Storytelling/ storymaking

One of my favourite workshops was storytelling/storymaking by Debra Darrell. It was rich with various interesting activities. Even we' the participants' as adults enjoyed them a lot.

The workshop tackled the benefits of storytelling and the skills practiced. It provides students with opportunities to listen to language in context, lets them have an experience with the powerful language of personnal communication. It also sparks curiosity and engages the hearts and minds of the students, etc...

Concerning the skills practiced, students learn new vocabulary, language form and grammar. It gives them fluency practice, helps to listen and think critically and provides for all aspects of oral intelligibility...

The workshop dTealt also with how to incorperate stories in the classroom. A teacher may opt for a storytelling unit, initiate A Story A Day, have a weekly storytelling time or start a storytelling club.

The workshop included some storytelling game such as: Apple Tree ( for all levels). It focuses on fluency, spontaneity, listening, pronountiation of targeted structures, targeted grammar practice and build group unity. Concerning the tips for learning and telling a story: select, concentrate, vocalize, memorize key bits, visualize, analize...

The last part of the workshop was devoted to to personal storytelling. Any person can be a storyteller. a teacher may make use of students' personal experiences and ask them to talk about events that took place in their lives. however, the teacher should use prompts to hook a story.