Secret to Picture Books: Rubato!

Chopin described “Rubato” as the speeding up and slowing down of a song. Β  It Β works amazingly well in picture books.

Sometimes you speed up and climb up and up and up, and then sometimes ……..

.

.

a pause is worth a verse of a thousand words.

Here’s me doing the Gingerbread Man picture book. Β Not the best narration in the world, but I always at least *try* to get the kids’ attention! (Starts 35 seconds in!)

P.S. Β There are two narrations in the download pack, one soft and one genki.

They both work great for homework or for teachers whose native langauge isn’t English!

Richard Graham

Hello, I'm Richard Graham. When I was a kid I found school to be sooooo boring... So I transformed my way of teaching. I listened to what the kids were really wanting to say and taught it in ways they really wanted to learn. The results were magical. Now I help teachers just like you teach amazing lessons and double your incomes!

4 Responses to “Secret to Picture Books: Rubato!”

  1. Julia

    Hi Richard!

    This was an amaizing narration.

    I remember me as a child listening to the voice of my father reading a tale to me. His voice led me to the world of tales and made me imagine different wonderful and funny things.

    It would be great if teachers who teach a foreign/second language to young learners could do such things, too.

    Best regards.

  2. dan

    Wonderful narration.

    The power of a story told out loud by a real live person is incredible. Kids have access to so much “manufacured” stuff recorded on the internet, but you never get the richness of emotion and expression as in a real live telling of the story.

    Here in Quebec Canada, we have professional storytellers that do live performances at festivals and other venues. In this way they keep the oral tradition of storytelling alive.

  3. Jocely Kikuchi

    Hi Richard,
    Thank you very much for sharing this very timely Gingerbread man. It’s perfect timing for what my 3 years olds children need right now. These young learners are not tired to listen stories they want to be read a story again and again they don’t feel bored but become more and more eager to learn to study English.
    Thank you for your support and please never give-up
    Gambatte ne.

  4. Ms.Lucky

    Hi Richard,

    That was superb!

    I’ll do that in my classes next week πŸ™‚

    Your No.1 Fan,
    Ms.Lucky

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