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Posted on October 31, 2007 by Ellie Dixon | Posted under Kids
The Art of the Storyteller - The Oral Tradition
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An ancient Egyptian scroll contains the first known reference to storytelling, although the earliest Greek writings also refer to the telling of stories, but don't go into details about how the art was practised. Roman and Greek writers are responsible for the word "bard" entering the English language. The term was used to describe someone who described incidents or told stories and is still current in Ireland and Wales today. Indian storytellers travelled between villages carrying a large picture cloth called a kalamkari which they spread out to illustrate the story they were telling. In China travelling storytellers visited the homes of the wealthy to entertain them with stories. There is a rich heritage of storytelling across the continent of Africa, many cultures having a history of epic story-poems recited by several hereditary storytellers in each tribe. Similarly the tribes of North America and the Australian Aborigines have a complex oral tradition with stories, poems, religious and tribal knowledge, making up a complex culture, all handed down through the generations orally. Storytelling has always been an important method of passing on traditions and maintaining social harmony. The storyteller can vividly convey religious beliefs, "explain" the mysteries of the the world around the listener or transport their listeners into an inner world of fantasy. You may wonder why storytelling continues to be so important in today's computer age society .... We should continue to tell stories in order to: - aid childre in learning to listen - increase their vocabularies - extend their knowledge and understanding of the difference between fact and fantasy - stimulate their imagination - inspire them to reach for a book to experience more stories for themselves - introduce storytelling as a shared, interactive experience between the author, or storyteller, and their audience. Unlike TV, video, DVD or other electronic media, storytellers are a direct interface between the story and the audience. They can change pace, alter or explain a difficult concept and emphasise, play down, or omit entirely, a particular event, depending upon the needs of those listening. The storyteller therefore is as important to a largely literate, electronic world as he or she was to a largely illiterate one in times gone by. But if you have been asked to tell a story to a group of youngsters you may be asking yourself ... Where do I start? How do I know my story will be interesting and fun? You may be a nursery or kindergarten teacher, or perhaps be involved with a Playgroup, Bible or other Faith School. Maybe you want some quality personal time with your own children or grandchildren. It's a rainy afternoon and you're faced with little expectant faces waiting to be entertained. How do you keep them all enthralled by your tale? About The Author: Ellie Dixon lives in Devon, England. She adores vintage illustrated children's books and loves to restore and edit them for today's kids. She has recently put together a new downloadable book called "How to Tell Stories to Children" together with five books full of great stories to tell. sign up for her free monthly newsletter when you visit her website. |
Tags: STORYTELLING, HOW TO TELL GREAT STORIES, TELLING KIDS STORIES, TELLING CHILDREN STORIES, SPEAKING TO CHILDREN, COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN, SUCCESSFUL
