The Communications Trust, which represents the National Year of speech, language and communication in the UK, have made their April theme; It’s not just about talking. The theme is designed to highlight how children learn to talk by listening, taking turns and interacting with others. These are the building blocks of communication.

This theme is a great opportunity for teachers to introduce storytelling into the classroom. Storytelling is really not all about spoken word. It’s about tone, facial expression, gesture and physicality. If words are difficult for any of the children involved (because English is not their first language or any special educational needs), storytelling can be more useful than reading from a book. This is largely because alongside giving the freedom to tell the story through physicality and facial expression, it involves almost constant eye contact which means that the connection between the listener and the teller is being sustained throughout.

Take the time to share a traditional story with your class (if you’re looking for a story, my Story of the Month is great for KS2). You can then click here to find a selection of activities that explore non verbal storytelling techniques.