Over the years, storytelling has been an effective tool for literacy as well as communication and creativity. It strengthens writing abilities, reading comprehension, story structure, and language proficiency. There are several advantages to storytelling for the audience as well. Studies have indicated that hearing stories told aloud can improve comprehension and memory.
Last Friday and Sunday, pre-school children from different cultural and economic backgrounds gathered at the Adventure Zone, Role Play Village, Shangri-La The Fort at the Bonifacio Global City to take part in a storytelling event in celebration of the 8th World Wellness Weekend.
Looking at the glow in the young faces of the toddlers, one can easily see how much they truly enjoyed the storytelling, with some of the more bolder children slowly making their way to be nearer to the storyteller, Romina Nañagas, a young and energetic professional, who has devoted her time to the upliftment of our culture specially among the Aetas tribe of Zambales.
The storyteller successfully caught the attention of the listeners and actively engaged the young children – drawing enthusiastic responses with loud cries of YESES and NOS and animated answers from the happy audience.
However, none could be more happier than the proud parents of the young audience who were unceasingly taking videos and photos of their young ones, some of whom had just for the first time undergone such a lively literacy activity.
According to Rebecca Honig, chief content and curriculum officer for Ready4K, “Oral story telling has, throughout time, in every corner of the globe, been a critical vehicle for bridging connections, for communicating big ideas, for passing on traditions, beliefs, languages, and histories.”
The Children Books on display during the event, including those used during the storytelling, were National Geographics materials distributed exclusively by Childhood Learners and Readers Publications, Inc. and the English Reading Kit by Kristin Educational Exponents Publications, Inc.
