This lesson plan looks at ways of exploiting stories in the classroom with younger primary school learners.

Colourful picture storybooks are always a favourite with young
learners and are excellent resources to teach simple critical thinking
skills (eg, what will happen next? why did she do that?), and expose
children to a range of language systems (eg, cohesive devices – and, but, so, narrative tenses, lexical phrases and simple idiomatic language – let's begin at the beginning; Bob shouted at the top of his voice).

As well as this, stories can be exploited as a means of introducing
and practising the language skills – moving from reading and listening
into rich extension activities that allow students to express
themselves productively using writing and speaking.

This lesson uses the charming story of The Smartest Giant in Town
by Julia Donaldson and Axel Sheffer, not only as a stand-alone
storybook lesson, but also as an example of how teachers can make the
most of stories as a teaching tool.

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