How do teachers help students to become literate?
“A good story never dies”
– Roberta Williams
Planet Castor is passionate about the power of a story. From prehistoric cave drawings to audio-augmented reality, stories continue to evolve over time. Tales told have entertained, informed, educated and connected audiences, for all time.
This educator would argue that it is a human necessity—and right—to be exposed to stories. His childhood was enhanced through stories and from making meaningful connections with the characters that he discovered. Some stories are timeless: never ageing, and often becoming more entertaining over time. It is these narratives that connect generations together. Every child should have the experience of enjoying such stories, either by reading them to themselves or from being read to by others.
When I began teaching, some of my fondest times were spent reading stories to my students. Children love to explore new worlds, and this escape brought my students and me closer together. The challenge that I often faced was finding a suitable time for reading such inspirations. With so many curriculum balls to juggle, I found it difficult to justify reading stories to my students, because there appeared to be a lot more pressing items to complete.
It was not until I began teaching language through a narrative that I realised just how many opportunities I had for exposing my students to a wealth of stories. Regardless of whether I was teaching fiction or non-fiction, the stage was always set for arming myself with a classic or a less familiar tale. This, ultimately, had a positive effect on their literacy skill. Enthused and engaged students, of all abilities, looked forward to language lessons. They enjoyed drawing upon story plots, character profiles, and the full range of themes evident in each of the stories they were exposed to.
Our Resource Toolkit has been created to help bring stories and their inspiring messages to life. By making effective use of these resources, you too will be giving your students the perfect platform for further developing and refining their own writing skill.
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