LENGUA Y LITERATURA INGLESA | DIPLOMA IN ENGLISH FOR PRESCHOOL AND

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Class 6: The Stories We Tell- The Power of Stories in Teaching

Warm up

Think back to when you were a child...

• What was your favourite story / book? Inventing an Elliot

• Why did you like that story so much? Because the book talk about bullying and how get over it
• Did it have a moral or message?
Yes, bullying in the school

Reading Task

The Stories we Tell: The Power of Stories in Teaching

Story is as old as civilization.

Before the invention of writing, relatives told each other stories as a means of passing important
information down the family tree, and citizens have long used stories as a conduit to convey their
society’s values, morals, and customs. Storytelling has played an important role in every society
throughout history. In ancient Greece, storytelling was integral to the culture, with myths and legends
passed down from generation to generation. In Medieval Europe, troubadours and minstrels travelled
from town to town, telling stories and singing songs.

Stories don’t just help us make sense of ourselves; they teach us important lessons and convey
complex ideas, thus helping us make sense of the world around us. And stories help us connect with
other people. When we hear a story, we often identify with the characters and their experiences, even
if they are very different to our own. This connection can foster empathy and understanding, helping
us appreciate different people and perspectives. In short, stories can:

• Make sense of our lives.

• Make meaning of the world.
• Make connections with other people.

We only remember something once. Every subsequent memory is a memory of a memory and each
time we “remember” a memory, we change it, reshape it, polish it...

As such, when we tell our own stories, we are not simply recounting objective facts, but rather we are
constructing a narrative that gives meaning to our experiences and helps us make sense of our past.
Through the act of storytelling, we can highlight certain experiences or aspects of our lives while
downplaying or ignoring others. We can also reinterpret events in light of new information or insights,
and we can assign different meanings or significance to the same events.

What’s more, the way we choose to tell our stories can have an impact on how we view ourselves and
our lives. For example, if we focus on the positive aspects of our experiences, we may feel more
optimistic and confident about our future, whereas if we focus on the negative aspects, we may feel
more discouraged or pessimistic.

The stories we tell ourselves, also known as self-narratives, are the internal tales we create about
ourselves and our lives. These narratives are shaped by our experiences, beliefs, and values, and
they play a significant role in shaping our identity and how we view ourselves.
LENGUA Y LITERATURA INGLESA | DIPLOMA IN ENGLISH FOR PRESCHOOL AND
PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

The stories we tell our children play a crucial role in shaping their understanding of the world and their
place in it. Through nursery rhymes and bedtime stories, we can convey important values, beliefs,
and cultural traditions, as well as teach children important life lessons and skills.

One of the primary functions of storytelling for children is to help them make sense of their
experiences and emotions. By providing narratives that reflect their own experiences or that help
them understand new situations, we can help children develop a sense of agency and resilience in
the face of setbacks.

It is important, therefore, that the stories we tell reflect children’s own lived experiences, that children
can see themselves and their heritage and culture represented in our stories. Storytelling can also
help children develop important social and emotional skills such as empathy, compassion, and
perspective-taking.

Through stories, children can learn about different cultures, experiences, and points of view, which
can help them develop a more nuanced understanding of the world around them.

At the same time, it is important to recognise that the stories we tell our children can also perpetuate
harmful stereotypes or reinforce narrow cultural norms. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of the
messages we convey through our stories and seek out diverse and inclusive narratives that reflect the
full range of human experience.

To wit, the stories we tell our children can have a powerful impact on their personal growth and on
their understanding of the world. By using stories to convey positive values, teach important life-skills,
and foster empathy and understanding, we can help our children grow into more thoughtful and
compassionate members of society.

Adapted from: https://www.sec-ed.co.uk/content/best-practice/the-stories-we-tell-the-power-of-stories-in

teaching/#:~:text=Stories%20can%20also%20have%20a,of%20the%20world%20around%20us.

Group Task- Discussion

• Do you agree that stories are essential for understanding our own identity and connecting with
others? Why or why not?
• Consider the statement "stories give meaning to our lives." Can you think of a story that has had a
profound impact on your life or the way you view the world?
• Reflecting on your own experiences, how has storytelling been used in education or teaching to
convey information and engage learners?

Vocabulary Task

A. To make something seem less important or significant.

1. Objective
B. Feeling disheartened or lacking confidence.
restar importancia
2. To Downplay (something)
C. Something that is based on facts or reality, without

3. In light of personal bias or interpretation.

desanimado D. The qualities, beliefs, personality, and experiences that
4. Discouraged
make a person or group distinct from others.
5. Identity
E. Considering or taking into account a particular fact or

situation.
LENGUA Y LITERATURA INGLESA | DIPLOMA IN ENGLISH FOR PRESCHOOL AND
PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Final Task- Story Assessment

For the final task, you will work in groups to analyse and assess a given story! Your task is to assess
children's stories for teaching in the classroom in light of the text and discussions from today’s class.
This may include:

• Messages conveyed about values, life skills, empathy, and understanding.

• Teaching points e.g., vocabulary
• Representation of diverse characters (race, ethnicity, gender, ability, identity etc.).
• Inclusivity of cultural perspectives and traditions.
• Anything else you notice!
assess = evaluar
In small groups, you will assess the given story and how it could be used in the classroom according
to the criteria above (or other criteria of your own!)

Group 1 The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Group 2 Where the Wild Things Are
Group 3 Dumbo
Group 4 The Snowy Day
Group 5 Last Stop on Market Street
Group 6 Julian is a Mermaid

Link to books folder:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16A0Cihg1Y7jgpiGTmlNOLQ01LtnNG9t?usp=share_link

Class Reflection

https://jamboard.google.com/d/1LiCoAnhGKW2zwC5EJD1LCj3TuVflt4ld3RqdA6UWNZw/edit?usp=sh
aring