With a focus on the development of listening comprehension through storytelling, this term paper analyses the children's book Walking through the Jungle by Julie Lacome. It is divided into two main sections. The first part focuses on the relevance of listening comprehension and storytelling, providing the basis for the following analysis. In the second part possibilities are displayed to include the story in a sample teaching unit for year three.
First, criteria for selecting a story will be presented. Subsequently, the role of the teacher and how one should prepare the story will be displayed. Moreover, there will be a chapter for pre-listening activities, while-listening activities, and post-listening activities for the story. Finally, the language development through Walking through the Jungle will be summarised and discussed in the conclusion.
Table of Content
1| Introduction
2| Development of Listening Comprehension through Storytelling
2.1 Relevance of Listening Comprehension
2.2 Relevance of Storytelling
3| Sample Teaching Unit Walking Through the Jungle
3.1 Selection Criteria – Choosing a Story
3.2 Role of the Teacher – Preparing a Story
3.3 Sample Lesson Plan of the First Lesson
3.4 Pre-Listening Activities – Introducing the Story
3.5 While-Listening Activities – Telling the story
3.6 Post-Listening Activities – Working with the Story
3.7 Language Development through Walking through the Jungle
4| Conclusion
5| Bibliography
6| Appendix
6.1 Worksheet Number the animals
6.2 Song Walking through the Jungle
6.3 Bingo Worksheet
6.4 Picture cards
6.5 Worksheet What’s my animal?
6.6 Animal Puzzle
6.7 Worksheet Crossword
6.8 Detailed Lesson Plan
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary goal of this term paper is to analyze how storytelling can be effectively utilized as a pedagogical method to enhance listening comprehension skills among young learners in primary English education. By examining the children's book Walking through the Jungle by Julie Lacome, the paper explores strategies for integrating literature into the classroom to foster language acquisition and positive attitudes toward foreign language learning.
- The relevance of listening comprehension in primary English classrooms.
- The benefits of storytelling for language acquisition and intercultural learning.
- Criteria for selecting appropriate children's literature for year three students.
- Practical application of the Pre-While-Post-Listening model in teaching units.
- Techniques for teacher preparation and multisensory storytelling in the classroom.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Selection Criteria – Choosing a Story
The quality of a story depends on the teacher, the class, and the situation; hence each class requires a differentiated selection of stories. Cameron summarises that “a good story is, at one level, simply one that listeners or readers enjoy“ (2001: 166). Nevertheless, there are features that suitable stories for the primary English classroom should embrace. Those stories should “contain a simple-picture word relationship, with illustrations that synchronize […] with the text providing a secure, supportive learning context“ (Mourão 2015: 200). Consequently, pictures and illustrations are as important as the text and the story itself (Cameron 2001: 166). Walking through the Jungle meets this criterion since the story has a simple plot supported by pictures reflecting the words. Hence, the pupils can “look at the illustrations and the meaning is immediately apparent“ (Mourão 2015: 200).
Moreover, Lacome’s story is appropriate for primary school since the words and phrases are elementary and repetitive. Todtenhaupt-Duscha and Duscha claim that stories for young learners should include short and concise texts, including repetitive words and chunks (2008: 21). The story “contain[s] predictable and repetitive […] refrains, and pictures that please the eye but give little extra information“ (Mourão 2015: 200). Therefore, the pupils are not overtaxed, providing a “secure, supportive learning context” (Mourão 2015: 200). The repeated chunks before and while seeing the animals encourage young learners to participate in the story (Todtenhaupt-Duscha & Duscha 2008: 21).
Summary of Chapters
1| Introduction: Outlines the importance of listening comprehension for young learners and introduces the usage of Walking through the Jungle as a case study.
2| Development of Listening Comprehension through Storytelling: Discusses the theoretical necessity of training listening skills and the motivation behind using storytelling in L2 environments.
3| Sample Teaching Unit Walking Through the Jungle: Provides a practical framework for implementing the story, including selection criteria, teacher preparation, and phase-specific activities.
4| Conclusion: Summarizes the effectiveness of storytelling in enhancing vocabulary and listening competence while acknowledging the story's limitations.
Keywords
Listening comprehension, Storytelling, Primary English education, Language acquisition, Walking through the Jungle, Multisensory learning, Pre-While-Post-Model, Formulaic language, Young learners, Communicative competence, Vocabulary growth, Intercultural learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the pedagogical development of listening comprehension skills in primary school English students through the specific method of storytelling using the book Walking through the Jungle.
What are the central themes of the work?
Key themes include the importance of active listening, the selection quality of children's picture books, the teacher's role in guiding comprehension, and the structured use of pre, while, and post-listening activities.
What is the main goal or research objective?
The goal is to demonstrate how to effectively incorporate Walking through the Jungle into a year three English teaching unit to support student motivation and language acquisition.
Which scientific method is applied here?
The author applies a literature-based theoretical analysis combined with a practical pedagogical design, following the Pre-While-Post-Model to structure the lesson plan.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section analyzes theoretical foundations, defines selection criteria for stories, explores the teacher's role, and provides a detailed guide on conducting pre-listening, while-listening, and post-listening activities.
Which terms best characterize this work?
The paper is characterized by terms such as, Listening comprehension, Storytelling, L2 acquisition, Primary English education, and multisensory teaching.
How does the teacher's role change during the storytelling process?
The teacher acts as a role model, adapting speech tempo and idiolect, using gestures, and creating a multisensory atmosphere to help students move into a 'story frame of mind'.
Why is Walking through the Jungle considered suitable for year three?
It is suitable because of its simple, repetitive plot, elementary language, and illustrations that support understanding, which collectively provide a secure and non-overtaxing learning environment.
- Citation du texte
- Anonym (Auteur), 2022, Development of Listening Comprehension (English Class, Year 3), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1338564
