How Storytelling Builds Oral Language Skills
Storytelling is a simple yet powerful way to help children develop oral language skills. By sharing and creating stories, tamariki (children) improve their vocabulary, sentence structure, listening, and confidence in speaking. This process also encourages children to think beyond the present moment, enhancing their ability to describe events, solve problems, and express ideas clearly.
Key takeaways:
Vocabulary Growth: Stories introduce tamariki to new words and complex sentence structures.
Listening Skills: Children learn to understand spoken words, gestures, and inferred meanings.
Confidence: Sharing stories boosts self-expression and encourages clear communication.
Cultural Connection: Local pūrākau (stories) teach heritage while supporting language development.
At centres like Little Dinosaurs Childcare, storytelling is seamlessly integrated into daily routines through interactive techniques, props, and child-led activities. These methods help tamariki build strong language foundations, preparing them for school and beyond.
Storytelling isn't just about words - it’s a dynamic process involving gestures, expressions, and creativity, making it an engaging way to nurture communication skills.
Engaging Children in Oral Storytelling to Support Oral Language Development
How Storytelling Develops Oral Language Skills
Impact of Storytelling on Children's Oral Language Development: Key Statistics
Storytelling plays a key role in helping children improve how they communicate. When kids listen to or share stories, they pick up on language patterns, practise pronunciation, and learn how words and sentences fit together. Let’s break down how storytelling helps preschoolers polish their language skills.
Expanding Vocabulary and Sentence Structure
Stories expose children to what experts call "story language" - a more structured and formal way of speaking compared to casual conversations. This type of language helps kids understand grammar and predict what words might come next, which boosts both their speaking abilities and future reading skills. For example, when a child says, "Once upon a time, there was a taniwha who lived in the harbour", they’re using a sentence structure far more complex than what they’d use to ask for a snack.
Storytelling also encourages kids to talk about things that aren’t directly in front of them, which pushes them to use more precise language. Whether they’re recounting a trip to the beach or imagining a flying kiwi, they have to carefully choose words to make their story clear to others.
Research backs this up - vocabulary at age 2 is a strong indicator of literacy and numeracy success by age 12. However, a study in Aotearoa New Zealand found that 20% of five-year-olds struggle with oral language. One helpful technique is intentional pausing: waiting up to 15 seconds before responding gives kids the time they need to craft more detailed answers.
Improving Listening and Comprehension
Storytelling doesn’t just grow vocabulary - it sharpens listening skills and deepens understanding. When children listen to stories, they develop receptive language, which is the ability to process and understand spoken words and gestures. But it doesn’t stop there. Kids also learn to grasp both basic details (like "who" and "where") and deeper meanings (like why a character behaves a certain way or what might happen next). This ability to understand inferred meaning grows significantly between ages 3 and 6.
A study of five-year-olds revealed that retelling stories highlighted oral language difficulties in 81% of participants. Storytelling naturally uncovers these gaps while also teaching kids about characters, plot twists, and resolutions. Over time, they start predicting what might come next - a skill that directly supports reading comprehension.
Repetition is another powerful tool. Hearing the same story through different mediums - like puppets, drama, or books - helps kids absorb and master key story elements. Props such as shells, stones, or clay shapes can also make abstract ideas more concrete, helping children organise events and visualise the story.
Building Confidence in Speaking
Storytelling gives children the chance to take centre stage, boosting their confidence as speakers. When kids realise their stories are worth sharing, they’re more motivated to speak clearly. Educator Vivian Gussin Paley put it perfectly:
"A little boy telling a story has every reason to want to speak clearly, so that the other characters will understand how they are to do their roles."
For kids who are shy, props can act as a safety net. Speaking through a puppet or holding a special object can make it easier for them to find their voice. Writing down children’s play stories and then acting them out also gives them a practical reason to speak clearly - their peers need to understand the story to perform it.
The numbers show why building this confidence is so important. In New Zealand, 70% of parents say their preschooler (aged 3 to 5) struggles with oral language to some degree. Additionally, 59% of early childhood educators report that COVID-19 has negatively impacted kids’ language development. Creating environments where kids feel safe experimenting with language - and where mistakes are seen as part of learning - can help address these challenges. These improved language skills set the stage for the more interactive storytelling activities that follow.
Adding Storytelling to Daily Activities
Storytelling can easily become part of everyday life - woven into playtime, meals, or even quiet moments - without the need for special tools or elaborate plans. When parents and educators treat storytelling as a natural part of the day rather than a structured activity, kids tend to engage more naturally, picking up language skills along the way.
Using Story Grammar for Structured Storytelling
Story grammar offers a simple yet effective way to teach children how stories are built. A well-constructed story typically includes four key elements: a setting, a problem, attempts to solve it, and a resolution. By consistently introducing these components, children begin to incorporate them into their own storytelling without needing reminders.
At Little Dinosaurs Childcare, kaiako share local pūrākau like the story of Tamatea Pōkai Whenua and the nearby maunga to teach story structure. Tamariki use props, objects, and even drama to retell these tales, helping them learn local place names and whakapapa while grasping the flow of a story. This method strengthens their connection to their heritage while fostering language development in a way that feels natural and enjoyable. Once this foundation is in place, interactive techniques can take storytelling to the next level.
Interactive Storytelling Techniques
Interactive storytelling shifts children from being passive listeners to active participants. Using multimodal communication - such as eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, and spoken words - creates a shared experience that deepens their understanding. Adding performance elements like changes in pitch, rhythm, and tempo can heighten suspense and keep the audience captivated.
A great example comes from 2022 when teacher Amy used a personalised 'songbook' with toddlers JT (21 months) and Max (16 months). By combining physical touch, rhythmic repetition of Māori and English words (like "puku/tummy"), and responding to the children’s movements, Amy crafted a multimodal storytelling experience that kept the toddlers engaged, even without relying on spoken language. These kinds of interactive methods naturally encourage children to start creating their own stories, which leads to the next step.
Supporting Child-Led Storytelling
Letting children take the lead in storytelling is a powerful way to boost their confidence and creativity while reinforcing the skills they’ve picked up through structured and interactive storytelling. One effective approach is the "Doing Stories" method, also known as Helicopter Storytelling. This involves four steps: inviting the child to tell a story, writing down their exact words, reading it back with expression, and having the group act it out.
Creating a "story table" - a dedicated space where children can dictate their stories to an educator at any time - provides a consistent opportunity for child-led narratives. Using prompts like "How does your story begin?" or "Tell me more" can help spark their imagination, while allowing enough wait time gives them space to organise their thoughts. As Professor Elaine Reese from the University of Otago explains:
"Storytelling is valuable for children's language, emotional development, coping, self-concept, and sense of belonging".
Storytelling Activities for Preschoolers
Once children grasp the basics of storytelling and engage in interactive narratives, they can explore activities that help them build and refine their storytelling abilities. These activities naturally extend earlier techniques, offering fun and creative ways to strengthen language skills.
Prompt Jar Storytelling
A simple jar filled with pictures, words, or small objects can spark endless storytelling possibilities. This approach encourages kids to think beyond their immediate surroundings. Dr Judith Schickedanz from Boston University explains:
"Much of our language with children is about the here and now... But a more abstract kind of language is language about things that have already happened, or thinking ahead to what will happen, or a fantasy - making up stories".
This method fosters what’s known as decontextualised language - the ability to discuss things outside the present moment. For example, you could use "What If" prompts like, "What if you woke up one day and could talk to animals?" to spark creativity. To add an extra layer of excitement, hang visual storytelling clues around the room, such as a picture of a mysterious castle or a character, to inspire curiosity and discussion.
Dramatic Play and Story Acting
Dramatic play takes storytelling to the next level by turning it into a group performance. For instance, when only two goat puppets were available for "The Three Billy Goats Gruff", children created their own twist, inventing a story called "Two Billy Goats and Their Brother The Sheep," where the goats adopt a sheep. This type of imaginative retelling helps kids think creatively while practising clear communication. Early childhood expert Vivian Paley highlights:
"A little boy telling a story has every reason to want to speak clearly, so that the other characters will understand how they are to do their roles".
Using props like finger puppets, masks, or themed play areas (like farms or dinosaur worlds) can make the experience even more engaging, helping kids bring their stories to life.
Story Transcription from Play
Documenting children’s spontaneous narratives during play bridges the gap between spoken and written language. A story table can be used to transcribe these moments, reinforcing their language development. This approach, rooted in the Doing Stories method, has shown to be effective in tracking growth. Recording these stories on digital devices adds another layer of excitement - kids can watch themselves and gain a sense of pride in their storytelling achievements. This not only boosts confidence but also motivates them to keep creating and sharing stories.
How Storytelling Aligns with Te Whāriki and School Readiness
Oral Language in the Te Whāriki Framework
Storytelling plays a key role in New Zealand's early childhood curriculum, particularly in Strand 4 (Mana Reo | Communication). This strand highlights the importance of children experiencing an environment where they can hear, retell, and create stories. Through storytelling, tamariki develop two essential aspects of language: receptive skills, like listening and understanding, and expressive skills, such as using gestures and speaking.
Te Whāriki acknowledges that strong oral language abilities form the backbone of future literacy. Rich verbal interactions help expand vocabulary and refine syntax, both of which are critical milestones within the curriculum. Importantly, storytelling in this context isn't limited to words. It also encompasses sign language, visual imagery, art, dance, drama, and movement, offering a rich tapestry for communication.
Incorporating local pūrākau (ancient stories) and pakiwaitara connects tamariki with their heritage and whakapapa, nurturing their sense of identity and connection to the land. As storyteller Trent Hohaia eloquently puts it:
"Oral storytelling gives knowledge a soul".
By integrating these traditional narratives, children not only strengthen their cultural identity but also develop critical communication skills. Within Te Whāriki, this approach is further enhanced through small group interactions, which foster collaborative language growth.
Developing Language Skills in Small Group Settings
Small group settings offer a unique opportunity to deepen oral language development. These environments encourage sustained conversations, allowing tamariki to explore and share their perspectives. Kaiako play a pivotal role here, actively listening to each child and co-creating narratives using a mix of communication methods, such as eye contact, gestures, and spoken words. This approach aligns with the Mana Tangata (Contribution) strand, where children are encouraged to contribute their ideas and working theories.
These intimate group interactions build on the storytelling methods central to the curriculum, giving children the chance to practise and refine their language skills in meaningful contexts. For example, at Little Dinosaurs Childcare (https://littledinosaurs.co.nz), a small group of 27 children benefits from a Te Whāriki-based curriculum that prioritises literacy development through storytelling. In this setting, kaiako can offer individualised attention, helping tamariki bridge the gap between spoken and written language. This foundation is crucial for primary school readiness, equipping children with the confidence to express themselves, follow instructions, and engage in discussions.
Conclusion
Storytelling plays a key role in building lifelong communication skills. By engaging in regular storytelling, tamariki expand their vocabulary, grasp complex sentence structures, and gain the confidence to express their ideas clearly. These skills not only enhance classroom learning but also shape how children connect with others, interpret their world, and share their unique perspectives.
What makes storytelling so powerful is how naturally it fits into daily routines. Whether it’s using props during dramatic play, writing down a child’s imaginative tale, or sharing local pakiwaitara to strengthen connections to heritage, every story becomes an opportunity for language development. As Professor Elaine Reese explains:
"Storytelling is valuable for children's language, emotional development, coping, self-concept, and sense of belonging".
This wide-ranging impact makes storytelling a vital part of early childhood education.
Even small, consistent efforts can make a big difference. Techniques like pausing for 15 seconds or using open-ended "I wonder" questions can transform everyday conversations into meaningful learning experiences. These methods encourage tamariki to develop decontextualised language, helping them talk about events or ideas beyond the immediate moment - a crucial skill for later literacy success. Such practices nurture both strong oral language skills and the speaking confidence central to the curriculum.
Storytelling isn’t just about words. Gestures, facial expressions, props, and movement all add layers of meaning. Creating a talk-rich environment that celebrates storytelling empowers tamariki to become confident communicators and capable learners, setting them up for a smooth transition to primary school.
At Little Dinosaurs Childcare, these approaches reflect our dedication to supporting tamariki in becoming confident communicators, ready to embrace their next adventures.
FAQs
How often should we do storytelling with preschoolers?
Storytelling is an activity that preschoolers should engage in regularly - ideally every day or at least several times a week. This routine plays a key role in developing their oral language skills and building their confidence when speaking. Beyond that, frequent storytelling sparks their imagination and helps them learn how to share their ideas clearly and effectively.
What are some simple storytelling ideas for shy children?
Storytelling is a wonderful way to help shy children develop their oral language skills and build confidence. By encouraging them to share personal experiences, you can make the activity feel more familiar and comfortable. Using props like toys or pictures can provide visual cues, making it easier for them to express themselves.
Adults play a key role here by modelling storytelling. When you share a story, you demonstrate how to structure ideas and express emotions, creating a supportive atmosphere where children feel safe and valued. Starting with short, simple topics or introducing role-playing can also make the process more enjoyable and less intimidating. These small steps can gently open the door for shy children to find their voice.
When should I worry about my child’s oral language?
By the time your child reaches certain ages, hitting language milestones is an important part of their development. For example, by 12 months, they should be using gestures, making sounds, or babbling. By age two, they should be able to follow instructions and have an expanding vocabulary. Struggles in these areas could stem from factors like limited early exposure to language. If you notice delays, it’s a good idea to consult a health professional early on to help support their communication skills.
