Muntligt berättande på folkbibliotekets sagostund
The purpose of this Master's thesis is to elucidate the phenomenon of storytelling and its methodology in the context of public library story-time for pre-school children. It also strives to give an insight into the functions of story-time both with regard to the storyteller and the participating children. The study is based on qualitative methods in the form of a literature analysis, observations and interviews. The interviews were undertaken with two storytellers from the same library who work with children up to three years old and children aged between four and six years. The result of the study suggests that storytelling is more appropriate than reading aloud in situations when large groups of children are involved. The main reason for this is that close contact can be forged between the storyteller and the listeners as the storyteller adapts the fairy-tale to the children's responses. Story-time ought to contain varied activities and the storyteller should choose fairy-tales according to his or her taste. The storyteller works by memorising the main outlines of the story and, through imagination, providing the details while telling the story. Different types of props may be used to visualise the fairy-tale or to focus the children's attention. The storyteller can also use rituals in order to create a special atmosphere and to support the children's feeling of security. After the story-hour books with similar themes to the told stories may be presented. Through the process of evaluation the storyteller becomes apprised of elements that might be improved. For the storyteller the functions of story-time were mostly connected with pedagogical aims, whereas for the children they often dealt with development and learning. It also appeared that story-time functioned as a joyful mutual experience for both the storyteller and the children.