The power of story in the early years

10 October 2023

We spoke to Becky Taylor, an experienced childminder based in Nailsea, North Somerset, about how she has embedded ‘a storytelling culture’, to support her children’s early communication, language, and literacy development.

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Becky Taylor

Childminder, Nailsea, North Somerset

We can probably all think of a time when we were emersed in a story and how that made us feel.

The power of a good story is strong, but it can be so much more than reading aloud the text in a book.

There is strong evidence that the approach of ‘teaching and modelling language’ can be effective for all children, including children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This involves intentionally using language to show how words are used together to form sentences (grammar) and providing opportunities for them to apply it in their own speech (expressive language). Children also need to be supported to connect the meaning of words within and across sentences (receptive language).

Using verbal strategies

As part of the EEF’s work developing the Early Years Evidence Store, we looked at wider evidence in this area, videos of practice, and knowledge of practice from experienced educators. You can read about the specific approaches here.

Verbal strategies can include:

  • asking open questions about stories,
  • prompting children to sequence stories,
  • retelling stories,
  • giving children corrective feedback,
  • eliciting imitation, and
  • relating stories to children's own experience.

In the Early Years Evidence Store there are videos which exemplify the approach of ‘teaching and modelling language’ in practice. One video shows Becky teaching and modelling language during an oral storytelling and recall activity.

The set of core stories I provide include a range of texts, all purposefully selected. For example, I always include traditional tales because they provide children with opportunities to sequence, there is an obvious story structure and strong characters. I leave the stories out for children to access on the bookshelf for weeks at a time and read to them regularly. This enables the children to learn the stories by heart, so that they become confident in retelling and acting them out.
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Becky Taylor

Childminder, Nailsea, North Somerset

Creating a storytelling culture

Becky has created and embedded a story telling culture within her setting to enable her children to be engaged, confident story tellers and have a love of reading stories and books.

At story time I show the children a book and might ask them ‘today shall we talk about the pictures? or shall we tell the story, or shall I read the words?’ I model the different ways they can enjoy a story or book. When children are confident with storytelling they take ownership, they change the plot, the endings, the characters. It is like giving them ‘loose parts’ but in words. They cannot go wrong. It gives them the permission to make up their own stories.
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Becky Taylor

Childminder, Nailsea, North Somerset

There is a purpose behind all we do. Story provides powerful and strong foundations in which later learning can be built upon. Evidence gives us the confidence that if we create a love of books and storytelling, then we can positively impact on children’s long-term outcomes.
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Becky Taylor

Childminder, Nailsea, North Somerset