teaching theme of the story

One way is to look at the main character's journey. If the character learns about friendship in the story, then friendship could be the teaching theme. For example, in 'Charlotte's Web', Wilbur learns about true friendship from Charlotte.

The importance of teaching theme in a story cannot be overstated. Themes are often universal ideas that transcend the specific plot and characters. By teaching the theme, we are helping learners to develop critical thinking skills. They can compare and contrast different themes across stories. For instance, if we teach the theme of justice in a legal drama story and then compare it with the theme of justice in a historical story, learners can see how the concept of justice varies in different contexts. This broadens their perspective and enriches their understanding of literature and life in general.

The moral or lesson within the story is at the heart of the teaching theme. It could be about friendship, honesty or perseverance. Symbols in the story can also enhance the teaching theme, like a white dove symbolizing peace in a story about conflict resolution.

One way is to make the theme the moral of the story. For example, if the teaching theme is about honesty, the story could be about a character who lies and then faces negative consequences, but when they tell the truth, things turn out well.

It makes the theme more engaging. Short stories are often more interesting than just stating the theme directly. For example, if teaching about 'love', a short story can show different types of love in action, like family love or romantic love, which catches students' attention more easily.

First, look at the actions of the characters. If they are constantly helping each other, the teaching theme might be about cooperation. Second, consider the dialogue. If the characters talk a lot about being brave, it could be a teaching theme about courage.

It makes the theme more interesting. For example, a dry theme like 'history of inventions' can become fascinating when told through stories of inventors' lives.

Dialogue is another powerful tool. Characters can have conversations that directly or indirectly touch on the teaching theme. For instance, in a short story with a theme of friendship, characters might discuss what true friendship means to them, like being there for each other in tough times, sharing joys and sorrows, and always being honest. Through these dialogues, the reader can better understand the teaching theme.

You can use graphic organizers. For instance, a concept map where students write the main events in the middle and then branch out to how those events might connect to a possible theme. Encourage them to think about the emotions the story evokes. If a story makes them feel sad for a character's misfortune, the theme could be related to injustice. Reading the story aloud and pausing at key points to ask students what they think is important can also help them identify the theme.

The language used also matters. It should be appropriate for the target audience. If it's a story for children with a teaching theme of sharing, the language should be simple and easy to understand. Complex language might make it difficult for them to grasp both the story and the theme.