Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of communication as a way to share experiences, understand others, and entertain. It can also be a powerful learning tool, especially in early childhood education.
Stories have the ability to connect young learners to the content in a more relatable way. They’re also a fun, engaging approach to learning that requires little more than a good narrative linked to your objectives. They also work in tandem with play-based learning.
Why is storytelling important in your child’s early childhood education? Let’s take a look at the importance of stories in the classroom and at home for story-based learning as a teaching tool.
Stories Improve Vocabulary
One of the most apparent benefits of storytelling is its ability to enhance a preschool child’s vocabulary, introducing them to new words and phrases they may not encounter in their daily lives. The more children listen to stories, whether at home or at daycare, for instance, the more they encounter new words in context. This encourages them to develop their vocabulary as well as learn new ways of decoding meaning, which strengthens their cognitive skills.
Stories Improve Concentration and Attention Span
Children today are rarely given space to be bored. Most have access to a variety of screens and toys that keep them readily engaged no matter which way they turn. However, such constant distractions seem to have the downside of making it harder for children to develop their attention spans. When you sit down and read a child a story, you encourage them to pause and pay attention to the text and pictures. Following and understanding a story requires concentration and attention, and the more you expose a child to this, the more you strengthen those focusing skills.
Stories Improve Communication Skills
We noted above how listening to stories improves vocabulary, but it also helps to develop other communication skills. Through stories, children are exposed to characters and how they deal with emotions and moral quandaries. They learn how to relate and have empathy with the characters’ experiences. These aspects of a narrative help teach students how to empathize with others in their world and strengthen their ability to articulate their thoughts and feelings. The more examples children read or are read to by parents or preschool instructors, the more they develop their own communication skills.
BENEFITS OF STORYTELLING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
The benefits of storytelling go deeper than engagement, although that’s certainly a huge perk. Below are 8 benefits of storytelling for your youngest learners.
1. Storytelling supports cognitive development.
Storytelling has a number of noted brain benefits in young students. Stories can stimulate the imagination as students visualize what they see and hear, boost memory skills, and lay a foundation for more complex cognitive processes down the line.
2. Stories are an introduction to early literacy.
Through exposure to rich language and plot structures in stories, children can expand their vocabularies, improve their listening comprehension, and start developing early literacy skills. This doesn’t just support language acquisition. It builds the foundation for a love of reading.
3. Stories can teach children about themselves.
Storytelling can be used as a tool for social-emotional learning. Narratives that explore complex emotions, social dynamics, and topics like empathy, resilience, and self-awareness can support students’ emotional intelligence.
4. Storytelling encourages creativity and imagination.
Children who see and hear stories are able to use their innate curiosity to envision worlds and visualize what they’re thinking. This is a great way to foster a student’s creative thinking and develop skills that could support innovation and project-based learning in later grades.
5. Stories can boost cultural understanding.
Diverse stories introduce students to new traditions, cultures, and perspectives they may not have been exposed to otherwise. This can foster empathy, respect, and appreciation for the differences in young learners that they carry with them.
6. Group storytelling can improve social skills.
On top of the social-emotional aspects of storytelling, storytelling as a group activity can promote cooperation, communication, and collaboration. Students must use skills like active listening, turn-taking, and sharing to participate.
7. Storytelling is active learning.
Stories that engage students are a more active approach to learning. Connect to students on an even deeper level with student-led discussions or retellings about stories, props, or visuals to support their learning. You can make stories accessible to all of your students.
8. Storytelling makes learning easier…and more fun!
Engaging stories allow students to build on concentration skills and create pathways for deeper connections with new content. Relatable stories or stories that tap into student interests are an even stronger introduction to literacy and a story-based approach.