ERIC Number: EJ1079132
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1740-4622
EISSN: N/A
Bringing the Magic of Folk Literature and Nursery Rhymes to Communication Classes
Gan, Ivan
Communication Teacher, v29 n4 p206-211 2015
Orators of folk literature and nursery rhymes entertain, inform, and persuade their audiences through the straightforward plots in those genres. Because nursery rhymes recitations usually happen in groups, they help children acquire the mechanics of oral communication and promote communal bonding. Although nursery rhymes have a simpler form than folk literature, nursery rhymes embody a rhetorical genre that propagates information and its deeper persuasive purpose. Thus, the exposition of nursery rhymes has the potential for improving one's communicative competency in creating concise and engaging messages. The single-class activity described in this paper requires little preparation, applies the pedagogical approach of active learning, and expands upon the ideas that childhood tales stimulate public speaking. The activity also emphasizes that storytelling fosters a connection between orators and their audiences. At the end of this activity, students will be able to: (1) construct a story-based impromptu speech that holds the attention of one's audience; (2) articulate how stories hold audience's attention and imagination; (3) recognize relevant communication theories/concepts that effectively engage with an audience; and (4) utilize specific verbal and nonverbal strategies that effectively hold an audience's attention.
Descriptors: Folk Culture, Childrens Literature, Nursery Rhymes, Teaching Methods, Learning Activities, Public Speaking, Story Telling, Communication Skills, Speech Skills, Imagination
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive; Guides - Classroom - Teacher
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Teachers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A