What this unit is about

The aim of this unit is to develop your skills in using English for storytelling.

Storytelling can be a powerful teaching method because you, the teacher, are in direct communication with your students. Stories and storytelling require only one resource – you.

Storytelling allows you to ask open questions, such as ‘What do you think will happen next?’ and ‘Why do you think he does this?’, that encourage students to think, recall, reflect, imagine and respond. All of these develop their language skills. Experienced teachers know that students will remember language very well, and try to use it, when they hear it in a story.

It is good practice to tell and read stories regularly in the classroom because these are learning opportunities as well as fun occasions. In India we are fortunate to have many stories from folklore and tradition that teachers can use to promote language learning. When you tell stories in your classroom it will be natural and expected to mix local languages and English, especially in the early years of school.