The Effect of Storytelling on Longer Vocabulary Retention

Abstract

Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of sharing important events in human´s lives. It has been claimed that stories are one of the most powerful tools for language learning. Children enjoy listening to same stories again and again; therefore, they can acquire a lot of vocabulary and sentence structures. Present study examines the effect of storytelling on longer vocabulary retention. Data were collected over five weeks and the case study focuses on children´s vocabulary retention over a period of time. The study also focuses on the importance of supplementary materials and activities that should be connected to the storytelling. The paper points out the importance of the storyteller´s preparation.