The Power of Storytelling in Early Education - Jordan-en
The Power of Storytelling in Early Education
“Reading stories to children is an important thing,” says Hiam, a 34-year-old kindergarten teacher. “The children in kindergarten benefit so much from it. It is a tool for teaching new words and how to read. Every child starts learning by listening, which is why reading is such an important tool. Additionally, it helps the children’s imagination grow, as the stories give them something to think about.”
Hiam has been a teacher since graduating in 2011 but has only been at the kindergarten for a year. She has been reading stories to the children as part of the Early Grade Reading Program. “When children gather around to listen to the stories, they pay attention. For those children who are hyperactive, listening to a story often helps them sit still and focus, which is a great way to teach discipline as we want the children to learn how to be attentive.”
She emphasizes the long-term benefits of reading: “When a child listens to a story, they develop a love of reading from an early age, which is very important. I urge families to read to their children as much as possible and to try to reduce and replace the time children spend on smart devices. Reading also strengthens the bond between children and adults. A child who listens to their parent reading a story will develop a stronger relationship with that parent.”
Hiam’s passion for reading began in her own childhood. “I have children, and because my hobby has always been reading since I was a little girl, I started reading to my own children even before I became a teacher. Thankfully, my children today show so much intelligence, and at school, they are doing very well. Their teachers are very impressed with their love for reading.”
Reflecting on her own experiences, Hiam shares, “When I was a little girl, I remember my mom reading bedtime stories to me. These memories are my favorite. I often imagined myself as the main character in the stories, which fueled my creativity. Encouraging imagination in children is very important because it inspires them to be creative and think outside the box.”
Voices of the Children
Raneem: “The teacher read a story for us today. It was a very nice story called I Have a Party. She teaches me the letters of the alphabet, and when I answer, she gives me a sticker to take home. When I show my mom my sticker and tell her about the story, she tells me that I have been a good girl and that she is proud of me.”
Lana: “I learn so much from the stories the teacher reads for me here. One of my favorite stories is The Famous Mansour. It is about a boy that looks very strange because his hair is purple in the story. I learned a new word, which is 'famous.' The sweetest thing about the kindergarten is the teacher. She always teaches me new things. She taught me the entire Arabic alphabet letters and explained how the same letter can sound different depending on its place in a word. When I come home, my mom always asks me what I have learned today and I tell her that today, the teacher read us a new story, and I would tell her what the story is about. My mom always tells me that she is very proud of me because of how much I have learned, which makes me very happy. That is why I love my teacher.”
Noor: “When the teacher tells me a story, I get very excited because the stories are so beautiful. My favorite story I heard here is about a city of toys, an amusement park. I wish I could visit the city from the story one day. Whenever the teacher uses a word in the story that I don’t understand, I ask her about it, and she explains it to me. I ask her a lot of questions! The newest phrase I learned is 'going in a circle.' When I go back and tell my mom the new words I learned every day, she says I'm magnificent, which makes me feel proud of myself."
Under Prospects, UNICEF'S Early Grade Reading Programme (EGRP), launched in 2019, supports literacy for over 6,000 children in Azraq and Za'atari camps. It trained 420 Syrian Assistant Teachers (SATs) to deliver engaging reading sessions. Benefiting over 3,000 KG2 students, the EGRP aims to strengthen reading skills and inspire a lifelong love of books.
All images are copyright by UNICEF Jordan.