Creative Storytelling

By: Kathleen Marness D. Bautista, LPT

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• define and explain the basic concept of storytelling;

• comprehend the finer points in telling a story;

• explain the importance of storytelling in children and young people.

Why children love stories?

1. Children are always eager to listen to stories

2. Children want to understand what is happening.
3. They pique their curiosity and stir their imagination
4. Stories can inspire kids to learn new things, stimulate their creativity and expand their understanding of the
world around them
5. Through stories, children can relate to material emotionally, because they can identify with the characters
and situations in the stories.
STORYTELLING

• one of the oldest forms of teaching.

• is a powerful tool for teachers and parents to interact and communicate with children
• the chief means of recording and transmitting events that took place as well as ideas to be shared.
4 Types of Storytelling

1. Oral storytelling
- oldest storytelling forms is the spoken word
- a way for real people to tell stories from their own lives.
Examples of Oral Storytelling
• Song
• Chant
• Recitation of Poetry
2. Visual Storytelling
- art of communicating messages, emotions, narratives and
information in a way which reaches viewers at a deep and lasting level.
- evolved even further through the modern mediums of film and television, which offer an advanced,
powerful way for a good storyteller to tell a compelling story.
Examples of Visual Storytelling
• Puppet
• Costume
• Objects
• Slide or overhead transparencies

• Broom puppets
• Children as actors
3. Written Storytelling
- from oral and visual forms of storytelling were transcribed into
written short stories and epics
4. Digital Storytelling
- can combine the art of storytelling with multimedia elements such
as images, music, and videos to create something compelling and
engaging. 
- can be told through a variety of media, including photography,
audio recordings, video recordings, and animation.
What makes a good story?

Good stories are:

• Entertaining
• Believable
• Educational
• Relatable
• Organized
• Memorable
• Trendy
7 Elements of Storytelling
• PLOT
- the skeleton of storytelling.
- your characters write your plot; your plot doesn’t write your
characters.
• CHARACTER
- Every event that takes place in your story is defined by your
characters’ thoughts, feelings, and actions.
- Every story features at least one character, and this character is key to relating your audience back to the
story. The main character is the protagonist.
• POINT-OF-VIEW
- defines who is communicating to the reader, and from what vantage
point.
- will affect the storytelling techniques and strategies that the author
uses. 
• SETTING
- where your story takes place, but setting can serve many more
functions than just this.
- also influences dialogue and action.
• STYLE
-refers to the unique way that an author tells their story.
- isn’t forced: it develops naturally as the author grows into their
storytelling role. 
• CONFLICT
-  the lifeblood of storytelling: without it, your characters don’t un
- The road to resolving conflict is never easy, but that’s what makes
great stories!
• THEME
- answers the question “What is this story about?”
- describes the central ideas that a piece of writing explores.
Steps in Storytelling

1) Selection of a story to tell

2) Preparation of the story
3) Practice telling the story aloud to yourself
4) Announce your story informally in many ways
5) At the end of the storytelling, do not give any check-up questions or check-up questions or tests.
6) Children may draw pictures or illustrations of the character they like best or they may dramatize the story
later.
8 Steps to Improving Your Storytelling

1. Keep a daily log.  

2. Sharpen your listening skills
3. Record and transcribe the story
4. Outline the story
5. Turns the story into a pitch
6. Try a story out in a social setting
7. Identify a theme
8. Add new twist
How to Use Storytelling in Your Classroom?

1. To Introduce a New Topic

2. To Attract Unmotivated Learners
3. To illustrate a Concept
4. To enhance any subject
Values of Storytelling to Children

1. Introduces children to the world of written language.

2. Gives children an opportunity to become acquainted with the best of children’s literature.

3. Increases a child’s knowledge and experiences.

4. It creates in children a desire to know about the lives of other people and know their culture.

5. Develops the ability to be good listeners and it stirs their imagination and become creative.

6. Gives pleasure and enjoyment to children.

7. When telling a story himself, the child learns to organize and express himself clearly, at the same time
building confidence in his ability to face an audience.
Advantages of Storytelling

1. Storytelling is more direct than reading.

2. It establishes rapport between storyteller and listeners

3. long piece of literature can be shortened so that the children can hear the whole story in one sitting.
Storytelling for Preschoolers:

1. Involve the children actively in each story

2. Appeal to the children’s five senses

3. Use the children’s names in the story

4. Focus on events of high interest to preschoolers

5. Emphasize God’s part of the story

6. Use the time just before and after the story to focus children’s attention on the story.
Do’s of Storytelling:

1. Write down the complete story with all the extras and become so familiar with it that it is a part of you.
2. Then live the story! Tell it from your heart, with expression!
3. Inspire readers through your story
4. Make it authentic.
Don’ts of Storytelling:

1. Don’t create flat characters

2. Don’t switch point-of-view

3. Don’t memorize verbatim.

4. Avoid interrupting your story to make corrections

5. Avoid the use of flashbacks; have little time change in the story.

6. Never “talk down” to the children, treat them as equals.

Tips for storytellers

• Be guided by what your child likes but try a range of books or stories
• Follow the child’s lead when you are reading or telling stories
• When using picture books that don’t have any words, make up the story about the pictures for your child
• Borrow a number of books each time you go
• Browse through second-hand bookshops or garage sales.
• Take children to see plays where stories are acted out — go just for the fun.