1. It’s important in the classroom, to try to have complete silence before
you begin, so that the children are concentrating and focused on the story and the person
reading it. Turn off any background
music.
2. Develop a routine for getting absolute
quiet. For small children, use props. If you are doing a distribution themed
around fantasy, for example, for example, a magic wand and a little bell can be
effective. Say that you need to put a “quiet” spell on everyone, before you can
tell them a story, but you need everyone concentrating on the magic for it to
work. Say you need to be able to hear the bell ring before you can begin the
story. Get the children to cover their mouths and be as still and quiet as
possible. Then, once you have their attention, begin the story.
3. Make eye contact with everyone. At least you
should be able to see all the children from
where you are sitting or standing. Move them around if
necessary.
4. If there is a particularly rowdy child in the
audience, put them in the front row. Pay them a lot of attention before
you begin so they do not feel they have to compete for it during the story. If
necessary ask the teachers if there are any particularly disruptive children,
so you know who to keep an eye on!
5. Make sure that there are no distractions behind
you – stand in front of a wall, not an
interesting bookshelf or a window.
6. Make sure that the story you choose is one you
yourself like and will enjoy reading. Also be sure it is a good story to
read aloud. Try it out several times on your own first – how does it read? Try
and imagine the characters, their intonations and so on. If you feel you need
to differentiate between the voices of different characters, you need not
change the accent or pitch of your voice, but instead might want to talk more
hesitantly for a timid character, more confidently for a hero, and so on.
7. Think about yourself telling a favourite anecdote
to your friends. “Did I tell you about the time when I…” How do you tell
it? What gestures and effects do you use? At what points are you sure of
getting a laugh? What are you doing with your body language and how are you
telling the story? Is there a particular pause before the punch-line that works
wonders? Apply your style to the story you’re reading.
8. If it is a long story and some sections seem
unnecessary, decide in advance what to skip.
9.If there are two of you, and it’s a picture book,
it might be convenient to have a copy of the text only, which one person could
read out whilst the other shows the pictures. Or enlist a child to show the
pictures. The less you have to do in terms of turning pages, the more eye
contact you can keep and the more control you will have over how you project
the story.
10. If the text comes to natural crescendos or
rhythmic points (as for example in Mr Gumpy’s Outing by John Burningham)
, make a big deal out of them. If there are certain phrases that are constantly
repeated (as for example in The Giant Turnip), get the children to shout
them out. Practice before you start the story itself. Another effective
technique, if you are reading a fairy tale, is to get them prepared to clap
after you say “And they all lived happily ever after”. If they practice this a
few times before starting they will be anticipating the last line, listening
out for it, they will be encouraged to concentrate on the story, and you’ll get
a very encouraging round of applause!
11. Try and control vocal interruptions. If
they are not at all relevant, be strict with them.
12.
Choose stories that are no more than five minutes long, to keep
attention. It is easier to read three stories of five minutes each, than one of
fifteen minutes.
Suggestions
for reading aloud – I Want a Cat by Tony Ross. Ask around the
class before the story starts – do you have a pet? What pet would you most like
to have? Then tell them that this story is about a girl who really, really
wanted a cat. Elmer by David Mckee – ask around what the kids think an
elephant’s colour is. Then surprise them with Elmer’s picture!
