Abstract: | Two modes of story telling, live reading and recorded reading, were compared to test the hypothesis that live reading results in better retention. Thirty-four preschool children from low socioeconomic backgrounds were randomly assigned to the two conditions. Each child heard a story presented by the teacher or a recording and then retold the story in his or her own words. Children in the live group used significantly more words and more correct themes in retelling (p <.01) than did those in the recording group. Implications for research and teaching are discussed. |