Note for teachers using this lesson plan

This lesson focuses on developing pupils’ listening comprehension and oral narration skills through storytelling. Prepare various engaging story pictures or a simple storybook to illustrate the characters and actions. Encourage active participation, clear speech, and attentive listening. By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to listen to a story, identify its characters, and retell a simple story with appropriate narration.

Class: Primary 2
Term: Third Term
Week: 10
Age: 7 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Speech
Previous Lesson: Third Term English Language Studies Examination
Topic: Speech: Listening to and Telling Stories
Subject Matter: LISTENING AND TELLING STORIES. Telling stories using an appropriate style narration

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

Identify the characters in a simple story.
Recall key events from a story they have listened to.
Explain the moral lesson of a simple story.

Affective Domain

Show interest in listening to stories.
Appreciate the importance of storytelling.

Psychomotor Domain

Narrate a simple story using an appropriate style.
Listen attentively to stories told by others.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

2014 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Pictures
Storybooks
Chart showing story elements
Flash cards with character names

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it develops essential communication skills in pupils. Listening to stories enhances comprehension and vocabulary, while telling stories improves oral fluency, confidence, and creative expression. These skills are fundamental for academic success and social interaction.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can speak simple sentences and understand basic instructions in English. They have heard simple stories before.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Speech: Listening to and Telling Stories

What is a Story?

A story is an account of events, either real or imaginary, told for entertainment or to teach a lesson. Stories often have characters and a plot.

Listening to Stories

When we listen to stories, we should:

Pay close attention to the speaker.
Try to understand what is happening in the story.
Identify the characters in the story.
Think about the lesson the story teaches.

Telling Stories

When telling a story, we should:

Speak clearly and loudly enough for everyone to hear.
Use different voices or actions for characters.
Tell the events in the correct order.
Explain the moral lesson of the story at the end.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Storytelling, Group Work

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them if they enjoy listening to stories. The teacher may tell a very short, familiar story or rhyme to capture their attention.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and listen to the short story/rhyme.

Learning Point: Interest in stories

Step 2: Introduction to Story Elements

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what a story is and introduces simple elements like characters (who is in the story) and the moral (the lesson learned). The teacher uses pictures to illustrate characters from a simple story.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the pictures, and mention some characters they know from stories.

Learning Point: Story elements introduction

Step 3: Guided Listening to a Story

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher tells a simple story (e.g., “The Tortoise and the Hare”) using pictures or a storybook. The teacher guides pupils to listen attentively and asks questions during or after the story to check comprehension.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen carefully to the story and answer the teacher’s questions about the characters and events.

Learning Point: Attentive listening practice

Step 4: Identifying Characters and Moral

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Analysis

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a discussion on the story just told. The teacher asks pupils to identify the characters and explain the moral lesson of the story.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils mention the characters and explain the moral lesson in their own words.

Learning Point: Characters and moral

Step 5: Demonstrating Storytelling Style

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates how to tell a story using appropriate narration style, including clear speech, varying tone, and simple actions. The teacher retells a part of the previous story or a new short story.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s storytelling style and try to imitate some actions or tones.

Learning Point: Appropriate narration style

Step 6: Pupils Narrate Stories

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher invites a few pupils to come out and narrate a short, familiar story or retell a part of the story they just heard, encouraging them to use an appropriate style.

Pupils’ Activity: A few pupils take turns narrating stories or parts of stories.

Learning Point: Story narration practice

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

What is a story?
Mention two things you should do when listening to a story.
Mention two things you should do when telling a story.
Who are the characters in the story “The Tortoise and the Hare”?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Storytelling comprehension

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on listening to and telling stories into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Notes on storytelling

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils about the importance of listening carefully and telling stories clearly. The teacher encourages them to practice telling stories at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the importance of the lesson.

Learning Point: Storytelling importance

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Ask your parents or guardians to tell you a short story. Then, try to retell the story to them in your own words. Draw a picture of your favourite character from the story.

Lesson Keywords

Story – An account of events, real or imaginary.
Characters – The people or animals in a story.
Narrate – To tell a story.
Moral – The lesson learned from a story.
Listening – Paying attention to hear sounds or words.

Differentiation

For pupils who struggle with narration, the teacher will provide simpler stories with fewer characters and encourage them to use gestures. Advanced learners can be challenged to create their own short stories or tell a story with more detailed descriptions and varied voices.

Speech: Listening to and Telling Stories for Primary 2