Story Telling and Retelling

Storytelling
The experience of hearing a story told is
more personal and connected to the listener.
It promotes easier understanding because it
is communicated through words, vocal
intonation, gestures, facial expressions, and
body movement. (Mallan, 1997)
Storytellers play a critical role in influencing
childrens attitudes toward oral language,
reading, and literature. (Morrow, 2001)

Story Retelling
Retelling the story allows children to revisit the story
and refine their understanding.
Each retelling increases the childrens familiarity with
the story.
Story retelling encourages children to use their
imagination, create visual images, and actively
participate in the literature-related activity.
It can become a cooperative adventure as a child moves
from being a listener to being a participant in the telling,
then to being the storyteller. (Trousdale, 1990)

Parents Roles in Story

Retelling

Ask questions.

Give encouraging
comments.

Use pictures as cues.

Avoid pressuring the

children.

Conclusion
Parents involvement with literature-related activities at
home has significant positive influences not only on reading
achievement, language comprehension and expressive
language skills (Gest, Freeman, Domitrovich & Welsh, 2004),
but also on childrens interest in reading, attitudes towards
literature and attentiveness in the classroom (Rowe, 1991).
It is therefore important that parents are aware of the
significant contribution they can make to their childrens
learning by supporting at home the schools literature
programme, both during the early years as well as the
primary and secondary years of schooling.