Storytelling and the National Curriculum

Lines from Mr Gove's Curriculum

Whatever else we thought of that that document, it did at least provide a host of reasons in the Language curriculum for both listening to and participating in storytelling. Below are just some - if I listed them all I'd fill this page right down even further!

• [Aim for all pupils to be]... competent in the arts of speaking and listening...
• The national curriculum for English reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. Spoken language underpins the development of reading and writing. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are vital for developing their vocabulary and grammar and their understanding for reading and writing. Teachers should therefore ensure the continual development of pupils’ confidence and competence in spoken language and listening skills.
• All pupils should be enabled to participate in and gain knowledge, skills and understanding associated with the artistic practice of drama.
• Composition (articulating ideas and structuring them in speech and writing) It is essential that teaching develops pupils’ competence in these 2 dimensions. In addition, pupils should be taught how to plan, revise and evaluate their writing.

Spoken English

• speak audibly and fluently with an increasing command of Standard English
• participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play/improvisations...
• gain, maintain and monitor the interest of the listener(s)
• consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attending to and building on the contributions of others
  • [My comment - not necessarily apparent in most storytelling, but in my workshops the children form groups to help structure the stories they are going to tell]
• select and use appropriate registers for effective communication

• By listening frequently to stories, poems and non-fiction that they cannot yet read for themselves, pupils begin to understand how written language can be structured in order, for example, to build surprise in narratives...
• Through listening, pupils also start to learn how language sounds and increase their vocabulary and awareness of grammatical structures. In due course, they will be able to draw on such grammar in their own writing.
•  
• ...becoming increasingly familiar with and retelling a wider range of stories, fairy stories and traditional tales...
• [yr 3,4,] Pupils should be taught to recognise themes in what they read, such as the triumph of good over evil or the use of magical devices in fairy stories and folk tales.

• Pupils should continue to have opportunities to listen frequently to stories.
• ...composing and rehearsing sentences orally (including dialogue), progressively building a varied and rich vocabulary and an increasing range of sentence structures
• [yr 5,6 ] Pupils should understand nuances in vocabulary choice ... This involves consolidation, practice and discussion of language.
• Specific requirements for pupils to discuss what they are learning and to develop their wider skills in spoken language form part of this programme of study. In years 5 and 6, pupils’ confidence, enjoyment and mastery of language should be extended through public speaking, performance...
• - increasing their familiarity with a wide range of books, including myths, legends and traditional stories, modern fiction, fiction from our literary heritage, and books from other cultures and traditions
• Pupils should understand, through being shown, the skills and processes essential for writing: that is, thinking aloud to generate ideas...

...and a whole lot more, but I hope this is enough to go on with!

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