Stories can make us feel excited, sad, happy, surprised. The characters come ‘alive’ and we escape our world – living for a moment in a magical, different experience. It’s a powerful and motivating way for children to learn language.
Stories help children to:
- learn vocabulary (especially when key words are repeated in the text and pictures)
- learn how words can be put together to make sentences and texts
- learn sounds, rhythm and intonation (especially where there are lots of rhyming sounds)
- use their imagination and thinking skills to ‘work out’ meaning and predict what happens next
- develop their understanding of the world, life experiences, relationships and feelings.
Reading with your child is also just a lovely way to share time together.
Choosing a story
Not all stories are right for second language learning. When you choose a storybook, keep the following points in mind:
- Ask for advice from teachers, libraries and bookshops: which stories do they recommend?
- Length: will the amount of text on each page keep your child’s attention?
- Illustrations: is the story supported by enjoyable pictures?
- Interests: is the story related to your child’s interests (for example, if they like books about superheroes, would they like to try a similar story in English)?
- Characters: will your child like the main characters (for example, are they similar ages)?
- Grammar and vocabulary: is the language similar to the English they are learning at school? Is it similar to the type of language they use in their first language?
- Supporting other learning: does the story link to something your child is learning about?
Learning tip for 5–12 year olds
Our resources, created with Cambridge University Press, are carefully written with these considerations in mind. Storyfun for Starters, Storyfun for Movers and Storyfun for Flyers are ideal for young learners.
Learning tip for 13–18 year olds
As children get older, it is important to encourage them to develop their own reading interests and make their own choices. You can still offer advice and talk about books together. You can support your child by:
- discussing the kind of books and authors your child enjoys, such as fairy stories, science fiction, fantasy, sports and humour – value their choices and praise them for reading
- letting them know it’s OK to keep reading books with illustrations – pictures support your child to develop their understanding and learn new language.
Reading a story
Try telling a story dramatically! This will help your child to understand the meaning of the text and to stay focused on the story. Try using different:
- character voices
- gestures and movements
- facial expressions
- volumes, rhythms, speeds and pauses
- props, such as puppets and soft toys.
If you don’t feel confident reading in English, you might like to try listening to an audiobook while you and your child look at the pictures in the storybook.
Learning tip for 5–12 year olds
At first, try reading the story without stopping so your child is just enjoying the story and following by looking at the pictures. On the second reading, encourage more interaction by asking questions, such as ‘Is this funny, scary or sad?’, ‘Was that a good idea?’, ‘What do you think will happen next?’
Children often like to hear a story told again and again. This is great! Over time, they will understand more of the meaning and remember more of the language. They may feel confident enough to join in with telling the story. Start a sentence, then pause and encourage them to say the next word(s).
You could also ask your child to retell the story (or part of the story) in their own words. Or they might like to think of a different, exciting end to the story. This is great practice for Part 2 of the A1 Movers and A2 Flyers Speaking test.
Learning tip for 13–18 year olds
As children get older, they may prefer to read by themselves. They might find it especially motivating to read stories that have also been made into films.
You could then discuss the differences between the book and the film. Which one do they prefer? This is great practice for the B2 First for Schools Writing paper.
The important thing is to develop a shared love of reading. If you are enthusiastic about stories and reading, they will be inspired too.
Discussing a story
Stories give us lots of chances to ask questions, have discussions and use language. It’s also a great way to develop a range of skills, such as imagination, creativity, thinking skills and understanding of emotions and relationships.
When you read a story, or play an audiobook, pause when appropriate and ask your child about:
- the plot: ‘What just happened?’, ‘Was that a good idea?’, ‘What do you think will happen next?’
- the characters: ‘How do you think they feel?’, ‘Why do you think they did that?’, ‘What do you think they will say next?’
- the topic (you may need to discuss this in your first language): ‘What do you think is the message of the story?’
Learning tip for 5–12 year olds
If you are not confident speaking English, choose books with engaging and interesting illustrations. The pictures will help you follow the story and discuss it with your child.
Before your child reads or listens to the book, look at the picture on the front cover. Translate the title of the book. Now make guesses about what will happen in the story. Then listen to the story and look at the pictures. Pause at an appropriate point in the story. Were your guesses right? What do you think will happen by the end of the story?
Learning tip for 13–18 year olds
You can support and encourage your child by showing an interest in their reading books. Try asking questions, such as: ‘What are you reading?’, ‘Are you enjoying it?’, ‘What do you like/dislike about it?’, ‘Do you think I would like it?’, ‘What do you think will happen to the characters next?’, ‘Is there a moral to the story?’
Learning activities
Stories are also a great inspiration for further creativity – this provides opportunities to practise a range of different skills.
Learning tips
Reading skills
- Find a funny short story. Cut it up and ask your child to use sticky tape to stick it back together again. You can make it more difficult by having a couple of cards that don’t match so the task isn’t completed by luck towards the end.
Writing skills:
- Ask your child to draw their own story pictures and label them.
- Encourage your child to write a short story about what the characters did next. Alternatively they could invent a change to the story (for example, think of a different ending).
Speaking skills:
- Ask your child to describe their favourite character, part of the story or picture.
- Ask your child to choose one or two background people in a picture. Can they imagine new things about them? For example: What is their name? How old are they? What do they like doing? What might they say to each other? What’s going to happen next?
- Try ‘acting out’ a short scene together. Encourage everyone to use funny voices and faces for different characters. This can help unconfident children feel less nervous about speaking.
Listening skills:
- Read aloud a short story. Ask your child to act out each line or paragraph. Pause at appropriate points to give your child some time to think of a movement. For example, if you read aloud the line ‘there were lots of bees’, your child could pretend to flap their wings and say ‘Buzz! Buzz!’ If they don’t understand something, make up your own movement to give them a clue.