Storynory
Storynory (https://www.storynory.com/) is a literacy website that contains over 600 free audio books for children to enjoy. Since November 2005, this website continues to offer free podcasts and audio streaming of fun, children-centered stories. Storynory was originally founded by Hugh Fraser (also known as Bertie) and Matthew Lynn, who aimed to share stories through audio recording and podcasts that would allow for imagination, good writing, and great narrations for children. I, personally, enjoy audiobooks and incorporate it every so often in my class as students complete their work. My students, in the past, shared their love of listening to audio books and would often request for it in the morning, as it helps them relax. Podcasts are also very useful in sharing information of stories and events in a creative way. I truly believe that incorporating audio books and podcasts would help strengthen students’ love for reading. Both media outlets are also beneficial to parents of busy families. Audiobooks and podcasts can be played in the car via smartphone, through laptops, or tablets/iPads. Now more than ever, as technology is so heavily involved in our day-to-day lives, these two outlets allow students to constantly be involved with reading anywhere they go.
Storynory offers a series of original stories that have received great feedback from parents and children. Original stories are written in-house and read by professional actors. However, there are also original stories written from students who entered the website’s writing competition. Although the website has started with originally written stories, it has since branched out to including more factual programs that can be tied into different school curriculums. From Greek myths to interviews with fascinating people in literature, these podcasts were enforced to build critical thinking skills alongside their literacy development.
The audiobooks offered on this website has the target audience of children in the age group of 7 to 11 years old. However, they do offer some nursery stories and rhymes for younger readers. Parents and teachers will also find that audio books are accompanied with guided text to allow students to follow along with the voice over. Each story indicates the timestamp of the audio reading, the author, illustrator, and the person conducting the voice over. I, personally, have listened to the audio books and I find them extremely calming and engaging for students. The stories are read at a steady pace with enthusiasm emphasized constantly to keep the audience engaged.
Another feature the website offers that I found to be so awesome in children engagement is their writing competition. Storynory offers writing competitions in which students submit their own stories. With every competition, the in-house editors select the top three stories submitted to publish on the website. Each story chosen is given a voice over and illustrations to match. There are times in which the website offers the winners prizes donated from sponsors. There is an entire section dedicated to stories originally submitted by the websites’ young audience. This would be a great class opportunity in which teachers can utilize to bring students literacy engagement and creativity, forward.
Overall, Storynory is an effective modern literacy website that can be accessed and taken anywhere. The site is easy to navigate and visually pleasing. From the soothing and enthusiastic voice-overs to the fun, colorful illustrations, children will only grow their love for reading through this website.
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