Using Storytelling to Prepare Classroom Environment that Supports Developing Children's Linguistic Skills

Abstract

This paper investigates the perceptions and instructional
practices of the first primary grade teachers with regard to utilizing
storytelling in preparing a classroom environment that supports
developing young children's linguistic skills. Thirty-six male and
female teachers were interviewed, and thirty-five classroom lessons
of these teachers were video recorded. A semi-structured interview
was used to find out respondents' perceptions in creating classroom
environment that enables young children to develop their linguistic
skills during using story telling. Moreover, an observation check-list
was used to explore the extent to which the teachers practise what
they reported through the interviews. The results revealed that the
teachers had traditional perceptions and practices. They were unable
to create classroom environments that contribute to assisting young
children to develop their linguistic skills during using storytelling. In
general, the results emphasized that most of the participants in this
study were unaware and unknowledgeable of the way in which
storytelling can be employed to establish a classroom environment
that supports developing children's linguistic skills . In other words,
they did not have clear perceptions about how to provide young
children with classroom environment that contributes effectively to
developing linguistic skills. In spite of these results, it was found that
there was a small group of the participants who had creative
perceptions regarding creating enjoyable classroom environments
that develop young children's linguistic skills during the use of
storytelling