Pie Corbett on
the importance of telling a story orally before writing it down
The Teaching Sequence: Pie Corbett's 6 steps to success
Storytelling is at the heart of every culture, helping us to understand the world we live in and think creatively. By combining quality picture books with memorable storytelling, Stories for Writing provides every child with the bridge they need to develop their own imaginative world. This, in turn, is proven to unlock their writing potential.
Talk Together
Before reading the story explore the plot, characters and setting and ask pupil's to apply it to their own lives.
Share the story
Using latest page-turning software, share the story together on the interactive white board.
Reading the book
Read the story in groups and at home, use drama and art to recreate it, and ask pupil's to retell it in their own words. Constant rereading makes a book memorable and helps children internalise the language patterns.
Telling a story
Retell the tale until children can retell it themselves. Watch and join in with Pie as he tells his version of the original story by using a story map as a visual reminder and actions that support kinaesthetic learning.
Writing a class story
Use the onscreen tools to adapt, edit, and embellish the original story map until a new class story is created and retold.
Children writing their own story
Children use their own ideas to create their own story maps, sharing and honing before writing their stories down.
The result
When children write, they are basing their story on both the original book and oral retelling. This gradual and memorable approach ensures that every child develops his or her own story.
