We usually regard storytelling as an effective tool in keeping the kids entertained or in putting them to sleep. But what most of us don’t realize is that storytelling is also a very effective format to help them remember their daily lessons! In this article, we’ll shed light on the importance of storytelling and how it will help your child learn.
Kids encounter storytelling everyday even without adults literally opening books in front of them. Parents and teachers can transform everyday lessons to stories, establish protected time with kids, and encourage them to learn more! Storytelling may also be an avenue for parents and teachers to ask the proper questions that will help them measure kids’ learning, and will help them understand their kids’ thought processes.
Storytelling is a collaborative activity between a speaker and an audience that uses words, sounds, and actions to create connections between characters, their movement, places they are in, and every idea raised in the story. It encourages kids to engage and imagine, that’s why teachers use this method to make learning fun and enjoyable!
Storytelling allows kids to remember details – names, colors, and objects, for example – as they are set in a context, compared with introducing these lessons in isolation. More importantly, it encourages kids to listen and opens opportunities for the storyteller to deal with the kids’ response right away, ensuring effective learning.
The Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy is a framework that educational psychologist Dr. Benjamin Bloom developed. It presents six categories corresponding to a person’s cognitive skills. Parents may use this framework to ensure that kids are asked a variety of questions that will encourage critical, creative, and reflective thinking.
For the purpose of this article, the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears is used as a reference in formulating the questions.
Through storytelling, children will…
- understand abstract concepts better
- be more critical and creative when they think
- develop empathy among people, despite differences in age and race
- be encouraged to also share their own stories
- be excited to hear more stories
- learn to value their time with you
Source:
- Jessica Shabatura, Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to Write Effective Learning Objectives, April 2020
- BBC Teach, Why is storytelling important to children?
- Vanessa Boris, What Makes Storytelling So Effective For Learning?, December 2017
- John McCormick, The Importance of Storytelling with Your Family, July 2018