Welcome Judges

Cultivating core values in the classroom through storytelling to create a tale while practising both language and digital skills.

Nomination Description

Cultivating core values in the classroom through storytelling to create a tale while practising both language and digital skills.

My class consists of elementary students who are rather noisy, easily bored, and have short attention span. They often appear to be disrespectful and undisciplined. Their English is quite good , so I thought it would be better to set rules, teach morals, and practise language through storytelling to keep them motivated , inspired and engaged.

It started with my wish to publish a children’s  tale I had recently written in. I believed that storytelling could be a safe way to foster connection and engagement among learners , and inspire them to create and explore their own expressiveness.  I asked them if they wanted to collaborate with me on a story

I had written and planned to publish soon. My aim was to motivate them and help them practice their language skills in an imaginative and enjoyable way, while also developing their collaboration, social, and emotional skills. The children were fascinated by the idea, especially when they learned it was about space and planets – a topic that often excites young minds.

I gave them the title “The Trip of the Little Globe Girl” and asked them to guess the story’s premise. They made some suggestions, and I then provided them with relevant vocabulary related to the names of celestial bodies, seasons and nature.

 

 

I then narrated the story, using visual aids like pictures and toys to introduce the characters and plot. At key points, I paused to elicit student responses about the characters’ feelings and potential plot developments, while also practicing present and past tenses and emotive vocabulary like ‘happy’,’ upset’,’ bored’ etc.

As a follow-up, the students read excerpts of the text, discussed the order of events, and analyzed the characters. This led to engaging conversations about the story.

 

 

The story’s messages focused on learning from mistakes, the importance of responsibility, respect for others and the environment, as well as self-acceptance, uniqueness, and self-awareness.

The students engaged in a variety of activities during the “Storytelling Procedure,” including roleplaying, rehearsing dialogues, reenacting the story, and singing.

During the storytelling process, the students learned to use the Canva app to create a book ready for publication. They practiced selecting and using digital pictures to make illustrations, as well as writing the accompanying text.

Overall, the activities used (see Storytelling Procedure)  encouraged the students to explore the story’s themes in an interactive and creative manner.

 

The students became really creative and excited authors, learning with pleasure under my instructions and support. I encouraged and praised them as they practiced both their language and technology skills on a journey of creativity, imagination, cooperation, sense of achievement, and fun.

In the process, they also acquired valuable life, social, and emotional skills, as well as important morals and values. I’m proud of their contributions to the creation and forthcoming publication of this story.

Wish me luck as I dedicate this tale to them, celebrating their growth and accomplishment!