Whether it’s an all time classic, an old wives tale or a story you were told as a child, we all have our favourites. National Story Telling Week encourages people to share their own stories with others, passing on tales from generation to generation.
The campaign takes place each year from 28th January to 4th February, with shops and libraries holding events and special offers on books to help keep the art of story telling alive. Nocton Primary School in Lincolnshire has a library filled with children’s books and literature. Alison Priestly, Key Stage One Teacher, stresses the importance of story telling at a young age.
“Children need to be able to rehearse stories in their own mind. Before children get as far as writing they need to have lots and lots of stories in their heads and reading is not enough for that. The children need to hear stories. They need to take those into their imagination and develop them in their imagination,” she says.
With Lincolnshire’s Young People’s Book Award Shortlist announced last month, the voting is now in full swing. CityVibe reporter Chris Wilkerson spoke to Sam Osman, whose book ‘Quicksilver’, is in the listing. Sam believes it’s about making stories fun for children. “The most important thing is to tell them a good story. We all love a good story whether we’re five or one hundred and five. The thing to do is to grip them with a great story,” says Sam.
And to anyone who thinks children are reluctant readers, Sam suggests it’s all to do with finding the perfect story: “If you find the right book for a child and they’ll curl up and read it, it doesn’t matter who they are.”
Listen to Christine Diffey and Chris Wilkerson’s interviews with Alison Priestly, the children of Nocton Primary School and Quicksilver Author, Sam Osman.
Watch LSJ TV reporter Benjamin Potts as he explores the world of story telling from Nocton Primary School, Lincolnshire.
