The Urgency of the Storytelling Method

The storytelling method is a way of delivering or presenting learning material orally in the form of stories from teachers to students. In the implementation of learning activities in kindergarten, the storytelling method is carried out in an effort to introduce, provide information, or explain new things in order to convey learning that can develop various basic competencies of kindergarten age children. Therefore, the material presented is in the form of a story that begins and is closely related in a unified whole, so the story must be prepared in advance. Usually storytelling activities are carried out at closing activities, so that when children go home, children become calm and happy after participating in learning. However, in practice it is not always during closing activities, storytelling can be done during opening activities, core activities, or in spare times. at school, for example during recess, because listening to stories is something that is fun for kindergarten age children.

The storytelling method is one of the most widely used methods in Kindergarten. As a method of storytelling, it invites children's attention to educators according to the theme of learning. If the content of the story is related to the world of children's lives in Kindergarten, then they can understand the content of the story, they will listen to it attentively, and can easily grasp the content of the story.

According to Abudin Nata, the storytelling method is "a method that has an appeal that touches children's feelings. Islam recognizes human nature to like stories that have a big impact on feelings. Therefore, it is used as an educational technique. The world of children's lives can be related to the family environment, school, and outside of school. Storytelling activities should be endeavored to become an experience for children in Kindergarten that is unique and interesting that excites children's feelings and motivates children to follow the story to the end.

The importance of storytelling in other words is to channel the needs of imagination and fantasy so that it can broaden children's horizons and ways of thinking. For example, through the medium of fairy tales/storytelling, it can serve as an encouragement to children's creativity. “Through fairy tales/stories, teachers can convey messages, lessons and experiences to their students.

Besides enriching children's imaginations, fairy tales/telling stories also make children feel like they are learning something, but they don't feel like they are being taught.” In fact, it is known that through fairy tales / stories is an effective way to develop the cognitive (knowledge), affective (feeling), social and conative aspects (appreciation) of children. Fairy tales are able to bring children to new experiences that they have never experienced. Therefore, teachers need to have creativity, appreciation, and sensitivity when telling stories so that messages can reach their students.

From the above understanding, it can be concluded that what is meant by the storytelling method is telling or conveying stories orally to students so that with these stories good messages can be conveyed. With the teaching and learning process, the storytelling method is a way for teachers to convey messages or subject matter that is adapted to the conditions of students.