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Once Upon a Time, Tell
me a fact and I'll learn. Tell me a truth and I'll believe. "Children play at being great and wonderful people, at the ambitions they will put away for one reason or another before they grow into ordinary men and women. Mankind as a whole had a like dream once; everybody and nobody built up the dream bit by bit, and the ancient story-tellers are there to make us remember what mankind would have been like, had not fear and the failing will and the laws of nature tripped up its heels." W.B Yeats "It is the story-teller's task to elicit sympathy and a measure of understanding for those who lie outside the boundaries of State approval. " Graham Greene Oral Storytelling is a tradition that goes back to the dawn of time. It is only comparatively recently, with the advent of movies and TV, that its popularity has diminished. Telling stories is now something seen as only fit for very young children at bedtime. But that view is just plain wrong. We are all storytellers. Humans of whatever age communicate through stories. It's a part of everyday life, we just don't realise we are doing it. Storytelling is about sharing – not just the sharing of words and plot, but the sharing of emotions and experiences. It involves a direct coming together of the teller and the listener, with no barrier of text. There is a subtle interaction between the teller and the listener which is unique to oral communication. Telling stories gives us the opportunity to express emotion and to use our imaginations with a freedom no other medium can offer. Telling stories to children enables them to learn the art of listening, in an age when many are lacking this skill. Encourage them to tell stories and they will gain confidence, improve their vocabulary and their literary skills. (with acknowledgements to Ben Haggarty) And most important: IT'S FUN. What has happened? Nothing
happens!
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If you're a parent, you may want to tell your children a story. If you're a child, you may want to tell a story to your parents. If you know any stories, tell us. We'll add them to the library. The Hedley Kow - an English Folktale My Own Self - an English Folktale Mr. Fox - an English Folktale Mother Holle - a little known fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm.
STORIES from the
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