Talk Through Stories is a scheme that has been created by the founder of RWI (our phonics scheme that we all love), Ruth Miskin. Talk Through Stories is designed to extend and deepen children’s vocabulary so that they can understand the books they will soon be able to read for themselves. 

How does it work?

In Story week, we help children to get to know the story really well: the plot, the characters, and their actions and motives. In Vocabulary week, we explore eight words from the story. These words have been specifically selected to develop children’s understanding of each word in the context of their everyday lives.

The stories that we will read are well known and worth reading and re-reading. They are stories that children will love. We will read old favourites such as, Dogger by Shirley Hughes, Burglar Bill by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell and Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Then there are is some more recent literature, such as Hugless Douglas by David Melling, Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival, I’m in Charge by Jeanne Willis, Billy and the Beast by Nadia Shireen, Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke. We have thoroughly enjoyed the books that we have already read and the children are always eager to join in with the story! 

The vocabulary that we will focus on are called 'Tier 2' words. These are words that children are unlikely to hear in everyday conversation but are likely to come across in stories. Miss Smith will put the words that we have been focussing on that week on here so you can see and use the words with your children. 

Our Stories This Term:

Anna Hibiscus' Song

Atinuke & Lauren Tobia

Billy and the Dragon

Nadia Shireen 

How to be a Viking

Cressida Cowell

George and the Dragon

Chris Wormell

After the Fall

Dan Santat

The Slightly Annoying Elephant

David Walliams and Tony Ross

The Nativity: The Story of Baby Jesus

May Eliot & Richard Johnson