Connecting Through Stories merican mythologist and teacher Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) told a story about a colleague who was lec- turing on the Hindu concept of maya, that the world is like a bubble or an illusion. And so it is with stories. A fairy tale is a prop- For different ages, different stories apply. The This issue of the Forum is a celebration of story. As Pedersen notes in the lead article, "Storytelling is the original form of teaching." Great teachers like Plato, Confucius, and Jesus Christ used stories to connect with their listen- ers. In the foreign language classroom, story- telling can provide a foundation for acquisition as well as serve as a vehicle for language output. Stories also offer a cultural experience with fairy tales dressing timeless, universal fantasies in national garb, and more contemporary stories mirroring personal experiences in a particular societal context. Different story genres will appeal to different audiences, some being attracted to autobiographical narrative and oth- ers preferring the imaginative realms that we The use of stories to provide comprehensible input is treated in the articles by Pedersen, McGuire, Stockwell, and Malkina. They discuss various procedures that teachers can use to make stories more accessible to their students. A teacher's style of presentation, questioning tech- niques, use of imagery-gestures or illustrations accompanying a written text, or exploitation of story grammar as described in Malkina, facilitate the process by which a student makes meaning Two creative ways to use stories to enhance EFL students' productive use of the language are presented in Hines and Amtzis. Using "Story Theater," Hines mobilizes a class to stage its own production of a short story. Besides rendering a dramatic portrayal of a selected story, the stu- dents are responsible for obtaining appropriate props and determining special effects. The approach is eminently successful (I have seen Hines use this approach with teachers in Thailand) and connects with the whole person of the learner. Amtzis draws upon stories to give his students practice in narrative writing. In the spirit of Lawrence Durell's Alexandria Quartet, students retell a story from the perspective of its different characters. Through roleplay and a series of tasks set down by the teacher, students become acquainted with the structure underly- ing short fiction (cf. Malkina's story grammar) and begin writing stories of their own. We tell stories to come to terms with the world. The stories provide a perspective to understand what has transpired in the past and what is happening in the present. Stories can also help us come to terms with language. Caught up in the characters, aroused by the plot, EFL students can be energized through story- telling and make connections with English. This ong-term readers of the Forum will note the absence of the name ACCOMPANYING NONBOOK ITEM IN 2 Storytelling and the Art of Teaching E. Martin Pedersen 6 Story Theater Mary Hines 12 Enhancing English Teaching: Caldecott Award Books 18 Whose Story is it? Conflict and Roleplay in Narrative Writing 22 Storytelling Joseph Stockdale 28 China. "I can try it at least:" A Strategy for Effective Inter-Class Oral 29 Cuba. Using Titles and Lyrics of Songs as Warm-Ups Gilberto Díaz Santos 30 Egypt. Foreign Language Curriculum Organization John R. Aydelott 32 Honduras. Teaching Grammar Inductively: Tag Questions Judy Sharkey 33 Italy. Summer Workbook Project: A Purposeful Way to Exploit StudentGenerated Resources Daniela Villani 35 Malaysia. Creative Games for the Language Class Lee Su Kim 36 Portugal. From Poetry to EAP Gilda Pimenta 38 Russia. 40 Russia. 41 Storytelling in Early Language Teaching Natasha Malkina American Gossip: Authentic Language Material for Engineering Spain. Designing an Advanced Speaking Course Linda Bawcom 47 United States. Crossword Puzzles: One Way to Improve Communication Strategies Glenn Wharton Storytelling and the Art of Teaching E. Martin Pedersen Universitá di Messina, Italy Storytelling is the original form of teaching. There are still societies in which it is the only form of teaching. Though attempts have been made to imitate or up date it, like the electronic storytelling of television, live oral storytelling will never go out of fashion. A simple narrative will always be the cornerstone of the art of teaching. In dealing with stories, learners have an experience with the powerful real language of personal communication, not the usual “teacherese" of the foreign-language classroom. Colloquial or literary, unaffected or flowery-the full range of language is present in stories. Oral stories develop listening skills in a unique way. The listeners benefit from observing nonpolished speech created on-the-spot. While listening to stories, children develop a sense of structure that will later help them to understand the more complex stories of literature. In fact, stories are the oldest form of literature. Through traditional tales, people express their values, fears, hopes, and dreams. Oral stories are a direct expression of a literary and cultural heritage; and through them that heritage is appreciated, understood, and kept alive. Stories in the affective realm Through a story, listeners experience a vicarious feeling for the past and a oneness with various cultures of the present as they gain insight into the motives and patterns of human behavior. However, many storytellers feel that cognitive enrichment is not the primary aim of their art. Stories have numerous affective benefits for social and emotional development. A story session is a time to share feelings. A relaxed, happy relationship between storyteller and listener is established, drawing them together and building mutual confidence. Stories help children to know themselves and to know others so they can cope with the psychological problems of growing up. As Augusta Baker and Ellin Greene (1977:17) assert, Storytelling brings to the listeners heightened awareness-a sense of wonder, of mystery, of reverence for life. This nurturing of the spirit-self comes first. It is the primary purpose of storytelling, and all other uses and effects are secondary. Storytelling is also a living art. Like music and dance, it is brought to life in performance. A story will be altered by the storyteller's background: his/her choice of setting and detail, and the rapport established with the audience. The storyteller's building materials are words, sounds, and language patterns. The tools are the voice, face, and hands. The product is the creation of a shared human ex perience based on words and imagination. Storytelling is an individual art, and an imposed method or ready-to-use plan will prove inadequate. Beginning storytellers must go beyond the rules. They must know their personal strengths and develop their own unique style. As master storyteller Ruth Sawyer (1951:26) puts it, "The art of storytelling lies within the storyteller, to be searched for, drawn out, made to grow." Selection Selection requires an ability to evaluate stories and to discriminate between those that meet your learners' needs and those that do not. 1. Read, read, read. Although learning stories directly from other storytellers is the traditional method, you will learn most stories from books. Wide reading gives authority to your telling. Read all types of traditional stories and literary fairy tales, modern tales, picture-books, action stories, romances, fantasies, juvenile fiction, nonfiction, and biographies, etc. Read different versions of the same story. 2. Choose stories you like. You can only effectively tell the stories that you feel comfortable with and which have meaning for you. Choose stories that you can tell-beginners should tend towards folk tales for their simplicity of structure and language, and shy away from complex literary tales. 3. Choose stories appropriate for your learners. Find stories they will like, and that match their age and language level. Fairy and folk takes, which blend fantasy and reality, and use repetitive language, are good for beginners. Contemporary stories which treat problems of personal identity with more elaborate language are better suited for more advanced learners. 4. Choose stories with a simple structure. Look for a single, clearly defined theme, a well-developed sequential plot, a consistent style, standardized characterization (except perhaps for the protagonist), conflict resolution, dramatic appeal, unity, interesting subject matter, and strong emotional content. Avoid stories with long explanations or descriptions, flashbacks, subplots, and other literary devices that break the flow of a story. 5. Choose stories with positive values. I prefer to tell stories that implicitly express joy, compassion, humor, resourcefulness, and other positive aspects of human nature. On the other hand, psychologists tell us not to be excessively concerned about violence, fear, anger, hatred, lying, etc., in stories. 6. Study the story's background. Know something of the cultural, social and historical background of the story and the country of its origin. If you can't put the story in context, and its contents are not universal, consider choosing another. 7. Test your selection. Final selection is done through trial, ultimately through the positive or negative reactions you get from your audience. Preparation (prevents forgetting and flopping) 1. Learn the story. Learning the story means to make the story your own. Read it from beginning to end several times. Read it out loud. Master the structure of the story: the beginning (introduction of characters), the body (building of conflict), and the climax (resolution of conflict). Visualize the succession of scenes. Work on creating sensual setting and character descriptions. Note unusual expressions, word patterns, rhymes, and dialog. 2. Outline the story. Storytellers agree that memorizing word for word is not useful. Learn a story incident by incident, and prepare notes that will help you remember this structure. Typed skeleton outlines stick in the minds of visual learners. Cue card outlines are also useful in preparation and storage of tales, but should not be used in telling. 3. Control the story's length. Long stories can be simplified or serialized, but not excessively modified or censored. Time yourself during practice. A "story hour" should probably include a mixture of activities: reading storybooks, listening to story tapes, reciting poetry, singing songs, playing games, etc. besides the oral story itself. 4. Control the story's vocabulary. A rich vocabulary, with carefully chosen adjectives and adverbs, gives color and texture to the telling. However, you need to be comfortable with your use of language and not try too hard to get things "right" or the story will come out flat and nervous. Don't worry if the listeners don't already know every word; guessing is part of language learning. 5. Refine your storytelling style. Tell the story aloud to listen to your voice— your instrument-which you can exercise, train, and even change. A pause and dropped voice are often more effective than shouting. Take poetic passages slowly; report conversation at natural speed; tell narration more rapidly, building toward the climax. 6. Practice, practice, practice. Practice aloud to yourself, your family or friends. You could practice on audio or even video tape. Practice in front of a mirror to eliminate poor gestures and facial expressions. Some say practice makes storytelling artificial and studied, but it is essential to the beginner. 7. Relax before telling. Warm up as the situation allows with breathing, stretching, and vocal exercises. Presentation A story should be presented in a way that emphasizes the "what" of the story and not the "how" of the telling. 1. Start on the right foot. The beginning introduces the characters, sets the scene, establishes the mood, defines the conflict or predicament of the protagonist, and arouses pleasurable anticipation. Then the narrative carries the action. It is sometimes essential for comprehension, before beginning a tale, to make some background comments on Don't worry if the listeners don't know every word; guessing is part of language learning. |