telling tales
Filed Under Tips & Tricks | May 12, 2009
As a follow up to her column on screen time, Sharon Selby, a local child counsellor and the creator of the Phonics Wizard, delves a little deeper into why who is telling the story matters:
Screen time includes more than just TV. Computers and video games are also cutting into reading time and kids are becoming accustomed to the instant gratification that they offer to the detriment of the delayed gratification that comes from learning to read. The best way to help children realize that learning to read is worthwhile is by exposing them to stories.
Stories are a historical part of our culture, originally told around campfires and later by the indoor hearth. Dinner times were, and for many families still are, a time to share stories about our days. Stories teach lessons and communicate values. Aesop’s Fables outline morals that young children can identify with. Charlotte’s Web focuses on the importance of bravery and honesty. The Three Little Pigs shows the importance of doing a job properly, even if it takes a little longer. Stories have tremendous power in influencing our culture.
But much of storytelling has been taken over by electronic mass media, changing the valuable content of the stories and who is telling them. Hollywood tends to focus on violence, sex, marketing, bullying and special effects for constant stimulation. Compare that to parents, teachers, elders, authors, and librarians, who read to provide entertainment, education or inspiration.
One harmful effect of this shift is a culture of disrespect that’s emerging. Dr. David Walsh of the National Institute of Media and the Family notes that “Whoever tells the story defines the culture”, and, he continues “We’ve gone from ‘have a nice day’ to ‘make my day’”.
So take a moment to think where your children are hearing their stories and who’s telling them. And then sit down and read them a story.
Sharon Selby, B.Ed., M.A., is a local child counsellor. She is the author of The Phonics Wizard Reading Series: a fun learn-to-read program for parents to teach their own children early literacy skills for ages 2-7. Click here for her previous columns.
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