Using Story Retelling To Build Reading Comprehension

Children need a lot of practice retelling text, and that practice improves the quality of their retellings (Morrow, 1985). While many classrooms struggle to find the time to actively involve children in reconstructing and reenacting stories, tutors can provide children with important opportunities to engage in this valuable activity (Gambrell, Pfeiffer, & Wilson, 1985).

Retelling is not recall. Simply recalling selected events or facts from a story or informational text is not the same as retelling (Rhodes & Shanklin, 1993). Retellings go beyond the literal and help children focus on a deeper understanding of the text. When children retell stories in a comprehensive manner, they reflect on the text and make distinctions between the actual words on the page and the meaning behind them (Gambrell, et al., 1991).

When you engage a child in retelling, consider the following guidelines:

• Clarify what you will be asking the child to do before reading the text to the child
• Invite the child to retell the text as though telling it to a friend who has never heard it before
• Encourage the child by using open-ended prompts when necessary

The Role of the Tutor in Retelling