories broaden the use of English expanding course book contents.
FOR CONTEXT: Stories give context and meaning to the language : a genuine reason for
listening.
Stories should have these elements:
- A simple storyline that lends to dramatization and pantomime.
- Heavy use of visuals and Realia to illustrate content.
- Predictable structures or familiar to the children, with a large

proportion of previously learned vocabulary.
- Repetitive phrases: making use of formulas and patterns that

occur regularly and predictably.
- Highly patterned language, rhythm and rhyme.
- Clear visible print.
- Attractive pictures.
Stories for little kids:

- Should not be too long.
- Language should match or be easily adapted to the student’s level

of proficiency.
- Dialogues should be short and memorable.
Teachers should have a clear plan of activities to exploit the story.
Remember that action stories are the easiest!!!
PLANNING
1) Choose a suitable story and go through the story first.
2) Emphasize vocabulary or structures through
repetition.
repetition
3) Present or revise vocabulary through:
- Visuals
- Flashcards
- Realia, etc…
4) Begin the Story using:

- Mime & gestures.
- Body language.
- Dramatic expressions.
- Visuals.
5) Involve learners through:

- Actions
- Predictions
6) Use meaningful activities
7) Divide the story telling activities in 3 stages:

Before you read or tell the story.
While you read or tell (during the second time)
After you read or tell.
STORY HAT:
attach Velcro to Story
characters
STORY CHAIR.
STORY FLAG.
QUICK ATTENTION GRABBERS:

Fun and easy ideas for gathering busy children together.
- Lower your voice
- Flash the lights (to stop what they are doing)
STORY MATS:
- Individual and personalized carpet squares/place
mats.
- They provide a defined space for each child.
Act out the story.
Make up motions for different parts of the
story (ex: animal movements).
Clap the phrase.
Provide simple puppets representing each

character of the story.
Work with ORAL CLOZE:

- Omit a key word from the now-familiar story.
- Allow children to provide it.
THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY,
I DON’T KNOW WHY SHE SWALLOWED A FLY,
PERHAPS SHE’LL DIE!
WHO
THERE WAS AN OLD LADY SWALLOWED A SPIDER,
A BIRD,
A CAT,
A DOG,
A GOAT,
A COW,
A HORSE,
We recommend to watch in You Tube:

“There was an old lady who swallowed a fly”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NFoNPmi5xU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-1DgoK-iMs
CRAFT: A POCKET CHART:
Make a lady and the animals she ate

from construction paper or colored rubber.
USE OF ACTIVITIES THAT :
- STRENGHTEN STUDENTS’ COMPREHENSION
- REVIEW A CHARACTER’S ROLE
- NOTICE THE SETTING OR PROBLEMS AS THE STORY IS
RETOLD.
1) “WHERE’S EVERYBODY?” :
- Work with:
- students’ names
- places
2) “HOW MANY CAN YOU SEE?”

- Work with:
- numbers
- nouns
After reading a story, give each student small cards
and a length of yarn to make a “necklace”.
Illustrate the cards with the main characters, the

problem, the solution.
Prepare small cards to illustrate characters :
- Beginning,
- Middle,
- End of the story.
Keep the cards in decorated envelopes.
Children can:
- Draw characters
- Make a story map
- Write a list of words that have the same sound
- Write vocabulary words /questions.
5 good stories for telling and retelling with a CLOTHES LINE:

- Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?
- The Gingerbread man
- Little Red Riding Hood
- We're Going on a Bear Hunt
- The Little Red Hen
These projects invite children to:
- Use oral language
- Make a text for reading.
- Topics should be meaningful to children.
1) Students cut out each page.

2) Staple the pages together at the top of the page,
3) Color it.
4) Read the book.
- A long book with 4 flaps: students write 4 facts from the story on
each of the flaps and illustrate them inside.
- Label each flap: main characters, setting, problem, solution.
- Illustrate each of these components.
- Example: “What my family does for fun”
 MASKS have been used throughout history to improve
performances
 MASKS work well because they effectively guide and
change the performer, teasing out and simplifying
emotions
They are useful in the classroom because they create an
instant character
 MASKS are a wonderful tool for bringing stories to

life.
 Children that are a bit timid often benefit most from

the use of masks during a lively discussion time.
 A mask provides a wall of comfort for the child who is

unwilling or is not yet able to engage in conversations
with their more assertive classmates!
 For STORY TIME: wear a mask based on a character

in a book or story.
FOR MOTIVATION
Children try to speak without inhibition
FOR CROSS-
CROSS-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES :
Puppets can be used in most topics of the syllabus.
TO TEACH VOCABULARY
Eg: parts of the face / clothes
TO TEACH LANGUAGE
Commands when making puppets: Color the…
 Introduce the puppet character to the

children.
 Tell them He/She speaks only English.
English
 Encourage them to talk directly to the puppet.
 Make an easy story with 2 or 3 characters
 Children can act out in pairs.
Allow an entire group of children to become involved in
the reading process at the same time.
STORIES SHOULD BE:

 SIMPLE.
 AGE-APPROPRIATE.
 PREDICTABLE.
1) Discuss the book cover with the

children. Ask them to predict what they
think the story will be about. "What do
you see on the cover of this book?”
2) The teacher reads and points out the

title: confirm or alter predictions.
3) Point out the author, illustrator and

dedication ( a gift of the author)
4) Read the story:

- Aloud, with enthusiasm.
- Modeling book handling.
- Pointing to each word with a pointer as you read : enables
children to observe:
• Voice-print pairing.
• Progression of reading from left to right
• Page sequence
• Conditions of print
5) Ask children to predict what
will happen next (once or twice…
but remember: 1st reading is
for enjoyment!!
6) Lead a brief book discussion:

Encourage students to express
personal reactions to the book.
7) Read the story again:

continually model fluency,
phrasing and intonation.
Encourage the class to follow
along.
8) Ask open-ended questions to enhance children's understanding

and involvement. Questions that reflect opinion rather than content.
Ex: "What was your favorite part?"

"How would you have solved the problem?"
"Why do you think the title of the story was…?”
ENCOURAGE ALL CHILDREN TO VOLUNTEER!!
9) Re-read the book: vary the way in which the children participate:
- Acting out the story.
- Making up motions for different parts of the story.
- Clapping the refrain.
10) FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES:
Make puppets, masks, Big Books, Alternative Books
About the story:
This book follows the caterpillar's path as he
eats his way through one apple (and the pages of
the book itself) on Monday, two pears on
Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on,
through cherry pie and sausage - until he is really
fat and has a stomachache
It is good for teaching:

- nutrition,
- counting,
- science (stages of a butterfly)
- days of the week.
We recommend to watch in You Tube:

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srk8aAaTFXE&feature=related
STORY STICK for The Very Hungry Caterpillar:
Print the page of your choice. Cut out the caterpillar and
tape it to the end of a pipe cleaner.
Cut the food pieces apart and punch a hole in each
piece. As you tell the story, have the children slide
the piece of food onto the pipe cleaner.
STUDENTS MADE:
1) Choose a predictable book with rhyme, rhythm and repetition.
2) Allow children to participate in the bookmaking process.
3) Give each child a copy of the page to illustrate or work in pairs or

small groups of 2 or 3 per page.
4) Illustrate the front and back covers and the title page.
5) Put the pages in the correct sequence.
6) Laminate the covers.
Printable Emergent Readers are a cost effective and a powerful

tool to teach beginning reading skills.
These MINI-BOOKS are quite simple with images that should
appeal to young children and simple, repetitive words that children
in Preschool through Grade 1 should be able to read themselves.
Children with little letter knowledge who would benefit
form alphabet books that use pictures to link letter shapes and
names.
 The Letter Books will be just right for these students.
For children who are discovering that letters come together

to form words, the Name Books are a great place to start.
 For students who are ready to put words together to build

sentences, the Long Books let them assemble sentences based
on their own words and interactive writing.
When creating books for children, start with the following:
A very easy storybook.

A very simple story you have read to the child.
A simple book about an experience the child has had.
A simple text the child dictates.
Many of the books you make will feature PREDICTABLE
PATTERNS, which provide opportunities for over learning
“almost known words”.
List of predictable text that you can use

to create an endless variety of books.
A CAT
A DOG
A FROG
BOARD GAMES provide a way for children retell
stories they know.
1) Children draw and write on cards.
2) Stick the cards in order in a “snake shape”

shape”
( maintain the sequential progression)
3) Play the game with a dice,

moving a counter along the board.
Use pictures or commercial posters of a landscape.

You can use it as a “background” of your activity
Protect them with transparent contact paper.
Add some strips of masking tape for the cut-outs
Make a simple story apron out of an inexpensive apron.
Sew one light -blue felt square onto the apron to suggest a
“sky background”.
Sew a green felt square to suggest a “grass foreground”.
To make an “indoor background” , simply sew on beige and yellow

felt squares at the back of the same apron.
Books specially designed for children to read will nurture
that desire to read and keep children coming back as they:
- gain knowledge of concepts about print,
- build word recognition skills,
- develop comprehension strategies,
- experience the rewards as learners that lead to reading
success.
“The desire to read is key

to reading success”
success”
We must make children

burn to read stories
on their own.
We need to fill their days

with literature that they can
relate to and that makes
them want to pick up books
again and again.
REFERENCES:
We are grateful for permission to reproduce material from:
 Fowler, J .“Quick & creative Literature response activities” -Scholastic.

 Scott, Wendy. “Teaching English to children” - Longman.
 Cant, Amanda & Superfine, W. “Developing resources for Primary”-
Richmond Publishing.
 Emblem, Val. “Learning through story” - Scholastic.
 Wright, Andrew. “ Storytelling with children”
 Muno, Licciardo. “25 terrific Literature Activities” - Scholastic.
 Warren, Jean. “Story time ideas for Circle Time”- Totline Pub.
STORIES:
 Carle, Eric. “The very hungry caterpillar”
 Wood, Audrey. “The napping House”
 Tabak, Simms. “There was an old lady who swallowed a fly”- Caldecott
Honor Book.
 Martin, Bill Jr. “Brown bear, brown bear…what do you see?”
 Martin, Bill Jr. “Polar bear, polar bear…what do you hear?”
 Unknown author. “The three little pigs”- 1840
 Unknown author. “The mitten”
We strongly recommend hands-on learning activities

for Very Young Learners from:
www.childcareland.com
www.earlychildhoodprintables.com
SHELLEY LOVETT has been creating original learning activities and resources for the early
childhood community since 2000. She has also been working in the field of early learning for the
past sixteen years as both a licensed child care provider and a pre-k teacher.
www.kinderplans.com
ELAINE ENGERDAHL has taught a number of primary grades in her 26 years of teaching, specializing in the
area of Reading Instruction. She created the Program called Early Learning Solutions that integrates many skills
within the reading content books. Enter her web site and learn about her Full Year of Kindergarten and
Preschool Curriculum-Based Lesson Plans and Activities.
“What a child creates through
playful activity is never wrong”
“Tell me and I forget...

Teach me and I remember...
Involve me and I learn !”
Benjamin Franklin.
“ Teachers should make a difference in the

lives of children”
“To
To teach is to touch a soul forever”
forever”
E-BOOK: “STORY TIME…a shared and relaxed experience for little kids!”
Copyright 2012 By Graciela Bertolini
www.gracebertolini.com.ar
All rights reserved. No part of this Publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording, computer bulletin
board (BBS), Internet, or by any information storage retrieval system, without written permission of
the author. This legal protection not only applies to the name but also to the format and contents of
this course. Any copying or similar publication will be seen a breach of copyright and legal action
will be sought. Please do not email this E-BOOK to anyone else, as I do not want free copies being
emailed all over the Internet.
I appreciate your integrity on this point. Thank you!

Grace Bertolini.
SWALLOWED A FLY
THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO
SWALLOWED A FLY
THE NAPPING HOUSE: CUT OUTS

STORY TIME A Shared and Relaxed Experience For Little Kids!

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

STORY TIME A Shared and Relaxed Experience For Little Kids!

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

“STORY TIME…a shared and relaxed experience for little kids!” www.gracebertolini.com.

FOR MOTIVATION : most children enjoy :

When telling an interesting story in an appealing

TO PRACTISE DIFFERENT SKILLS:

- A simple storyline that lends to dramatization and pantomime.

- Heavy use of visuals and Realia to illustrate content.

- Predictable structures or familiar to the children, with a large

- Repetitive phrases: making use of formulas and patterns that

- Highly patterned language, rhythm and rhyme.

- Clear visible print.

Stories for little kids:

- Language should match or be easily adapted to the student’s level

- Dialogues should be short and memorable.

Teachers should have a clear plan of activities to exploit the story.

Remember that action stories are the easiest!!!

4) Begin the Story using:

5) Involve learners through:

6) Use meaningful activities

7) Divide the story telling activities in 3 stages:

QUICK ATTENTION GRABBERS:

Clap the phrase.

Provide simple puppets representing each

Work with ORAL CLOZE:

THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY,

I DON’T KNOW WHY SHE SWALLOWED A FLY,

PERHAPS SHE’LL DIE!

We recommend to watch in You Tube:

CRAFT: A POCKET CHART:

Make a lady and the animals she ate

2) “HOW MANY CAN YOU SEE?”

Illustrate the cards with the main characters, the

Prepare small cards to illustrate characters :

- End of the story.

Keep the cards in decorated envelopes.

5 good stories for telling and retelling with a CLOTHES LINE:

- Topics should be meaningful to children.

1) Students cut out each page.

 MASKS are a wonderful tool for bringing stories to

 Children that are a bit timid often benefit most from

 A mask provides a wall of comfort for the child who is

 For STORY TIME: wear a mask based on a character

 Introduce the puppet character to the

STORIES SHOULD BE:

1) Discuss the book cover with the

2) The teacher reads and points out the

3) Point out the author, illustrator and

4) Read the story:

6) Lead a brief book discussion:

7) Read the story again:

8) Ask open-ended questions to enhance children's understanding

Ex: "What was your favorite part?"

ENCOURAGE ALL CHILDREN TO VOLUNTEER!!

10) FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES:

Make puppets, masks, Big Books, Alternative Books

It is good for teaching:

We recommend to watch in You Tube:

STORY STICK for The Very Hungry Caterpillar:

2) Allow children to participate in the bookmaking process.

3) Give each child a copy of the page to illustrate or work in pairs or

5) Put the pages in the correct sequence.

6) Laminate the covers.

Printable Emergent Readers are a cost effective and a powerful

For children who are discovering that letters come together