Stories for children and with children

As part of our extension project this year we produced stories, videos and puppet shows for students of EFL in our primary schools. The topic that bound all stories was ‘The Argentina Bicentennial.’ We prepared and rehearsed our stories in class and finally went to visit two fourth grades at EP N°1, in Ituzaingó.

Here is a brief edition summarizing the experience (sorry, but there was no time for a soundtrack):


2010-Profesorado
Cargado por Simud.

The following are some of our impressions about the experience:

As a teacher it’s always exciting to prepare material to deliver our lessons.

This project in particular was a real challenge, because it included a patriotic component that is not usual in English lessons.

We enjoyed doing it and the kids really had fun when we showed it to them. It was pretty stimulating.

(Angélica Santi)

Going to the school to present our productions was a nice experience. Children really enjoyed it and that makes this experience even better. Not only we presented our effort but children had fun with it. I think that this was the idea, that we all had fun while learning!

(Florencia Domínguez)


As a teacher it is always a pleasant experience when kids enjoy the material we prepare for them. When we showed our puppets show to the kids of EPB Nº1 they really had fun with it, they were interested in the show, and they understood the message of the story. It was a great experience and I have enoyed it, too.
(Belén Giamberardini)

And, to top it all off, here's the video produced by one of the groups:

Forum 2: The appropriate topics for children

As we read at the beginning of the year, Corbally sustains that “children’s literature is didactic (teaches/preaches); even the best of children’s literature is didactic.” This conception became apparent in the last essay analysed in class, too. And, of course, it's also something that came to our minds when discussing taboo in the TV show 'Ren & Stimpy'. So, if we agree products for children are supposed to ‘teach’, what do you think they should teach? Or, the other way round: what do you think they should not teach? What topics are proper or improper when children are the target?

Join the discussion!

Forum 1: Characterising the stories for our students

Two meetings ago we set to discuss the elements and characteristics that should make a story for children. Among other things, we arrived at the conclusion that audience age was determinant in conditioning any possible answer. Thus, it seems necessary to contextualise and specify our audience before advancing on this discussion. 

Having in mind that our aim this year would be to teach in primary schools, let us agree on Argentine primary students of English as a foreign language as our expected audience. This settled, then:

What elements should characterise the stories we choose or create for them?

You can join the debate by clicking on the 'comment' button and sharing your opinion with us.