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Not many know about the difference between storytelling and story reading. To be honest, I myself get confused by them too.
Although similar, storytelling is about telling a story through an array of facial expressions, tone, and a strong level of reciprocal engagement between the adults and child using varied props rather than a book; while story reading is, as the name suggests, is simply reading from a storybook.
Time after time, research has proven the importance of providing children opportunities for a conducive and strong literacy environment that has storytelling and reading sessions.
Through recent research, it showed that 3 to 5 years old that were exposed to a storytelling session were able to retell the entire story with greater detail, greater comprehension, and greater imagination. Moreover, storytelling can also help children to develop their cognitive functions such as listening skills, imaginative thinking, and sequencing of events as they retell the story - all critical functions that will help children to make sense of the world around them. Props used can also help children to develop their comprehension skills as they understand the context of the story.
Simultaneously, those exposed to story reading sessions were able to describe the story with an intermediate level of oral expressions. Moreover, it is through reading off from books where children learn that symbols such as print and illustrations will convey meaning for children. This in turn will help children to learn new vocabulary for both oral and writing communication, print motivation (enjoys reading books), and handling of books (directionality of print, turning pages from right to left).
Overall, storytelling and story reading are greatly linked to children’s holistic language development in a positive way. Although different, they are crucial.
So, how can parents go about conducting storytelling and story reading sessions respectively?
Storytelling
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Do not know how to conduct a storytelling session? Well, a simple way is to use relatable events for children, or an experience that your child had gone through with an obvious sequential sequence of events. Using relatable events, this will allow children to be engaged easily, easier for them to share/retell their experiences, and even allow easy comprehension of the stories told. You may even use a well-known story plot such as little red riding hood, or the very hungry caterpillar.
Remember to use various pitch, tone, pace, and volume as you tell the story to keep your children engaged - especially when the story is trying to capture a focus on certain points.
Props are encouraged to be used too - however, they must be related such that they complement the story to add context for children’s comprehension, and not derail the story entirely.
Moreover, as you tell the story, use varied vocabularies. That will help children to develop their vocabulary bank, allowing them to learn and use new vocabularies as they retell the story.
Once the story has ended, encourage your little ones to retell the story using his own words and the new vocabulary that he had learned. Picture cards/illustrations/prompts can be used to jog your child's working memory. However, using those should be on a limited basis, and their usage should decrease each passing time your child retells the story.
Once children have retold the story multiple times, engage in further conversation with your child. For example, you can ask your child to describe a similar experience that had happened to him based on the story to expand their comprehension of the story.
Story Reading
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On the other hand, story reading is rather simple for parents to facilitate. All you need is a story book and simply read that to your child. However, there is one way for you to elevate that experience to promote engagement between you and your child - and that is through something called dialogic reading.
Dialogic reading is about sparking conversations with your little ones that are revolving around the print that you are reading to them. Such will ensure that your child understands the content of the story, rather than just them passive-listening. Furthermore, dialogic reading will also keep children engaged, and ensure that it is not solely adult-directed as children chime in during the storytelling to reinforce their understanding of the story.
It is extremely simple to conduct a dialogic reading experience. All you need is a book that allows you to think aloud your thoughts (making predictions, questioning of the sequencing of events) and thereafter, ask your child simple open-ended questions to answer your thoughts.
Once your child answers the question, evaluate if their answers are satisfactory and thereafter, reinforce their answers by linking it back to your thoughts that you had previously thought aloud.
Some other general pointers to take note while reading a story to your little ones using a storybook:
Point to the words that you are reading as you read. This will teach children about the directionality of prints - that is, they go from left to right, and up to down. This will also teach them that prints provide information and meaning.
Ensure that you hold and turn the pages of the book the right way. This will teach children on how to handle a book.
Ensure that the book that you choose has uncluttered and relevant images. This will ensure that the child will not be distracted by the illustrations as you are reading the storybook.
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