Tell me a story…

There is increasing support of arts-based learning as a vehicle for improving literacy instruction. This paper looks at interactive storytelling and related integrated classroom activities targeting music, oral language, creative thinking, reading and writing. Literacy, like all communication is multimodal and includes engagement with not only written texts, but also with music, movement and storytelling (Djonov, Torr, & Stenglin, 2018; Kantaylieniere, Hill-Clarke, & Robinson, 2004). Teachers can and should promote students’ language and literacy development using a range of literacy contexts.

In the following example, the field (subject matter) is a Japanese fairytale. A small boy and his animal friends rescue his village from bandits, and the villagers are very grateful (tenor). Although a version of the text is provided below, teachers are encouraged to orally retell the story to their students with prosody and passion, using spoken-like language (mode). In doing so, aim to captivate students’ attention by immersing them in a dramatic presentation of the text. Storytelling is underpinned by an oral, playful approach to learning. It helps students to develop a love of rhyme, rhythm and story.

Thompson, James, Chamberlin & Hepburn (1885-1904)

Learning Intentions:

· To play a rhythmic pattern in unison

· To listen and repeat key phrases in story with prosody

· To produce onomatopoeic language with the voice

· To enjoy an oral story together

· To raise cultural awareness through ‘storying’ (Cousins & Minns, 2024)

· To recite rhymes and rhythms which supports language development.

Before the story:

Discuss how fairy tales are similar the world over. They may have different names and characters but often have the same main ideas across cultures.

This story is from Japan (locate it on a world map). It is similar to the story of Pinocchio. Who knows what Pinocchio is about? That’s right- an old man wanted a son so he built one out of wood and it turned into a real boy. Pinocchio is well- remembered because he told lies and his nose grew.

In today’s story, an old couple also wanted a child. Today I will tell you the story of Momotaro (Japanese), or Peach Boy (English translation). Before I do- let’s say, sing, clap, then play this rhythm pattern together on a tuned (e.g., glockenspiel) or untuned (e.g., triangle, tambourine, little drum, bells) percussion instrument (whatever you have). Every time I say Momotaro in the story, you will play the rhythm pattern. Let’s try:

Onomatopoeic language contains words that sounds like what they say. We use our voice to make these sounds. Practise making these sounds which are in the story:

· Crack

· Owww

· Waw- waw

· Growl

· Hip-hip hooray

We will also make different voices together in the story to help us remember the characters and what they are like. You will repeat these phrases after me during the story. Let’s practice:

‘Isn’t he beautiful!’, crooned the old man and old woman.

‘We want your treasure! Give us your treasure!’, the bandits growled.

‘How can they kill the bandits?’, the villagers snickered.

For the teacher:

Finally, when we tell stories, minus book, in our own words, we control the pace of the storytelling. We nuance the story to address the learning needs/ interests of our students. We maintain eye contact and encourage students to take on the role of active listeners. We use musicality to engage using our voices through pitch (high/ low), dynamics (loud/ soft) and tempo (fast/ slow).

Draw on your own and your students’ diverse experiences of rhymes and stories from their own and other cultures across the globe, during storytelling sessions.

This story was shared with me by my new friend, Toyoko during a recent holiday in Japan. You do not need to stick to the script. Remember to make up your own version of the story (with passion) and just draw on the main ideas below to scaffold your storytelling. Include enough detail for listeners to be able to create pictures in their minds, as ‘storytelling is a language of mental pictures’ (Cousins & Minns, 2024, p28). Students explore narrative, generate and consolidate meaning and develop sophisticated cognitive understandings, all from listening to and engaging with stories.

Lorri’s version of this traditional tale:

Momotaro

A kind old man and old woman lived deep in the forest. One day, the old woman was washing clothes in the fast- flowing river. A giant peach floated down the river, so she grabbed it as it floated by, and put it in her washing basket. She took it home to her husband. They placed the peach on the kitchen table and cut it in two, thinking they would eat it for their dinner.

‘Oww, oww!’ came a noise from inside the peach; and ‘wah-wah!’

A perfect teeny, tiny baby was curled up inside the beach.

‘Isn’t he beautiful!’, crooned the old man and old woman. “We’ll call him Momotaro!’ Momotaro quickly grew big and strong. He played with his animal friends in the village.

One cold and windy day, bandits raided the village and stole all the villagers’ treasure. ‘We want your treasure! Give us your treasure!’ the bandits growled menacingly.

When night fell, Momotaro and his animal friends followed the bandits’ trail and found their camp. The bandits were sleeping around their campfire, and the villagers’ treasures were in a big pile nearby. Momotaro and his friends quickly gathered up all the treasure and put it in sacks which they strapped to their backs. Then they blew up the bandits’ camp, killing them all.

The villagers spotted Momotaro and his friends approaching in the distance. ‘How can they kill the bandits?’ the villagers snickered. You can imagine their shocked faces and surprised eyes when they saw all their stolen treasure strapped to the friends’ backs! Everyone cheered! Hip- hip hooray!

The villagers were so grateful to Momotaro and his friends that they made Momotaro Mayor of the town and his animal friends, his faithful deputies. Momotaro and his friends kept the villagers safe and happy for the rest of their days. They all lived happily ever after.

Some post/ reflection questions to elicit conversations about the text:

What did you think about the story? Characters?
Was there a main message? What is it? Why do you think this?
Has anything like this happened to you?
Do you know anyone like this?
*Encourage students to take the lead/ discuss and ask their own questions; in doing so they are developing their own storytelling identities.

References

Cousins, S., & Minns, H. (2024). Supporting early learning through rhymes and stories: Routledge.

Djonov, E., Torr, J., & Stenglin, M. (2018). Early language and literacy: review of research withimplications for early literacy programs at NSW public libraries. https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/early_literacy_literature_review_feb2018.pdf

Kantaylieniere, Y., Hill-Clarke, Y., & Robinson, N. (2004). It's as Easy as A-B-C and Do-Re-Mi. Young Children, 59(5), 91-95.

Thompson, D; James, T.; Chamberlin, B.; Hepburn, J. (1885-1904). Japanese Fairy Tales Series Number 1: Momotaro. Hasegawa, Tokyo. Japanese fairy tale series : Thomson, D. (David) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

PDF text, Momotaro download here