| Abstract: | This is a small-scale piece of research undertaken in two mixed-age infant classrooms in an inner city multicultural primary school with a mixed socio-economic background. The dataset which consisted of 38 recorded stories from 32 children, was collected during a 4-month period. It forms part of a larger study that is still in progress. The research evidence highlights the lack of vivacity in many of the personal stories recounted by the children and possible reasons for this. Analysis of the stories shows some common patterns and reflects on the time given to children, in an increasingly demanding curriculum, for personal storytelling. It concludes that the ability to recount personal history is important for oracy development. |
