Storytelling made easy
We all love stories - children, young people, adults. Regardless of the medium. Whether book, radio play, comic or film, they captivate us with their characters, suspenseful arcs and twists. There is only one thing that is even better than simply listening to them: telling your own stories.
Even small children can do this at a very early age. In free play, they take on different roles, disguise their voices and immerse themselves in their imaginary worlds. As soon as they start school, they learn to read and write and also use this new form of self-empowerment to make up their own stories and write them down.
Inventing their own stories gives children something that they are often denied in everyday life: Power.
It has long been recognised in educational work how important storytelling is for children's cognitive and emotional development. Storytelling not only has a positive effect on their reading and writing skills, but also improves their sense of language and sharpens their way of expressing themselves.
Decide for yourself at last
There is another aspect that is often overlooked: Telling their own stories gives children something that they are often denied in everyday life: Power. Children and young people alone decide what and how they tell their stories or what topics they deal with.
That's why the art of storytelling offers them boundless freedom: they can change roles, ages, genders, characters and scenarios at will - or they can make up a crazy toast in outer space that plays well-known folk tunes backwards on the recorder. If adults then say: «But that's not possible!», it doesn't matter at all. Because in storytelling, everything is possible and everything is allowed.
But which media and technical aids are best for children to bring their ideas to life? Here is a selection.
1st letter
Working on the computer makes it easier for children to revise and improve texts effortlessly. The usual word processing programmes are suitable for this. However, applications such as Word can also demotivate younger children. So why not write by hand?
Writing and designing: The Book Creator for iPads (iOS, approx. 3.50 Fr.) and as a web application (for schools with different conditions) is geared towards children's needs. Children can use it to write their own stories and design them on the spot. Although the app is such a powerful tool, it remains child's play and intuitive to use. It helps children to produce creative results in a manageable amount of time that will also satisfy them.
2. tell stories with photos
Not all children want to write. However, other creative formats can be used to motivate them to tell stories. For example, they can create their own photo novel using the camera function on their smartphone and the Comic Life 3 app (iOS and Android, approx. CHF 5). To do this, they take a series of pictures, arrange them in a dramaturgically logical order and add headlines, narrative bars and speech bubbles in a few simple steps. They then send the finished works online or print them out.
3. tell stories with videos
Video shooting is more complex. Smartphones and tablets have the advantage of combining the camera and editing programme on one device. This means you can not only film directly, but also cut, add transitions and edit the soundtrack. Apps such as InShot (iOS, Android) or the free iMovie (iOS) simplify the process into easy-to-follow steps. It's even easier with iMovie's trailer function, which also offers countless creative possibilities. It all sounds simple, it is simple - but it still takes time.
4. tell audio stories
The microphones on smartphones and tablets are now of such high quality that it is child's play to record a radio play. Planet Schule offers a radio play construction kit online. With «Die Spur der Katzen», children are given a gentle introduction to the world of sound. The tips and instructions on Auditorix are also helpful. For advanced users, the open source editing programme Audacity or GarageBand, which is free from Apple and can also be used to compose music, are suitable. There are good explanatory videos for both on YouTube.
Structure and planning against frustration
But despite a great desire to tell stories, even the most beautiful projects come to a standstill - and the children give up in frustration. Sometimes they no longer like their ideas, sometimes comparisons lead to dissatisfaction or a thoughtless comment discourages them. They are also often unable to assess the effort and correction loops involved in such processes. That's why a trick from the professional box helps: Structure and planning. Children should think about this in advance of the project so that they always know where they are in the process and have a clear orientation in phases of helplessness.
Children who actively engage with media will look at it with new eyes in future and scrutinise its content and design.
There are three good reasons why we should encourage the creation of narratives with all media. Firstly, it taps into the interests of children and young people. Secondly, creative work with digital devices offers valuable discussion opportunities to strengthen their media skills in passing - for example, through tips such as not filming anyone without being asked, respecting copyright and only publishing with parental consent.
Thirdly, storytelling promotes important skills such as critical thinking, creativity, self-confidence, planning skills, perseverance and technical skills. Children who actively engage with media will look at it with new eyes in future and scrutinise its content and style.
