ABSTRACT

Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice is a brilliantly engaging and practical book that highlights the essential nature of storytelling in all walks of life, and how to best cultivate this in the early years classroom. The authors use a compelling Froebelian approach to explore the role of storytelling not just in the development of literacy but also in the development of communication and language and for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing.

Drawing on primary and contemporary research, and presented by a range of experienced authors, this book covers important topics such as:

  • The benefits of regularly practising storytelling
  • Storytelling during play activities
  • Group dynamics in constructing narratives
  • The roles of props and fantasy concepts in storytelling

This accessible guide is ideal for all early years practitioners looking to encourage literacy, communication and well-being in a supportive and creative environment, and for policymakers looking to develop best practice in the early years classroom.

chapter 2|16 pages

“Someone killed Goldilocks and they didn't live happily ever after…” Isabella, age 3 years

How regular storytelling helps to develop creativity and narrative role-play

chapter 3|33 pages

Tailoring traditional tales as tools for our trade

Transforming literacy in the early years

chapter 4|15 pages

Storytelling groups

Large or small?

chapter 6|12 pages

Using props

An adventure in stories and drama to encourage young storytellers

chapter 7|15 pages

Superheroes and imaginative play

More opportunities for our children?

chapter 8|15 pages

“Fix, fix, fix – Olav is stuck!”

Supporting children to tell the story that they really want to tell

chapter 9|15 pages

Woodland adventures

chapter 11|21 pages

Stomping giants and diamond castles

A study of the use of story grammars to support the development of coherence in written narrative within the context of a Froebelian play-based Primary 1 classroom

chapter 12|17 pages

Gathering thoughts about storytelling