A Storyteller for Children

Story is a narrative speech of an event which had happened. By the story, everyone will know the setting of an event such as where, how, and what the doer experiences from the begining until the end. In this case, the main actor of the story can be a human or an animal. Generally, story is told orally and enlivened by the teller. It is purposed to entertain the listener. Usually, it tells about the story of children and is presented by the teller in a short way. In this real world, children need story during their lives like food for bodies. Everywhere the children are, they need to share a story with their friends and it helps them understand their world. In this case, the position of a storyteller is needed to amuse the children who are always thirsty of story and these are some ways how to be a good storyteller.

A storyteller can choose the story which can be understood easily by the children. Children often accept the story that displays about their childishness, it is important for the teller in applying a story based on their ages. If they are beginers or too young, the teller can choose a short story which should not be too much descriptive. Children also often like a story in a foreign language that will engage them during the first few lines of the story. At the age of six to nine, the story should be more simple, for example Mr. Page’s pet shop. This is Mr. Page’s pet shop. What’s in the pet shop? Oh there some cats in the pet shop. What does a cat say? It says Miaow! Miaow! What’s in the pet shop? Oh there are some frofs in the pet shop. What does the frog say? It says Croak! Croak! This simple example will engage the children in understanding the labguage and also it will offer the children’s rich experiance. So in choosing the story, a teller should pay attention of what grade the children are.

The way of the teller remembering the story is also important. The story will be told with coherent. There are various ways of remembering the story before being told to the children. A teller should choose  the most appropriate way for himself which makes him comfortable. It will be difficult that the teller memorize the written story word by word. One of the examples of remembering the story is that making bubbles. The teller reads the story and tries to elicit the content for a few times. He can then try to make bubbles like the example:   Ma Liang => Old man brush => beard
                                                 => this brush is for...
                   =>very poor           =>stick ground
                   =>Chinese   
                   =>like drawing

This way is easier that the teller can read it visually than memorizing all words. If it is possible, make a more specific frame of it. Instead of puttung the key points in the bubbles, the teller may write it in simple note. This way is called a story skeleton (Morgan and Rinvolucri). The teller can also remember the dramatic part of the story or its verbal rhytm and remebering the characters (Duncan Williamson).

            A storyteller’s manner and the voice will give more attention to the children. It is a must that the teller should tell the story by his own way. Grace Hallworth, the West Indian storyteller, is quiet and dignified as a person and as a storyteller she is just the same. Duncan Williamson, the Scottish Storyteller, is full of fun in normal conversation and is just the same in storytelling. It is like chossing the story based on the character of the teller. If the teller is a quiet person, the he can tell the story queitly. However, it will be more fun that whatever the teller’s character, he should give all his personalities through the story or able to role the main character of the story. Not only the manner, but the teller’s voice also gives more interest. It will be boring the the teller just tells the story without taking an action of his voice. The potential variety of human’s voice consists of pitch, volume, rhythm, softness, harshness, and pause. It will be more dramatic when the teller master is able to practice this variety. However, it does not mean that he will need a training to make his voice better. The teller can sit or stand so that he can breathe easily. He can speak loudly so that the children sit at the back can hear the voice, but never use harsh voice like a teacher when he want to cut the students running through the corridor. To make the difference between the characters and the narrator, the teller can use a very ordinary sentence that makes the story look amazing like “I got up this morning and opened the curtain”. Then try to say the sentence in several moods such as happily unhappily, wickedly, innocently and so on. In playing the role, a teller should be able to change his personality based on the story is about and then combine it with some kinds of voice, it will give more appreciation to the listeners.

            Becoming an attractive storyteller is not difficult by knowing the suitable story for the children’s grade and how to deliver it, then by combining a various voice and different characters will attract the children’s attention in listening the the story.

                      Nancy Ajram - Shakhbat Shakhabeet / شخبط شخابيط 

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             Storytelling with Children Book by Andrew wright