Storytelling to teach language in classroom – Importance and Benefits
Wise English language teacher plans interactive and communicative lesson plan for maximize language learning in the classroom. Teacher uses story to teach the language skills as well as other language components. A story can be used for teaching different language skills and the teacher exploits the lesson with its full length. English language teacher keeps precise and lucid learning objectives. S/he always develops tasks very systematically. S/he designs task from easy to complex. Teacher considers learners’ age, their social background and cultural background, their previous language learning experience and relating their world knowledge to the text. It sustains learner’s interest throughout the class. Teacher uses authentic story to bring the real world in the classroom and the language level of this story is appropriate for this stage.
Teacher uses teaching aids keeping in mind about different kind of the learner, like visual, auditory and kinesthetic. A classroom consists of different types of learner and a good teacher takes into account of all these important factors in mind while making lesson plan for teaching language in the classroom. Teacher uses wonderful techniques for teaching integrated skills, through listening skills vis a vis reading, writing and speaking skills and extends it for teaching language forms and functions , from controlled tasks to free production of language . Teacher uses peer-interaction techniques It provides chance to correct themselves and to get involved in teaching and learning process, making learners more cooperative and free from teacher’s surveillance. A teacher should guide his students instead of criticizing for their mistakes.
Benefits of using story in a language classroom
Ø It provides natural context for language exploration.
Ø Through stories so many language items can be presented.
Ø Stories have universal appeal.
Ø It fascinates and sustains the interest of the learners in a language classroom.
Ø Positive learning attitudes can be developed through story telling among learners for learning second/foreign language.
Ø It develops creative thinking in the learners. Children love fantasy and stories provide so much fantasy which makes a bridge between their own imaginative world and their real worlds.
Ø Stories stimulate students’ imagination in which they share their ideas in their own language.
Ø Language skills can be developed through stories.
Ø We can teach grammar indirectly by using stories in the classroom.
Ø It develops listening skill as well as concentration skill because children love listen stories very carefully. Children are mischievous, can distract very easily but stories helps to develop their concentration level.
Ø Children acquire unconsciously certain language items e.g. use of words in certain context, guessing the meaning of the words through context in the story, some sentence patterns, some grammatical items etc.
Ø It provides opportunities for the learners to know about the different cultures, manners, customs etc.
Ø Stories provide connection to learners to their own worldly knowledge with their learning of the English language.
Apart from these advantages of teaching stories in a language classroom, a teacher can use stories for different purposes like group discussion by choosing key word and phrases from the stories, developing dialogue of two characters, giving 3-4 similar title and asking which title do `you find the best for a particular stories etc. Child learns language in a learners’ friendly environment. Story helps the teacher to fill the gap between teacher and students. It develops a kind of intimacy with learners. Learners feel connected with the teacher and the teaching topics.
Rajeev Ranjan
Indian Educationist
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