Storytelling

The build up to a ‘performance’ of whatever nature has the ability to engage and develop a reader by enhancing the readers oral and reading fluency and can ultimately improve the quality of attention given by the audience.

“Repeated reading is one of the best ways to develop fluency. But then I ask myself, what would make me or anyone else want to engage in repeated reading?… What would really inspire me to engage in repeated reading or rehearsal is performance” (Rasinski, 2006, p. 705).

Whoever has had the opportunity to take part in any kind of play, recital or activity of this nature in school or university can no doubt appreciate the validity of this statement. Yes of course there is also an element of repetitiveness that can perhaps drive us a little insane at times but beyond that, we can really get into character and live the part in a way that enhances our appreciation of the story itself. This is then portrayed in a manner that also has the benefit for the listener. One would argue, the better the ‘performance’ the better the reception, so you could be forgiven for believing that those with the better acting skills will be the best at engaging an audience.

What do we mean by reading fluency ? It has often been defined as reading accurately at the right pace. What is the right pace? - although some writers have been advocates of reading at a fast pace to improve your skills (“timed drills to practice fluency” Cahill & Gregory, 2011 , p. 127), others like Rasinski, 2012, take a very different view, promoting a more balanced approach.

“If we think of someone who is a fluent reader or speaker, we generally do not think of a person who speaks or reads fast. Rather, we are more likely to think of someone who uses their voice to help convey meaning to a listener when speaking or reading orally”. (Rasinski, 2012, p. 519).

Not all students have the right foundation in this respect and numerous studies show that activities that are based around some form of storytelling will enable them to practice speaking and listening skills that will enhance their reading fluency.

Is there any differentiation between older and younger children ?  A study by Fox, C (1993) found that for young children, having stories read to them was a vital part of their development as storytellers. Wells, G. (1987 edition) found from his studies in Bristol, that listening to stories read aloud, extended children’s ability to understand experience and enabled them to assimilate 'the more powerful and more abstract mode of representing experience that is made available by written language' (p.200).

Having said this, storytelling has not always been seen as such an important factor and a study by May, S, (1984) concerning educational practices in the UK showed that teachers and parents in the 1980’s did not give it the importance it really had. Her view that storytelling are essential skills for literacy were not necessarily shared by the authorities and the introduction of the Literacy Hour in schools in 1998 was seen as a further dilution of this important skill. Paley, V. (1991) was of the view that the first books which are read to children have a long-lasting influence. She writes: 'the poetry and prose of the best children's books enter our minds when we are young and sing back to us all our lives' (1991, p.44). Fox, C. (1993) came to a similar conclusion in her detailed research study, where she was able to identify very clearly which story books had had the most influence for the children in the study, simply by reviewing the observation notes provided to her by their parents.

Meek, M, (1988) was a very influential writer in the UK and argued that lessons learned about stories were a combination of oral and literary encounters in the early years. She also noted the importance of the reader adding a voice to the text. Dombey, H. (1988) looked further into the role that parents have and came to a similar conclusion, recognizing them as key in delivering the message. She adds that this ‘provides the child with a model or scaffolding which enables him or her to achieve what would otherwise be too difficult alone’ (p.75). She also refers to the importance of engaging the listener to make sense of the story and this is where the ‘performance’ of the storyteller comes into play as already mentioned previously.

On a personal level, how would I analyse whether there has been any impact in my life through some storytelling event ? Well, I remember my part at the school play when I was shy and not a particularly avid reader and more of a sportswoman. I was probably terrified of appearing before a live audience, but that got me to really learn my part well. The experience helped me to become much more appreciative of books and had a positive developed my character by improving my oral and reading fluency. It was also very gratifying to see the audience captivated by my performance and storytelling.

Therefore, when you think of it storytelling in the context of things that have happened in your own life, it is not difficult to see, as the many different writers referred to in this blog conclude, that storytelling in whatever form, has some kind of positive influence in our lives. This can be through the development of our ready fluency, the awakening of our interest in reading books or simply just as a way of better understanding experiences. It is also important to note from the studies that the younger a person is, the more likely that the experience will have a more influential effect on their development.

REFERENCES

Cahill, M.A., & Gregory, A.E. (2011). Putting the fun back into fluency instruction. The Reading Teacher, 65(2), 127–131.

Dombey, H. (1988). 'Stories at home and at school' in Lightfoot, M. and Martin, N. editors, op. cit

Fox, C. (1993) .At the very edge of the forest: the influence of literature on storytelling by children, London, Cassell. Genette, G. (1980 edition). Narrative discourse, Oxford, Blackwell

May, S. (1984). 'Story in its writeful place' in Miller, J., editor, Eccentric propositions: essays on literature and the curriculum, London, Routledge and Kegan Paul

Meek, M. (1988). How texts teach what readers learn, in Lightfoot, M. and Martin, N., editors, op. cit

Paley, V.G. (1991 edition). The boy who would be a helicopter, Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University Press.

Rasinski, T. (2006). Reading fluency instruction: Moving beyond accuracy, automaticity, and prosody. The Reading Teacher, 59(7), 704–706

Rasinski, T. (2012). Why reading fluency should be hot!. The Reading Teacher, 65(8), 516–522.

Wells, G. (1987 edition). The meaning makers, Kent, Hodder and Stoughton