Story Arts | Storytelling in the Classroom

Why Storytelling?

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Educators have long known that the arts can contribute to student academic success and emotional well being. The ancient art of storytelling is especially well-suited for student exploration. As a folk art, storytelling is accessible to all ages and abilities. No special equipment beyond the imagination and the power of listening and speaking is needed to create artistic images. As a learning tool, storytelling can encourage students to explore their unique expressiveness and can heighten a student's ability to communicate thoughts and feelings in an articulate, lucid manner. These benefits transcend the art experience to support daily life skills. In our fast-paced, media-driven world, storytelling can be a nurturing way to remind children that their spoken words are powerful, that listening is important, and that clear communication between people is an art. [and there's more...]

Retelling Folktales

Storytelling Lesson Plans and Activities

Using Storytelling To Assess Listening and Speaking Skills

Story Library

• Stories in a Nutshell...Concise Folktale Plots For Student Retelling
  
• Aesop's ABC...Twenty Six Fables

Exploring Cultural Roots Through Storytelling

• Collecting Family Stories
  
• Remembering Your Life Stories
• Celebrating the Stories of Our Ancestors by Retelling Folktales

Why Storytelling? More Reasons...

Gaining Verbal Skills
Becoming verbally proficient can contribute to a student's ability to resolve interpersonal conflict nonviolently. Negotiation, discussion, and tact are peacemaking skills. Being able to lucidly express one's thoughts and feelings is important for a child's safety. Clear communication is the first step to being able to ask for help when it is needed.

Imagination
Both telling a story and listening to a well-told tale encourages students to use their imaginations. Developing the imagination can empower students to consider new and inventive ideas. Developing the imagination can contribute to self-confidence and personal motivation as students envision themselves competent and able to accomplish their hopes and dreams.

Passing On Wisdom
Storytelling based on traditional folktales is a gentle way to guide young people toward constructive personal values by presenting imaginative situations in which the outcome of both wise and unwise actions and decisions can be seen.

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Storytelling is an art, or craft if you prefer, which is a great tool to be used by teachers, professional speakers (referring to a certain Apple Computer Spokesman, very accomplished at storytelling), and even parents. Anyone who finds themselves in the position of speaking to a group, large or small, or even an individual whom they want to effectively get a message across to and then have the group or individual take specific action.