Story Structure

The idea of teaching story structure is based on the fact that all stories have similar features and all have plots that are organized into episodes. By analyzing a story's structure, the reader becomes aware of the important story elements, and this awareness facilitates comprehension and memory.

To introduce this strategy you might begin with these five questions that represent the basic story elements (NICHD, 2000, p. 4-91).
  1. Who is/are the main character(s)?
  2. Where and when did the story occur?
  3. What did the main character(s) do?
  4. How did the story end?
  5. How did the main character feel?

You should begin with a story the class has read and demonstrate the question-and-answer activity for them. Then the whole class might practice going through the process with another story. Learners also could practice this strategy in small groups or pairs.

To reinforce this kind of thinking and make it more concrete you could have the learners construct another kind of graphic organizer, a story map like the one below.

To make the analysis of story structure more concrete and explicit for struggling readers, you can have them read a story in sections (introduction, body, and conclusion), ask questions about main characters, and setting, record the answers on cards, and line up the cards under the appropriate story sections. Find details on this approach called Teaching About Story Structure Using Fairy Tales in Read, Write, Think.

Story Map

Title_______________________________________

Setting

Characters

Problem
Event:______________________________________
Event:______________________________________
Event:______________________________________
Event:______________________________________

Resolution

Click on Back Arrow to Return to the Module