A bed time story can be enjoyed by both young and old.Being able to tell a bed time story - whether from memory or by reading it aloud is a skill well worth learning. Everyone -from very young children to the very elderly - is good at storytelling as long as they fully understand the story. We all love to tell stories of our own experiences and the more dramatic the experience the more we enjoy telling the story. The reason we can do this so well is because we are eager to share our story. It's about something that has happened to us - it could be funny, distressing or surprising- and we can't wait to tell people even if those same people are not so keen to listen! We want our listeners to be able to see, in their own minds, what we can so clearly see in our own mind. This is the basis of good story telling - word pictures Word PIctures If I say 'Christmas Tree' every one listening to me gets an image of a christmas tree in their mind. My tree might be six feet tall and pink - yours might be three feet tall and green. It's my job, as the story teller to try and get you to have the same picture in your mind as me. So I'll add some more words, I'll say ' Six feet tall, pink christmas tree'. Now we have similar pictures and you know more or less what I am talking about. AS the the story teller I have to try and acheive this for every thought or picture that I have. As well as the words I can use my voice to get my meaning across to you. Clear Words Children don't always concentrate as well as we would like so it's essential that the words you speak are clear. A good way to ensure that you open your mouth wide enough for the vowel sounds and that you sound all of the consonant sounds is to do voice exercises daily. They also help you stay young looking - which has to be a great advantage. Repetition Sometimes, of course, listeners will want the same bed time story over and over again. Try to find out what it is that the person loves about the story - perhaps they can see something different in the story that you haven't discoverd yet. Perhaps it makes them feel safe just before they go to sleep, maybe it brings back pleasant memories. If they can give you a new way of looking at the story you will find it a lot more enjoyable to read aloud.
It's often the job of grandparents to read the bed time story. When I was a young girl it was a treat to stay up late at my Grans house and have her read me a story. If you're a grandparent or parent who reads to young children remember that they have excellent memories when it comes to the words of a favourite bed time story. If you dare to leave out any of the words thinking you'll get them to sleep quicker - think again! When you are reading aloud to young children you need to be able to keep their interest. The easiest way is to use expressive speech. If you're not sure which book to read to a child as a bed time story, ask them if they have a favourite they'd like to hear again. It's better to read something familiar than try and choose something new which might be unsuitable- the last thing you want to do is give them nightmares! Foe a small selection of books to read aloud click here. Teacher Bed time isn't the only time when stories can be appreciated. If you feel you have a special responsibility when you read the story - a teacher reading to a class for educational reasons for example - then make sure that you do some background research. Where is the story set? What type of people are in the story? Be prepared for any questions the listeners may have. Smile If possible try to read bed time stories to people that you have some interest in. Perhaps it's a favourite of yours or a book that you've been eager to read. The more interested you are in the story, the better your storytelling will be. As the storyteller you must always look as though you are enjoying the story. You can't expect your listeners to be enthusiastic if you look bored.
Return from bed time story to Home Page
|
