A well-told story can be more than entertaining - it can be magical, exciting and intriguing. If you've ever watched a group of children listening to a good storyteller than you'll know just how special the experience can be. But what's the difference between telling a story and reading one, and how can playworkers give storytelling a try?
The principal difference may be easy to spot since a reader will be using a book and a teller will be using their memory or making up a story, but the differences don't just end there, according to 11-year-old Alex from Devon.
He says, 'When people read to you they've got their faces down in a book, but when they tell their own story they look at you and make expressions, and it's more interesting and exciting. You feel like the story is just for you.'
Storyteller Spindle Wayfarer (real name Chris Salisbury) has 12 years'
experience of telling his tales to children and adults of all ages. He agrees that eye contact is crucial to his art since it establishes a relationship with the audience, and says, 'Stories live and breathe in the relationship between the storyteller and the audience. You can capture someone's imagination with a story, but you must engage with them first of all, and looking at them is fundamental. Reading aloud is valuable of course, but books can form a physical barrier between people.'
Yet storytelling promotes language and literacy. Children are exposed to rich language and detailed descriptions, and many storytellers encourage children to join in with tales that have a pattern or refrain. A love of stories is likely to fuel inspiration and the desire to read and write, something that 10-year-old Liam has experience of. He says, 'Once you've heard a really good story, you get in the mood to write one. A storyteller came to my school once, and after the story I chose some props out of his box and wrote my own story about them. It was the best story I've ever thought of and I was asked to read it out in class.'
TRADITIONAL TALES
A thirst for stories is not new of course; story telling is an age-old tradition. Before the days of the mail and media, people acquired information about the world from the stories that were passed on to them, and Spindle Wayfarer believes that his tales still reach beyond the realms of entertainment today. He says, 'Stories contain morals, wisdom and warnings that are still valuable in the modern world. The metaphors and symbols are like maps to help us navigate our lives.'
Experienced storyteller Clive Pig agrees, saying, 'The messages within traditional stories can be very powerful and as relevant as ever. Take Little Red Riding Hood for instance. The little girl strays from the path she was supposed to keep to and consequently runs into trouble.' But don't children tire of these traditional tales, and is storytelling a bit too babyish for children in the out-of-school age range?
It seems to depend on how the stories are told. Sammie, aged nine, recently heard two storytellers working together to tell The Three Little Pigs. She says, 'You'd think that story would be too babyish for me, but the storytellers changed bits. One of them played a guitar in the background while the other one talked. I wasn't bored at all because their version of the story had lots of surprises that I wasn't expecting. They made the story really funny, and the man sort of became the characters. It was like watching a play with just one person playing all the parts, and I really enjoyed it.'
Many storytellers have traditional tales in their repertoire, but these are generally balanced with unfamiliar stories too, that have originated from all over the world. You can find these stories in books (it's possible to find collections of tales recommended for learning and then telling as opposed to reading), on the internet, and you can pick them up the traditional way - from listening to other storytellers.
Mary Medlicott has been a storyteller for over 20 years, telling her tales at home and overseas. She has written The Little Book of Storytelling, which introduces the art to the novice (Featherstone Education, tel: 0185 888 1212). She advises potential storytellers to draw inspiration from their own lives, and encourages people to try telling a short tale about a funny incident that has happened to them or to a pet, or to recount an adventure they had as a child.
At the Early Years and Primary Teaching Exhibition in London last month, Mary encouraged seminar delegates to give children the beginning of a story and then ask them for their ideas to take it forward, saying, 'Storytelling is a terrific way to enter the imagination and to find enjoyment. When you work with other people you have so many imaginations to draw from you needn't be stuck, so do ask children for their ideas, and expect some original answers. Encourage the airing and sharing of ideas, accept them all and then choose one to follow.'
STORYTELLING STYLES
There are many different styles of storytelling, as Clive explains. 'I'm a performance storyteller - I'm animated and quite dramatic in my delivery.
But some storytellers are quiet and still, and this can be equally effective. The common qualities shared by good storytellers are an enthusiasm for the story, and a good vocabulary, coupled with the ability to make a story accessible to the audience - there's no point saying clever things that people don't understand. An ability to build suspense, to create tension and to pace a story is important, and that comes with practice.'
The children I asked certainly know what they want in a storyteller.
Ten-year-old Ben sums it up. 'It's good if someone dresses as if they're in the story. They should do different voices, speak in different tones and do movements or actions too. They should sound as if they're excited in places, and they should try to let the children join in with some of the parts.'
Introducing storytelling to a club will certainly require some extra effort for most staff, since few playworkers are experienced storytellers. But Mary is certain that it is worthwhile, not only because of the enjoyment and benefits afforded to the children, but because she believes the experience of the playworker would be enriched by the children's response.
Mary firmly believes that storytelling has a place in clubs focusing on fun. She says, 'Children want to hear stories for their own enjoyment, not just so that literacy boxes can be ticked.'
Eight-year-old Callum says all of his friends like storytellers, and remarks, 'I've never heard a storyteller tell children to stop talking or to listen - everyone is interested so they want to be quiet to hear every word. No one wants to miss out on the story.'
TOP TIPS
* Go and see storytellers at festivals and events, and hire one to visit your club if you can. (Contact the Society for Storytellers, tel: 0118 935 1381). Write notes about the stories you might like to try, and practise using your voice as the storytellers do, varying the pitch, tone and volume.
* Start with a short story you know really well already or can learn easily - your own or a traditional tale perhaps.
* Use a few props or visual aids to prompt you and engage the children if you like, but overdo it and the effect can be overwhelming. Write a few notes on cards if it will help you feel more confident.
* Gather a small group of children at first, and create the atmosphere of huddling together, somewhere without distractions.
* Use vivid descriptions and rich language.
* Offer activities that encourage children to tell stories themselves. Try having them tell a traditional story to a friend in pairs, then suggest they come up with a new ending to give the tale a unique twist. Or play circle games where each child says a sentence in turn to build a story.
Alternatively, pick a place, an animal, character names and a task or a problem, and challenge pairs of children to come up with a short story featuring them all.
* Expect your storytelling skills to take time to develop, and persevere accordingly.