Paley's Story Telling

 

Paley's Story Telling Curriculum is one of the first teaching philosophies I really read a lot about. In the same vain as learn while playing philosophies Paley presents the idea that all children learn innately through story telling. Using it to help make understanding of the world around them and to express their own idea of how things work.

Paley would allow students to volunteer to tell her a story. She would write it down in front of them confirming she was writing it down correctly. Afterwards all the children would sit down on the mat and the story teller could pick which students would help act out the story. Paley would read the story and the children would bring it to life.

In an ESL preschool classroom we can use her philosophies to help us in a few ways. One to help our students see the correlation between the spoken and written word. As the child tells us his/her story we write it in front of them. They can see the words being written on the page. Two, it allows students to speak English freely. The teacher isn't telling them what to say. They decide what they want to say. Three, the teacher can use it as a time to reinforce previously learnt vocabulary and sentence patterns and check understanding.

I use it effectively with my level 2 and 3 students. Every Friday during show and tell time I pick two to three children who's turn it is to tell me a story. Sometimes I may review the week's vocabulary words and ask that they're used in the story. Other times I may give a beginning. This is useful or you may find you get the same stories every week.

In Paley's version she would let the students tell the story themselves only checking for understanding. As my students are still learning English I like to ask questions to bring out more of the story. If the child tells me "a rabbit goes to the park" and then takes a while to continue I may ask what does the rabbit do or see? Pushing the student to continue the story. All students know that when they say "the end". I'll end the story there. They are the story tellers and I want them to feel comfortable and happy to try not pressured to tell me the next lord of the rings.

You'll find some students love being actors while others may be more shy. We should encourage, but not push students to act. A shy student may be happier if they get to act in their own story. All stories end with a big clap and positive reinforcement for the actors and the story teller.