How can we help children become good writers of narrative? Essay gives advice to teachers about story writing in the classroom

How can we help children become good writers of narrative?

To become good writers of narrative children need to have a wide range of experience in hearing and reading stories.

'The roots of story writing lie in a rich experience of listening to and watching stories, drama and role play, early story reading, frequent re-reading of favourites and the telling/retelling of all forms of story' (Writing Narrative: writer flier 2:NLS)

As well as an extensive background of stories children need the right environment to produce them.

I will attempt to show how as teachers we are responsible for creating the right background knowledge, environment and encouragement to allow young writers of narrative to achieve the best they can. Many children find the transcription of writing very difficult so as teachers we have to find the best way to bring out their ideas for stories and not let anything hinder their progress.

Latino Children Play Swing

Narrative Ecology Framework

narrative-2

Part one B4 School

Children learn about writing and stories long before they enter the school system. We are a literate society this is therefore reflected onto the children. Putting pen to paper is a normal convention e.g. writing cheques and lists. Children soon discover that if they put pen to paper they get praise for 'writing'.

Before children can read words on a page they interact with the story through the pictures. When reading books the story goes far beyond the words on the page. It hides with the pictures/illustrations on the page as well as in the child's imagination.

It is the reader's interpretation and thought that give meaning to the words on the page and children have to realise that this is an important part of the reading and writing process.

How we read a book depends on our life experiences and what we bring to...