Page 21 - Literacy Based Speech Language Therapy Activities Digital Version

Improving Story Narratives of Diverse Children

Narrative Elements that are Common to Most Cultures

Narrative Element Definition Example (3 Little Pigs)

Initiating Event The incident which introduces Mom said it was time to live
the central conflict in a story. on their own.

Attempt The protagonist’s attempt to The 3 pigs attempted to build
solve the problem. houses.

Consequence The results of the attempt (i.e. The houses were built.
whether or not the goal was

attained).

Resolution Whether or not the super- A house’s strength/value was

ordinate problem was proportionate to the effort
resolved. put into building it

Setting The physical or temporal The country.
context of the story.

Which narrative elements are universal?

The presence of certain narrative elements and their use are culture specific. Organization, content,
and meaning create a narrative structure that is part of every language. However, this universal
nature only goes so far as to explain the broader components of a narrative. The way a child

organizes his stories, the content he includes, and the meaning projected all vary as a result of cultural
and linguistic influence.

Narrative development has been shown to be highly significant in the acquisition of complex

language and literacy skills. Comprehension of large tasks, sequencing, interpretation of time-
ordered events, and expository skills all require some skill that has been developed along with
narrative abilities. Studies that have primarily focused on English-speaking monolinguals suggest that

narrative development can reveal basic elements of academic readiness (Gutierrez-Clellen 2002).

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