Storytelling Activities Research Articles

Digital storytelling for social and international development: from special education to vulnerable children

This paper presents the digital storytelling for development model (DSD). DSD is a process model for supporting the implementation of digital storytelling activities within the broader framework of social and international development projects. DSD blends storytelling, visual arts and digital media to make a difference for vulnerable children, including children with special needs, and in development and integration projects. Vulnerable and special needs children often experience difficulties in communication with adults and peers, both as language difficulties and as inability to focus on personal feelings and thoughts, and consequently to express them properly. Removing such barriers is one of the main goals of special and social educational projects, and a key step towards integration and personal development. Digital storytelling offers an opportunity to tackle the issue, and DSD provides guidelines for implementing projects in this context by focusing on fiction, engaging all stakeholders and providing a high degree of flexibility. The paper presents DSD, and illustrates it with real cases, discusses its evaluation, and indicates ways to adapt it to different project settings.

‘Once upon a time there was a mouse’: children's technology-mediated storytelling in preschool class

With the current expansion of digital tools, the media used for narration is changing, challenging traditional literacies in educational settings. The present study explores what kind of activities emerge when six-year-old children in a preschool class write a digital story, using a word processor and speech-synthesised feedback computer software. Empirical material was collected in a primary school that participates in a larger community project on writing with digital technology. The focus of the study is on how the storytelling activity is mediated by the technologies and the participants (teacher and children). The results show that the digital tools used, in part, directed the children away from narrating, instead turning their attention to negotiations of division of labour and literate conventions. The latter were also at the forefront of the teacher's contributions to the children's activity. Despite these circumstances, the children succeed in accomplishing the instructed task of collaboratively composing a story.

Audio-augmented paper for therapy and educational intervention for children with autistic spectrum disorder

Autism affects children׳s learning and social development. Commonly used rehabilitative treatments are aimed at stimulating the social skills of children with autism. In this article, we present a prototype and a pilot study on an audio-augmented paper to support the therapy of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The prototype supports audio recording with standard sheets of paper by using tangible tools that can be shared between the therapist and the child. The prototype is a tool for the therapist to engage the child in a storytelling activity. We use a progressive design method based on a dynamic process that merges concept generation, technology benchmarking and activity design into continuously enriching actions. The paper highlights the qualities and benefits of using tangible audio-augmented artefacts for therapy and educational intervention for children with ASD. The work describes three main qualities of our prototype: from building cooperation to attention control, flow control, and using the children׳s own voices to foster attention.

Feedback and common ground in conversational storytelling involving people with Alzheimer’s disease

The present article focuses on feedback in storytelling involving people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and how feedback is related to the ways participants establish a common ground (Clark 1996) in interaction. The establishment of common ground is important in all kinds of interaction and becomes an especially intricate process if participants have AD, since the achievement of common ground requires the ability to draw from knowledge and experiences relating to past as well as present events; an ability that is often hampered by the disease. Analyses show that other aspects than the actual content of the conversation are important for the participants – for instance being together, supporting the positive identities both presented in the story and embodied in the socially rewarding activity that they manage to engage in, implying that the participants create and sustain a common ground not so much about the story-layer as of the storytelling activity.

Effects of an Individualized Narrative Intervention on Children’s Storytelling and Comprehension Skills

Narrative skills that are important for preschoolers include retelling stories, telling personal stories, and answering questions about stories. Narrative abilities form the foundation of reading comprehension. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of an individually delivered language intervention on the narrative skills of preschoolers with developmental disabilities. Five preschoolers attending Head Start and participating in special education received 24 sessions of intervention each lasting 10 to 15 min. A multiple baseline, multiple probe experimental design was used to investigate the effects of the intervention, which incorporated visual supports (e.g., icons and pictures) and retell and personal storytelling practice, on story retells, personal stories, and story comprehension. Improvements on all three measures were related to the intervention. Parents and teachers reported that the storytelling activities were engaging, enjoyable, and produced improvements in the children’s language skills.

PENGARUH KEGIATAN BERCERITA DENGAN BUKU CERITA ISLAMI TERHADAP PERILAKU MORAL ANAK

This study aims to obtain empirical data on the effects of storytelling activities with Islamic books on moral behavior of the children aged 5-6 years in Unwanul Khairiyah RA and RA Nurul Akbar. The research method used was ex post facto. The research samples were 20 children selected by simple random sampling. The techniques of data analysis conducted prior to the test requirements consisted of normality and homogeneity. This study concluded that there are significant positive storytelling activities with Islamic books on moral behavior of the children aged 5-6 years. The implications of the results of the study are that teachers should create learning activities that can develop the children’s moral behavior in a joyful method such as story telling with Islamic books. The teachers also need to be more creative in using methods and media.

‘Shooting at the Sun God Apollo’: The Apollonian-Dionysian Balance of the TimeSlips Storytelling Project

In The Birth of Tragedy, Friedrich Nietzsche celebrated the dueling forces of reason and emotion as personified by the ancient Greek gods Apollo and Dionysus. A subtle Apollonian-Dionysian balance can be observed in TimeSlips, a group-based creative storytelling activity developed in the 1990s and increasingly used in dementia care settings worldwide. This article explains how the Apollonion-Dionysian aspects of TimeSlips are beneficial not only for persons with dementia, but also for their carers. Narrative data from medical students at Penn State College of Medicine who participated in TimeSlips at a local retirement community are shared.

Making an effort for free – volunteers' roles in destination-based storytelling

Many destinations are dependent on volunteers. Storytelling is one of the areas to which volunteers are increasingly contributing; however, the role of volunteers has been offered only sporadic attention. The aim of this study is to provide insights into volunteer involvement by studying volunteers as destination stakeholders with focus on their roles, influence, and contribution. A cross-case analysis of three Nordic cases is undertaken. A theoretical framework is developed based on volunteer tourism, stakeholder theory, and marketing literature on storytelling. A three-phase model of the storytelling process is developed. Findings show substantial variation. Unsurprisingly, early inclusion of volunteers result in substantial influence on the storytelling concept, however, this does not guarantee volunteer involvement later on. Conversely, late inclusion of volunteers does not necessarily hinder engagement among volunteers in the execution of the stories. All cases demonstrate that developing a strong concept that can tie together the efforts of stakeholders across professional and volunteer divides is a major challenge. The results point at the importance of strategic goals coordinating storytelling activities, volunteer inclusion, and ‘use’ of volunteers' local knowledge and enthusiasm in all phases of the destination-based storytelling process planned along with strategic goals such as ‘selling place’ or ‘building community’.

How narrative difficulties build peer rejection: A discourse analysis of a girl with autism and her female peers

In this discourse analysis of a social-skills intervention, the narratives of a girl (‘Cindy’) with autism and her female peers were analyzed. Some 162 narratives were identified in 12 hours of video, which documented an eight-week program. Using conversation/talk-in-interaction analysis methods, we determined that over 60% of peers’ narratives were cooperatively completed by group members compared to less than 20% of Cindy’s. In contrast, a majority of Cindy’s narratives were cooperatively sanctioned. Analysis of these unsuccessful narratives revealed that: 1) peers often contest Cindy’s narratives if they are about a restricted interest; 2) Cindy often notices her peers’ resistance but persists with her storytelling activity; and 3) peers’ sanctioning becomes more intense over time. We claim that Cindy’s autism-related behaviors manifest themselves in inflexible interactions that systematically lead to her exclusion. This study emphasizes that storytelling is a fundamental tool that girls use to socialize with one another, which has implications for autism intervention practices.

Storytelling in dementia: Embodiment as a resource

In narrative research about persons with dementia, much research focuses on individual storytellers and their stories often stressing the discursive or textual aspects of stories. As persons with Alzheimer's disease generally have difficulties in telling stories according to often implicit narrative norms, they may appear to be less competent and agentive than what is actually the case. In the article, I argue for a change of focus from the textual aspects of narratives and the story as a product, to a focus on performative aspects and the embodied aspects of storytelling. A focus on the storytelling activity implies a change from the individual storyteller to the interaction with other participants in the storytelling situation. Drawing on two particular cases of storytelling, I stress the collaborative and embodied aspects of storytelling and argue that embodiment is less an individual expressive phenomenon than it is an interactive resource.

StoryCube: supporting children’s storytelling with a tangible tool

Storytelling is one of the effective methods used in education. Computer-aided storytelling allows children to create more free-form stories and provides a large amount of story materials. Grounded in the current related works, we design a tangible interactive tool, which supports children to interact with virtual objects via a tangible way instead of the usage of mouse/keyboard. With this tool, we also develop a storytelling system called StoryCube where children are able to create a 3D story environment and accomplish story narrations through physical manipulations to different virtual characters. From a preliminary user study, we find StoryCube full of playfulness, easy to learn and use, and somehow inspire children in storytelling activities.

Folklore, Restoration of Social Capital and Community Culture

This is a qualitative research study using participatory action research and aimed to (1) Study the value and meaning of folklore in current local context, (2) study the correlation between folklore structure and northeastern social structure, and (3) promote the use of folklore as social capital for the formation of child learning process. The sample group consisted of students and teachers, the elderly, and parents totaling 102 persons. Among the people in the sample group were 52 students from Class 1 (Grade 1-3) from Ban Kham Sang Chang School, Namkham Sub- district, Thai Charoen District, Yasothon Province, and teachers and parents of the students in the community totaling 50 persons. The research findings revealed that folklore helped in creating community space for people in the community to meet and interact with each other. The elderly, who were the key social capital of the community, were able to play their valuable roles once again, which brought happiness to the community. Children and young people learnt about the history of the community, which was their root, through the storytelling activity and were able to change their ways of thinking and behaviors from listening to these stories. Missing traditions and playing activity were restored, resulting in cooperation in performing activities of the community.

Mediational tools in story construction: An investigation of cultural influences on children’s narratives

In this article we investigate how the content of children’s stories can provide insight into their cultural contexts. Informed by sociocultural theory, we use children’s narrative as a methodological tool for understanding the role of cultural influences in their construction of personal experiences and imaginary events. Twelve children in a year one class (five–six years) participated in pairs in three storytelling activities designed to draw on both imaginary scenarios and real world experiences. First, a picture was used as a stimulus and children were asked to formulate a story about what was happening in the image. Second, children were read the first part of a story book, and then asked to explain how they thought the story would finish. Finally, children were asked to recount an experience about a holiday they had been on. Thematic analysis of the stories illustrated how children utilized meditational tools to construct their narratives. Children’s imaginary capabilities were closely entwined with their own personal experiences and developmental context and they drew on beliefs and practices that were culturally situated. As a result we suggest that incorporating storytelling activities into early years classrooms can enable educators to develop a closer understanding of pupils’ cultural development, and provide researchers with a valuable methodological resource for studying sociocultural perspectives.

Looking for Henry: Improvisation and Storytelling in Foreign-Language Theatre

This article describes the role of improvisation and storytelling in a student production of Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part One at Padua University. It explains why the student directing the play and language instructor chose this challenging piece and how they attempted to increase engagement with the project by involving the participants directly in text adaptation. The article explores the improvisation and storytelling activities proposed to the students, which had the aim of fostering their language competence and creating strong group dynamics while familiarising them with the play. These tasks formed the basis of the final version for performance, which consisted in a selection of the original scenes together with some novel scenes, linked together by short narratives produced by the students themselves. In describing this experience, the authors reflect on the benefits of the multidisciplinary nature of foreign language drama, where influences as diverse as Bertolt Brecht, Peter Brook and Bruce Lee can converge in a truly learner-centred approach to second language acquisition.

Once upon a time, there was a pulchritudinous princess . . .: The role of word definitions and multiple story contexts in children's learning of difficult vocabulary

ABSTRACTThe close relationship between children's vocabulary size and their later academic success has led researchers to explore how vocabulary development might be promoted during the early school years. We describe a study that explored the effectiveness of naturalistic classroom storytelling as an instrument for teaching new vocabulary to 6- to 9-year-old children. We examined whether learning was facilitated by encountering new words in single versus multiple story contexts, or by the provision of age-appropriate definitions of words as they were encountered. Results showed that encountering words in stories on three occasions led to significant gains in word knowledge in children of all ages and abilities, and that learning was further enhanced across the board when teachers elaborated on the new words’ meanings by providing dictionary definitions. Our findings clarify how classroom storytelling activities can be a highly effective means of promoting vocabulary development.

Design and development of a smart storytelling toy

Because computers generally make children passive listeners, new technological devices need to support children's storytelling activities. This article introduces the StoryTech, a smart toy that includes a virtual space comprised of computer-based graphics and characters as well as a real space that involves stuffed animals, background cards and a receiver panel. When children put real objects on the receiver panel, the computer displays related backgrounds and characters. Through this flexible context, children are expected to tell a story about what they see on the screen. The aim of this article is to present the development period of the StoryTech and to provide design principles for smart toy technologies based on the usability study. The article focuses on attributes of new technology and the significance of supporting storytelling activities to find the best combination of and moderation between real and virtual spaces.

The Role of Second-Language Learning in Diagnosing Primary Student's Gaps of Knowledge: Towards a Symptomatic Use of Interdisciplinarity

This discussion-paper aims to present a concrete, albeit untested, hypothesis regarding how second-language learning lessons could prove useful in diagnosing essential signs of confusion, misunderstanding, or of any other kind of cognitive blunder which affects the scientific knowledge of late primary-education students (aged 10-12). In opposition to the somewhat rigid means of evaluation normally employed in content-oriented subjects, such as History, Biology, etc. —exams, tests and written assignments, carried out, as a rule, in the children‘s native language—, this discussion-paper defends that the accuracy of the student's knowledge may also, though not only, be evaluated by paying attention to their creative discourse; furthermore, to the creative discourse they produce in a second-language. In fact, such discourse would fulfill a similar role to the one held by free- association in psycho-analytic therapy. In this case, however, the teacher's attention would not focus on pupil's unconscious thoughts or desires, but on any sign of ignorance or misunderstanding revealed in this imaginative use of language. Accordingly, story-telling activities, wishful expressions, descriptions of ideal societies, ideal animals, ideal families, etc., could all offer a viable side-road to access the child's conceptual knowledge in relation to scientific contents. Children's acquaintance with the basic aspects of the social and natural sciences, as dictated by their education curriculum, could be further analyzed in this way.^p

Storytelling: The Way to Build Confidence among Low Proficiency Students

AbstractStorytelling has been used as an effective teaching tool in language learning to enhance students’ communication skills and build their confidence. In addition, it gives them the opportunity to explore the language, especially the non-verbal skills. Students of lower proficiency at The National University of Malaysia (UKM), taking Foundation English courses usually lack confidence and are intimidated by the language. Consequently, they are hesitant to use the language and not motivated to do so. As storytellers, students have the opportunity to read, write, listen, and speak the language. Experimenting with different ways of telling stories is fun and gives them confidence. This activity also stresses the importance of listening and how to communicate ideas and interact with others. It is believed that with improved self-esteem and confidence, these students could learn their second language better. This paper is to report on these students’ perception on how effective storytelling is in enhancing their confidence in English language skills. The students perceived that their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills have improved after going through the storytelling activities.

Experiments in Web Storytelling

Recognized as one of our oldest yet still vital forms of communication, storytelling offers new opportunity when it takes place on the web. Even our every day activities of writing email, creating presentations, or participating in social media can become more dynamic when considered stories. A digital storyteller from outside the museum field discusses three experiments in web-based storytelling activities that museum educators might adopt as strategies for communication with audiences.

A Mobile Mixed-Reality Environment for Children's Storytelling Using a Handheld Projector and a Robot

This paper describes a system called GENTORO that uses a robot and a handheld projector for supporting children's storytelling activities. GENTORO differs from many existing systems in that children can make a robot play their own story in a physical space augmented by mixed-reality technologies. Pilot studies have been conducted to clarify the design requirements of GENTORO from both technological and practical viewpoints. A user study indicates that GENTORO's ability to enable manipulation of a robot using a handheld projector in a physical space can enhance children's embodied participation in, and their level of engagement with, their storytelling activities, and can support children in designing and expressing creative and original stories.