Why do people like listening to stories? It has to do with the function of the pre-frontal cortex of our brains, which (among other things) acts as an experience simulator. Just as airline pilots practice with in-flight simulators so that they don’t make real mistakes in the air with real people, we have this marvelous adaptation in our heads that enables us to imagine what the result of an action (or series of actions) is likely to be before we actually take that action. Hearing about other people’s experiences helps us to better imagine what the results of specific actions might be. The stories that we have heard and now remember are like vicarious experiences. They make us wiser.
Learning Objectives for Week 2:
- Explain the attraction of stories
- Describe how drama activities can enhance oral language skills and social-emotional development
- Describe how role-playing helps children understand the motivation & emotions of characters
- Describe how role-playing helps children understand how interactions of characters move story forward