Eltam journal no 2 8th eltam iatefl tesol international biannual conference managing teaching and learning

Implementation of Storytelling and Puppetry in class 
One of the most common ways to use storytelling and puppetry in class is by briefly introducing 
the concept and the activities concerning storytelling. If young learners are unfamiliar with 
storytelling, teachers can begin with short sessions and have younger learners sit around them 
or introduce the story with a puppet in hand. The teachers read slowly and clearly and tell or 
enact a story to illustrate the points made in the introduction. (It is important to make comments 
about the illustrations). According to Brewster, Ellis, & Girard, (2002) it is encouraging to 
motivate young learners to take part in the storytelling. Young learners can participate in a story 
by using puppets. It is a good idea to begin with personal tales before moving on to short stories. 
Teachers should select stories that are easily learned. When narrating a story, teachers should 
change the way they narrate the story. They should pause where appropriate and change their 
voice for different characters. A good idea is to make sound effects and use music background 
where possible. Also it is a clever idea to repeat, expand, and formulate (Brewster, Ellis, & 
Girard, ibid). 
Another way of exploiting these two educational tools in class is by:

Using routines for starting and finishing storytelling, in order to attract children’s attention. 

Creating or bringing in visuals and realia for storytelling (pictures, puppets, masks). 

Building a visuals and realia bank (Shin, 2007). 

Encouraging children to tell the story to a friend /parent using puppets (and imitate your 
storytelling). 
Some useful methodology teachers can use when storytelling 
is taking place in young learners’ 
classroom (Shin,ibid) contains Pre- and Post Storytelling activities: 
Pre-Storytelling activities: 

Attract young learners’ attention by introducing the story using a puppet. 

Connect the story to prior knowledge and experiences. 

Review language in the story young learners already know. 

Teach new vocabulary or expressions. 

Have young learners predict what will happen in the story. 

Give young learners a purpose for listening. 
Post- Storytelling activities: 

Total Physical Response (TPR) activities.

---

26 

Ask learners to create their own beginning and ending of the story. 

Drama and role playing using puppets. 

Group retelling and replaying 

Story mapping. 

Story boarding. 

Games that check comprehension (e.g., “Start and Stop”, retelling with mistakes and using 
pictures out of order).