DEFINITION

• The story retell strategy is a technique in which students listen to (or read) and reflect upon a story to understand the meaning and then “retell” the story in their own words. 
• Students focus on the entire story—beginning, middle, and end—rather than recalling every detail. 
• This is a difficult task, so students need practice to improve. 

PURPOSE AND BENEFITS

• When story retelling is used on a regular basis, it helps to improve reading comprehension. 
• Story retelling allows teachers to determine students’ strengths and areas needing assistance in terms of comprehension. 
• Comparisons of each student’s retell can be used to monitor student progress. 

ECE–GRADE 1

• Story retelling improves listening comprehension. 
• It engages students in the reading process. 
• It helps to develop vocabulary. 

GRADES 2 AND UP

• Story retelling motivates students to read more. 
• It helps students expand and improve reading skills through concepts such as sequencing and comprehension in terms of plot and characters. 
• It helps develop an understanding of narrative story structure. 

PROCEDURE 

• Select a book with interesting characters and a strong plot. 
  
  • Prior to reading the story, ask the students to make predictions by looking at the front cover. 
  • Before reading, explain that you are going to ask them to retell the story. 
  • Read the story aloud to the students several times. Be sure to read with expression! 
• After reading the story, ask the following questions to help students organize the story sequence: 
  
  • What happened at the beginning? 
  • What happened in the middle of the story? 
  • What happened at the end of the story? 
• Reread the story. 
• Ask students to tell you the story without looking at the book or pictures. 
• If there is a pause in the retelling, ask open ended questions such as: 
  
  • What comes next? 
  • What was the problem? 

DIFFERENT METHODS OF RETELLING Using Manipulatives

• Follow the procedure for story retells. 
• Have students retell the story using manipulatives such as puppets or items represented in the story (for example, toy trains for The Little Engine That Could), stuffed toys that represent characters, story props, etc. 

Acting Out the Story
Note: This takes place over a period of time.

• Use a story with which students are familiar that includes characters to whom they can relate. (For example, the little blue engine in The Little Engine That Could.) 
• Read the book to the students. 
• Have students demonstrate some of the words in the story, especially action words, descriptive adjectives, and words that show emotion. 
• As the teacher is reading the story for the second time, have students act out the story. 
• Have students act out the story again from memory alone. 

Felt Board Retelling
Follow the procedure for story retells.

• Create appropriate pictures from the story for the felt board. 
• Have students place the items on the felt board as they retell the story. 

Graphic Organizer

• Follow the procedure for story retells. 
• Give students a graphic organizer that consists of three joined rectangles. 
• Have students draw a picture to represent the beginning, middle, and end of the story 
• Ask students to retell the story orally. 

Sequence Cards

• Follow the procedure for story retells. 
• Cut out or draw pictures that represent the plot of the story. 
• Have students put the pictures in sequential order. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON STORY RETELLING
Facts in Action: “Story Retelling Boosts Children’s Reading Comprehension”: http://www.factsinaction.org/classroom/cljul03.htm
The Power of Story Retelling, A. Gibson, J. Gold, and C. Sgouros, The Tutor, 2003: http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/filemanager/download/learns/spr2003.pdf