Before I get to the main topic of teaching your child to retell stories, I want to share an exciting experience I recently had!
I am beyond thrilled to share the progress of a remarkable client I have had the pleasure of working with for over three years.
This extraordinary individual possesses a developmental disability that impacts various aspects of her being, including muscle control, apraxia, and language delay. However, after years of diligent effort, she has blossomed into a completely verbal individual, now thriving in a general education classroom and has a delightful circle of friends.
Nevertheless, she faces a new challenge: using grammatically correct sentences during conversations and accurately recounting stories in sequence.
To tackle this hurdle, I have devised an engaging activity for her to practice her grammatical language skills during the Christmas break.
An exercise to help your child practice retelling stories
You can steal this idea and implement it with your own child!
- Capture daily moments of your Elf on the Shelf, “Sparkle,” in photographs.
- Print these pictures and compile them in a small photo album.
- Encourage your child to narrate what Sparkle is up to every day.
- Encourage detail! Where was Sparkle discovered? What was Sparkle doing? What color was the object Sparkle was using? Why do you think Sparkle wanted to engage in that particular activity?
Now, let’s talk about story retells. I’ve got you covered!
- Document your vacation trips by taking photographs of the places you visit and the things you enjoy.
- Create a small photo album using stapled pieces of paper with the photos glued on.
- Here’s how it works: you start by telling the story, modeling what a well-structured narrative should sound like. For example, “This is our trip to the zoo. We had to embark on a two-hour car journey to reach our destination. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by a magnificent lion statue at the front gate. Our first stop was the monkey enclosure, where we were captivated by their lively and animated antics.” And so on.
Feel free to get as creative as you like!
Use a higher level when you retell the stories
It’s important to make sure to stay just slightly ahead of your child’s storytelling abilities. Our aim is for them to emulate the story you’ve shared with them.
Bring this special book to Grandma’s house and let your child retell the story to her. The more the story is retold, the easier it becomes to add more intricate details!
Above all, remember to have fun with this activity! Enjoy the holiday season and have a truly Merry Christmas.