Tales Toolkit - Read Our Stories

Make yourself a cup of tea and settle down by the fireside.
The Rachel Keeling children have been telling their stories using the Tales Toolkit method.
As part of our continued school improvement a few years ago we adopted the Tales Toolkit methodology of story telling. 
Children are supported to break down stories into 4 elements:
Character
Setting
Problem
Solution
We then work through collaboratively to tell stories with the physical help of props. The children then add descriptive language and they help to develop a narrative.
Last week children worked with an adult as part of a group, most having been part of Tales Toolkit sessions in their own baserooms. Children were mostly familiar with the 4 story elements and used the vocabulary of "character", "setting", "problem" and "solution" within context.  The props that were introduced were:
a magical unicorn (character)
some green, textured fabric (setting)
a shiny, golden egg (problem)
a bunch of heavy, ornate keys (solution)
The children came up with names for the character and decided the setting was a "forest" or "hillside".
The children enjoyed handling the props and for many the problem was that the unicorn got stuck inside the golden egg! Many children decided the large, heavy keys would free the unicorn by cracking or opening the egg.
Children then were supported to tell their own stories which were scribed for them and they chose to mark make around them.
How lovely to hear some children beginning to use vocabulary linked to storytelling and others developing and using it fluently.
Please scroll below to read their amazing efforts.
This isn't all of them as there were so many lovely stories.
Check your child's Special Book to see whether they told one yet.
Maybe you can try the method at home? Please ask your child's key worker or Becky if you need any support.