GESTURE STORIES
Friends of the Groom Theater
Resource Center
For printable copy of GESTURE STORIES instructions, click on the word: INSTRUCTIONS
To see a video of GESTURE STORIES being taught, click on the word: VIDEO
Pick a scripture story to tell.
Select five or six key words or names from the story and create a gesture and a vocal response to perform whenever the word is spoken by the storyteller or reader. For example, if it’s the story of David and Goliath, you might choose the name David, and whenever his name is spoken, you pump your fist in the air and shout “Hooray!”
Teach the key words and the accompanying responses to your audience before you begin the story.
Tell the story, leading the audience in responding correctly whenever the key words are spoken. If you work with a partner, you can also have one person read the story while the other leads the gestures.
Notes:
1. Using more than six key words starts to get confusing and too hard for your audience to remember.
2. Don’t overuse the key words. For example, if a key word is “David,” instead of saying his name repeatedly, find a
different phrase to use in its place most of time—a phrase like “Our Hero.”
3. Structure your story so the key words fall at the end of a phrase or sentence—giving space for the audience
to respond.
4. A fun way to end the story is by piling all the key words into one sentence repeatedly and quickly.
We do have a collection of three pre-written gesture stories available for sale here: INSERT ORDER PAGE LINK
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