Storytelling for ESOL

Listen to the story. While you are listening, decide if the story is true or not? Justify your decision.

How did you feel as a listener and as a story teller? Did you like it? Why? What other activities could you do with your students with a story of this type? Think of 3 possible activities

By the end of this session you will have: Objectives By the end of this session you will have: ·explored why and how stories could be used in classes to enrich learning; ·tried and evaluated a number of storytelling tools that could be used with Entry level and literacy students; ·(perhaps been inspired or at least persuaded to try one of the techniques and be ready to come back next week and tell us the story of your trial!)

Why do stories with students? Everyone tells stories as part of everyday interaction with others. By helping the students develop these skills, we are making it easier for them to be social beings in an English speaking community. Language: ·meaning rich, genuine language use ·focus is on meaning - develops fluency in listening and speaking Personal development: ·emotionally engaging - giving value to the story and the story teller ·fuels the imagination and creativity - our students find this really hard cf. Cambridge exams ·use them to learn about ourselves and others ·can build confidence Pleasure: ·all stories have plot, however simple, which draws listeners/readers in ·interesting - we all like talking about ourselves, if not always listening to others

Which stories? Whose stories? Many sources of stories ·guest story tellers - local community leaders, artists, storytellers, museum curators, ..... ·traditional stories from around the world - loads on the Internet ·true news stories (feel good stories) ·art related - the story behind works of art, music, dance, etc. ·libraries - fiction (plus storytellers often hangout there) ·Us! - our own lives, our friends and colleagues, and the students themselves and their experiences We hope to develop a small library of DVDs of people telling stories - staff, students, friends, etc. perhaps linked to the curriculum themes.

·Does the storyteller read or tell? Is there a difference? Some issues ·Does the storyteller read or tell? Is there a difference? ·How do we set appropriate tasks which promoting active listening while not stifling listening for pleasure? -before, during and after listening · How can we justify the time spent on storytelling? Link to topic? Link to exam? ·If we can see the value, how do we then sell the idea to our adult learners?

n A .......... day lost surprising sad interesting wasted great wonderful life-changing lost surprising sad interesting wasted great n disappointing lonely

Did you enjoying telling your story? Did you enjoy listening to other stories? Did it feel different telling someone else's story? Is this an activity you could do with students? If so, what would you need to do to support them in their storytelling?

What one story telling activity are you going to try this week with your students?

---- Subject: FW: The hippo and the tortoise ' Much of life can never be explained but only witnessed' - Rachel Naomi Remen, MD NAIROBI (AFP) - A baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami waves on the Kenyan coast has formed a strong bond with a giant male century-old tortoise in an animal facility in the port city of Mombassa, officials said. The hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen and weighing about 300 kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down Sabaki River into the Indian Ocean , then forced back to shore when tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on December 26, before wildlife rangers rescued him. 'It is incredible. A-less-than-a-year-old hippo has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother',' ecologist Paula Kahumbu, who is in charge of Lafarge Park , told AFP. 'After it was swept away and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized. It had to look for something to be a surrogate mother. Fortunately , it landed on the tortoise and established a strong bond. They swim, eat and sleep together,' the ecologist added. 'The hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it followed its mother. If somebody approaches the tortoise, the hippo becomes aggressive, as if protecting its biological mother,' Kahumbu added. 'The hippo is a young baby, he was left at a very tender age and by nature, hippos are social animals that like to stay with their mothers for four years,' he explained. Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.' This is a real story that shows that our differences don't matter much when we need the comfort of another. We could all learn a lesson from these two creatures. 'Look beyond the differences and find a way to walk the path together.' > Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate. > 'Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.'

www.britishcouncil.org/kids-stories-ali.htm> www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/storymaker/storymaker.htm>