1st Edition

Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice A Reflective Guide for Early Years Practitioners

Edited By Tina Bruce, Lynn McNair, Jane Whinnett Copyright 2020
    232 Pages 43 Color Illustrations
    by Routledge

    232 Pages 43 Color Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice is a brilliantly engaging and practical book that highlights the essential nature of storytelling in all walks of life, and how to best cultivate this in the early years classroom. The authors use a compelling Froebelian approach to explore the role of storytelling not just in the development of literacy but also in the development of communication and language and for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing.

    Drawing on primary and contemporary research, and presented by a range of experienced authors, this book covers important topics such as:

    • The benefits of regularly practising storytelling
    • Storytelling during play activities
    • Group dynamics in constructing narratives
    • The roles of props and fantasy concepts in storytelling

    This accessible guide is ideal for all early years practitioners looking to encourage literacy, communication and well-being in a supportive and creative environment, and for policymakers looking to develop best practice in the early years classroom.

    Foreword

    Sacha Powell

    Chapter 1 The flourishing of the Edinburgh Froebel Network ‘Players and Storytellers’ project

    Jane Whinnett

    Chapter 2 "Someone killed Goldilocks and they didn’t live happily ever after…" Isabella age 3 years: How regular storytelling helps to develop creativity and narrative role play

    Sharon Imray and Karen Clements

    Chapter 3 Tailoring Traditional Tales as Tools for our Trade: Transforming Literacy in the Early Years

    Chris McCormick and Shauna McIntosh

    Chapter 4 Storytelling Groups: Large or Small?

    Alison J Hawkins and Moira Whitelaw

    Chapter 5 Observing Stories Children ‘Tell’ in their Play: Reflections

    Rhian Ferguson

    Chapter 6 Using Props: An adventure in stories and drama to encourage young story tellers

    Lynda Bardai

    Chapter 7 Superheroes and Imaginative Play: More opportunities for our children?

    Deirdre Armstrong

    Chapter 8 "Fix, fix, fix – Olav is stuck!": Supporting children to tell the story that they really want to tell

    Elaine Fullerton

    Chapter 9 Woodland Adventures

    Lucy Macfarlane and Rosemary Welensky

    Chapter 10 The Stories Children Tell Us about their Transitions from Early Childhood Settings to Primary School

    Lynn McNair

    Chapter 11 Stomping Giants and Diamond Castles: A study of the use of story grammars to support the development of coherence in written narrative, within the context of a Froebelian play based Primary 1 classroom

    Catriona Gill

    Chapter 12 Gathering Thoughts about Storytelling

    Tina Bruce

    Index

    Biography

    Tina Bruce CBE is Honorary Professor at the University of Roehampton, UK, a Vice President of Early Education, a Patron of CLPE, a member of the executive committee of the International Froebel Society and an established author.

    Dr Lynn McNair OBE is a founder leader of the Edinburgh Froebel Network, Head of the Cowgate Under Fives Centre in Edinburgh, Senior Teaching Fellow and Pathway co-ordinator of the MSc Ed (Early Childhood Practice and Froebel) and an endorsed Froebel Tutor for the Froebel Trust.

    Jane Whinnett MBE is a founder leader of the Edinburgh Froebel Network, Head of two maintained Nursery Schools in Edinburgh, Chair of the Education and Research Committee of the Froebel Trust, Tutor for the MSc Ed (Early Childhood Practice and Froebel) and an endorsed Froebel Tutor for the Froebel Trust.