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By Scott Evans

Primary school teacher, author and reading for pleasure adviser

This article was published in February 2023.

Children are naturally and passionately curious, and stories serve pupils with fun and engaging ways to think creatively and understand new ideas.

is an annual literary event which celebrates the power of sharing stories that takes place in the United Kingdom, typically during the first full week of February. This year, it runs from Monday, 30 January to Sunday, 5 February 2023.

What is storytelling and why is it important?

Storytelling is the act of sharing information and experiences through words, images and actions. It's been an essential component of human history for thousands of years, in passing down knowledge, values and traditions. From the conversations had by our ancient ancestors around the campfire to the multitude of modern ways we share them today, stories have not only helped us to make sense of our world but have also played a crucial part in shaping our societies and cultures.

However - with the rise of technology and other forms of entertainment - storytelling in today's world can sometimes be overlooked. As a result, many people have lost touch with the power and potential of storytelling as a source of communication and connection. But its benefits are numerous and it’s vital to keep the act of storytelling alive, especially for future generations.

Why is storytelling particularly important for children?

Often the most enthusiastic listeners and tellers of stories themselves, lots of children love stories. One of the main reasons for this is because it helps to develop their imaginations by transporting them to different worlds and helping them to experience thoughts and things that they might not be able to in real life.

For teachers, National Storytelling Week provides the perfect platform to incorporate a storytelling culture into their classrooms.

Ideas for exploring storytelling

Here are some easy-to-implement ideas for you to explore and to ensure that storytelling extends across your whole school and further than just this week for a more substantial effect.

Digital/visual storytelling

There are many types of digital storytelling resources available to use that can diversify children’s experiences of storytelling. Some include:

• apps and websites to write and share their own stories using a host of interactive features like digital comics creation and podcasting;
• listen to audiobooks and watch videos such as CBeebies Bedtime Stories;
• video creation tools to record and edit videos to make their own digital stories;
• stop-motion animation to tell stories and showcase their creativity;
• coding and programming platforms to write algorithms to tell an on-screen story;
• virtual reality to encounter interactive stories in a 3D environment.

Considering how you implement a range of multimodal storytelling methods gives greater accessibility in meeting different children’s needs. This could include providing signed stories for deaf children, or using technology to help children who have difficulties with verbal communication.

I’ll never forget the first time that I heard the voice of a child with selective mutism after they spent a short time away from the classroom, found a quiet place, recorded them narrating their story by speaking to the device and brought it back with a beaming smile for me to hear. Technology can be truly transformative!

Oral/auditory storytelling

Set up regular, specific storytelling times for you and the children to engage in. These could involve:

• reading aloud and acting out stories in classrooms or whole school situations such as assemblies, using drama and role-play as a way to bring stories to life;
• build a sense of community by sharing personal anecdotes and experiences, including in their home languages;
• retelling traditional folk tales, myths and legends to introduce others to different perspectives and ways of life.

You could also start a storytelling club where children can gather to share and hear stories in a more informal setting. Additionally, invite professional storytellers to visit and perform. They can also work with teachers to help design storytelling activities that can complement your school’s curriculum and be used in classrooms throughout the week and the rest of the year. Schools should also think about how to celebrate their local culture and heritage by sharing stories from their community.

Written storytelling

Encourage children to write their own stories, either individually, in groups or as a whole class. Make time and space for them to share them with each other by having dedicated areas in your classroom to display child-authored stories. Allow them to experiment with words, genres and formats. Create a range of stories such as short stories, picture book-style stories and illustrated comics and graphic novels, using pictures and words together to tell a story. Discuss other written ways such as scriptwriting and storyboarding to help children link storytelling to their interests such as their favourite films and video games.

To get the whole school involved, create a collaborative story where each class writes a paragraph, ends it on a cliffhanger, and sends it to the next class to carry on writing from where they left it. This could be read out in assembly, and displayed in a shared space with illustrations drawn by children in each class to accompany it.

Children are naturally and passionately curious, and stories serve them with fun and engaging ways to think creatively and understand new ideas.

It can also help children to develop their language skills and improve their vocabulary. Furthermore, storytelling can be a powerful tool to help them to explore and express their own emotions and learn about life lessons and values like empathy, kindness and responsibility.