_An introduction
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_
Storytelling is the act of telling a story in an entertaining, impressive or dramatic way.
Telling is standing or sitting and using ones voice or sign language to present a story without reading from a book.
Storytelling is the act of telling a story in an entertaining, impressive or dramatic way.
Telling is standing or sitting and using ones voice or sign language to present a story without reading from a book.
_We all tell stories
![Picture](/uploads/9/1/3/3/9133862/1648644.gif)
_We're all born storytellers and naturally use storytelling in one
shape or other everyday - talking to neighbours, sharing secrets or
gossip, recalling something dramatic, exciting or traumatic from our
day.
Sometimes we do it in an entertaining, or dramatic, or impressive way.
How do we adjust our delivery? What makes the difference? _
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Adding feeling or emotion is probably most important. How do we do it? Generally we remember the feeling of the event or imagine what our characters might be feeling and then adjust our 'delivery' accordingly.
How about:
_
How about:
- tone of voice
- loudness
- rhythm
- facial expression
- body language
- movement
- hand gestures
_
_How do you pick which stories to tell?
_ Well first of all, pick a story that makes you interested and curious about how it's going to end.
Secondly, pick one that seems to 'flow off the pages of the book' into your speaking voice - a well rounded oral story not a 'hard' or literary story.
Thirdly, pick a story, the philosophy of which, you can agree with, can be pleased with and proud of.
Stories are everywhere. Start looking. Listen to other tellers. Check out the folk and fairy tale section of your local library. Look in second hand bookshops for collections of folktales, yarns, urban myths, tall stories etc. There is no one book that is just right for beginners but there are lots of books to sift through to find stories that seem interesting. Having said that however here are a few suggestions out of untold thousands of possibilities that may be useful. Some are still in print but some will have to be borrowed from, or read in, a good library:
‘Favourite Folktales from around the World’: ed. Jane Yolen, Pantheon, 1986
the Oxford Myths and Legends series published as folktales from different countries e.g. ‘Turkish Folk-tales’: retold by Barbara K. Walker, 1988
‘Celtic Fairy Tales’: collected by Joseph Jacobs; Bodley Head, 1970
the 'Blue’ ‘Red’ ‘Green’ and 'Yellow Fairy Book': ed. Andrew Lang, Longman or Dover
‘Italian folktales’: retold by Italo Calvino, Penguin
‘Virago Book of Fairytales’: ed. Angela Carter, Virago, 1990
‘Alan Garner’s Book of British Fairy Tales’: Alan Garner; Collins, 1984
‘The Magic Orange Tree’: Dianne Wolkstein; Knopf (Folktales from Haiti)
The other good source of stories these days is off the Web. Just try any search engine for a term like folktales and have a look or join one of the email lists such as <[email protected]> where storytellers, and others such as writers, swap stories and discuss various aspects of storytelling.
Secondly, pick one that seems to 'flow off the pages of the book' into your speaking voice - a well rounded oral story not a 'hard' or literary story.
Thirdly, pick a story, the philosophy of which, you can agree with, can be pleased with and proud of.
Stories are everywhere. Start looking. Listen to other tellers. Check out the folk and fairy tale section of your local library. Look in second hand bookshops for collections of folktales, yarns, urban myths, tall stories etc. There is no one book that is just right for beginners but there are lots of books to sift through to find stories that seem interesting. Having said that however here are a few suggestions out of untold thousands of possibilities that may be useful. Some are still in print but some will have to be borrowed from, or read in, a good library:
‘Favourite Folktales from around the World’: ed. Jane Yolen, Pantheon, 1986
the Oxford Myths and Legends series published as folktales from different countries e.g. ‘Turkish Folk-tales’: retold by Barbara K. Walker, 1988
‘Celtic Fairy Tales’: collected by Joseph Jacobs; Bodley Head, 1970
the 'Blue’ ‘Red’ ‘Green’ and 'Yellow Fairy Book': ed. Andrew Lang, Longman or Dover
‘Italian folktales’: retold by Italo Calvino, Penguin
‘Virago Book of Fairytales’: ed. Angela Carter, Virago, 1990
‘Alan Garner’s Book of British Fairy Tales’: Alan Garner; Collins, 1984
‘The Magic Orange Tree’: Dianne Wolkstein; Knopf (Folktales from Haiti)
The other good source of stories these days is off the Web. Just try any search engine for a term like folktales and have a look or join one of the email lists such as <[email protected]> where storytellers, and others such as writers, swap stories and discuss various aspects of storytelling.
_
_ Micro teaching shows us different techniques and ways in order to be better teachers in class and for students to enjoy better our classes.
EnglishTeachers teaching as a second language, here or overseas, need to know a few simple methods to overcome the language barrier with their students. Teaching English to speakers of other languages is both challenging and rewarding. More and more internationally minded people are choosing to teach English as a Second Language both in the United States and abroad. Whether in the United States, another English-speaking country, or in countries around the world, the teacher of English as a second language will need to keep in mind the following simple guidelines:
- Use non-verbal cues. Facial expressions, hand gestures, and other non-verbal cues are a great way to overcome the language barrier. For example, when explaining the concept of tall, raise your hand high into the air. When explaining the concept of cold, shiver and chatter your teeth.
- Use visual aids. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, and this is particularly true when teaching English as a second language. Visual aids can be used to teach everything from vocabulary to prepositions. In addition to instructional advantages, visuals keep lessons interesting for the learners. If possible, get access to an overhead or slide projector for effective presentations.
- Put students in groups. If the teacher is constantly talking, learners of English as a second language will never get a chance to practice. Group work gives students an opportunity to practice the language. Groups work the best with 2 to 5 people; with any more people, not everyone gets a chance to participate. It is also a good idea to group students with different first languages together when possible.
- Use bi-lingual materials. If the teacher speaks the same language(s) as the students, the situation will be greatly simplified. But not many teachers have the luxury of speaking the same language(s) of his/her students. Bi-lingual materials can help a teacher of English as a second language to draw on a student's native language without knowing it him/herself.
- Repeat and rephrase. Teachers of English as a second language need to repeat everything at least three times. They should also vary the wording of their remarks. A student may know one set of vocabulary but not another - even when the topic of discussion is the same. Even if the student does understand a concept upon first explanation, he/she will still benefit from the repetition and variation of language. It will expose him/her to new words and phrases.
- Don't over-correct. Our first instinct as teachers of English as a second language is to correct student language errors. Over-correction, however, can make students reluctant to use the language. If afraid of being corrected every time they speak, students will simply stop speaking - and therefore learning - the language. Of course, there are appropriate times to correct language mistakes. If a concept - for example the past tense - has been discussed at length in class, it is appropriate to correct students when they form the past tense improperly.
- Create a safe atmosphere. Learning English as a second language is not an easy thing emotionally. Students will feel self-conscious about their lack of English ability and will thus be reluctant to use the language. The job of the teacher of English as a second language is to create a safe and supportive environment, one in which the student will be comfortable experimenting with the language. That means that laughing at or putting down others can not be tolerated in any way, shape, or form.
I also would like to share ten usefuil tips you may fell useful while teaching.
Ten Tips for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language
By Jann Huizenga
Here are some tips to help you avoid classroom culture clash in those heady first months of teaching abroad:
1. Dress right. Jeans, sneakers, and just-out-of-bed hair may be okay for teachers in the U.S., but in many parts of the world, a neat appearance counts far more than credentials. In Korea dark clothes lend an air of authority. Red is to be avoided at all costs. In Morocco female teachers don’t wear pants, sleeveless blouses, or short skirts.
2. Behave appropriately. When Judith Johnson asked 250 students at the Sichuan Institute of Foreign Languages in China what they liked and disliked about native speaker English teachers, the students’ main gripe was the informality of foreign teachers, who often seem to undermine their own authority by acting in undignified ways. In the U.S. teachers go on a first-name basis with students, sit on their desks, sip coffee, and even bounce off the walls without causing student discomfort or losing prestige. But these behaviors don’t export well.
3. Don’t worry if students seem unresponsive at first. Americans are used to participatory classrooms with plenty of teacher-student dialogue. Elsewhere, students are often trained to be silent, good listeners, and memorizers. In my classes in Poland, the Balkans, and Mongolia, students wore impassive classroom masks the first few weeks of class. It’s disconcerting to stand in front of a sea of blank faces, but expecting it reduces the shock. Introduce new concepts, such as discussion and role-play gradually. You’ll be surprised at how students will come to embrace the change.
4. Choose topics carefully. In the 1980s in totalitarian Yugoslavia I made the mistake of asking students to debate the pros and cons of capital punishment. A painful silence fell over the room. What discussion was possible, someone pointed out to me later, when the government’s position was clear? There are still many countries in the world where people are hesitant to voice opinions because of a fear of reprisal. If you’re conducting a classroom debate, remember that there’s a distaste for Western-style argumentation in Middle-Eastern societies, and in Japan it’s offensive for an individual to urge others to accept his opinion.
Certain topics may be taboo for cultural reasons: Most Americans don’t want to discuss their salaries or religious beliefs; Japanese may be disinclined to talk about their inner feelings; the French think questions about their family life are rude.
5. Don’t ask, “Do you understand?” In China and Japan, students will nod yes, even if they’re totally lost, in an attempt to save face for the teacher. Even in a country as far west as Turkey, yes often means no.
Nor should you expect students to ask questions in class if they don’t understand something. A former student of mine told me: “In China, a student who asks questions is considered a pain in the neck.” Check understanding by asking students to paraphrase or write questions they have in groups.
6. Avoid singling students out. Our society fosters a competitive individualism which is clearly manifested in our classrooms. American students are not shy about displaying their knowledge. In classrooms outside the U.S., however, showing solidarity with classmates and conforming to the status quo is often more important than looking good for the teacher. In Turkey and Montenegro students told me they disliked volunteering answers too often because it made them look like show-offs and attracted the evil eye of envy. This holds true in Japan and China, too, where proverbs express the cultural idea in a nutshell: “The clever hawk hides its claws” and “The nail that stands up must be pounded down.”
If you want to play a game, make the competition among groups rather than among individuals. If you need to discipline a student, do so in private.
7. Be aware of cross-cultural communication styles. French students appreciate wit. Venezuelan students like boisterous rapid-fire exchanges. In Japan, where debate is not as valued as in the U.S., students appreciate long pauses in discussions and silent “think time” after you ask a question. “Hollow drums make the most noise” goes a Japanese proverb, and Japanese students are uncomfortable blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. American teachers, who are uncomfortable with silence, tend to anticipate the student’s words or repeat their original question—both irritating interruptions for the Japanese student.
8. Present a rationale for what you do in class. Your pedagogy is going to be very different from what students are used to. They’ll conform much more eagerly to new classroom content and procedures if they understand the benefits.
9. Expect the best of your students. They’ll be serious about learning English because their economic advancement often depends upon mastering it.
10. Relax and enjoy yourself. Happiness in the classroom is contagious.
JANN HUIZENGA has taught EFL and trained EFL teachers in 20 countries since 1978. She has held three Fulbright grants to the former Yugoslavia, Turkey, and Italy.
EnglishTeachers teaching as a second language, here or overseas, need to know a few simple methods to overcome the language barrier with their students. Teaching English to speakers of other languages is both challenging and rewarding. More and more internationally minded people are choosing to teach English as a Second Language both in the United States and abroad. Whether in the United States, another English-speaking country, or in countries around the world, the teacher of English as a second language will need to keep in mind the following simple guidelines:
- Use non-verbal cues. Facial expressions, hand gestures, and other non-verbal cues are a great way to overcome the language barrier. For example, when explaining the concept of tall, raise your hand high into the air. When explaining the concept of cold, shiver and chatter your teeth.
- Use visual aids. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, and this is particularly true when teaching English as a second language. Visual aids can be used to teach everything from vocabulary to prepositions. In addition to instructional advantages, visuals keep lessons interesting for the learners. If possible, get access to an overhead or slide projector for effective presentations.
- Put students in groups. If the teacher is constantly talking, learners of English as a second language will never get a chance to practice. Group work gives students an opportunity to practice the language. Groups work the best with 2 to 5 people; with any more people, not everyone gets a chance to participate. It is also a good idea to group students with different first languages together when possible.
- Use bi-lingual materials. If the teacher speaks the same language(s) as the students, the situation will be greatly simplified. But not many teachers have the luxury of speaking the same language(s) of his/her students. Bi-lingual materials can help a teacher of English as a second language to draw on a student's native language without knowing it him/herself.
- Repeat and rephrase. Teachers of English as a second language need to repeat everything at least three times. They should also vary the wording of their remarks. A student may know one set of vocabulary but not another - even when the topic of discussion is the same. Even if the student does understand a concept upon first explanation, he/she will still benefit from the repetition and variation of language. It will expose him/her to new words and phrases.
- Don't over-correct. Our first instinct as teachers of English as a second language is to correct student language errors. Over-correction, however, can make students reluctant to use the language. If afraid of being corrected every time they speak, students will simply stop speaking - and therefore learning - the language. Of course, there are appropriate times to correct language mistakes. If a concept - for example the past tense - has been discussed at length in class, it is appropriate to correct students when they form the past tense improperly.
- Create a safe atmosphere. Learning English as a second language is not an easy thing emotionally. Students will feel self-conscious about their lack of English ability and will thus be reluctant to use the language. The job of the teacher of English as a second language is to create a safe and supportive environment, one in which the student will be comfortable experimenting with the language. That means that laughing at or putting down others can not be tolerated in any way, shape, or form.
I also would like to share ten usefuil tips you may fell useful while teaching.
Ten Tips for Teachers of English as a Foreign Language
By Jann Huizenga
Here are some tips to help you avoid classroom culture clash in those heady first months of teaching abroad:
1. Dress right. Jeans, sneakers, and just-out-of-bed hair may be okay for teachers in the U.S., but in many parts of the world, a neat appearance counts far more than credentials. In Korea dark clothes lend an air of authority. Red is to be avoided at all costs. In Morocco female teachers don’t wear pants, sleeveless blouses, or short skirts.
2. Behave appropriately. When Judith Johnson asked 250 students at the Sichuan Institute of Foreign Languages in China what they liked and disliked about native speaker English teachers, the students’ main gripe was the informality of foreign teachers, who often seem to undermine their own authority by acting in undignified ways. In the U.S. teachers go on a first-name basis with students, sit on their desks, sip coffee, and even bounce off the walls without causing student discomfort or losing prestige. But these behaviors don’t export well.
3. Don’t worry if students seem unresponsive at first. Americans are used to participatory classrooms with plenty of teacher-student dialogue. Elsewhere, students are often trained to be silent, good listeners, and memorizers. In my classes in Poland, the Balkans, and Mongolia, students wore impassive classroom masks the first few weeks of class. It’s disconcerting to stand in front of a sea of blank faces, but expecting it reduces the shock. Introduce new concepts, such as discussion and role-play gradually. You’ll be surprised at how students will come to embrace the change.
4. Choose topics carefully. In the 1980s in totalitarian Yugoslavia I made the mistake of asking students to debate the pros and cons of capital punishment. A painful silence fell over the room. What discussion was possible, someone pointed out to me later, when the government’s position was clear? There are still many countries in the world where people are hesitant to voice opinions because of a fear of reprisal. If you’re conducting a classroom debate, remember that there’s a distaste for Western-style argumentation in Middle-Eastern societies, and in Japan it’s offensive for an individual to urge others to accept his opinion.
Certain topics may be taboo for cultural reasons: Most Americans don’t want to discuss their salaries or religious beliefs; Japanese may be disinclined to talk about their inner feelings; the French think questions about their family life are rude.
5. Don’t ask, “Do you understand?” In China and Japan, students will nod yes, even if they’re totally lost, in an attempt to save face for the teacher. Even in a country as far west as Turkey, yes often means no.
Nor should you expect students to ask questions in class if they don’t understand something. A former student of mine told me: “In China, a student who asks questions is considered a pain in the neck.” Check understanding by asking students to paraphrase or write questions they have in groups.
6. Avoid singling students out. Our society fosters a competitive individualism which is clearly manifested in our classrooms. American students are not shy about displaying their knowledge. In classrooms outside the U.S., however, showing solidarity with classmates and conforming to the status quo is often more important than looking good for the teacher. In Turkey and Montenegro students told me they disliked volunteering answers too often because it made them look like show-offs and attracted the evil eye of envy. This holds true in Japan and China, too, where proverbs express the cultural idea in a nutshell: “The clever hawk hides its claws” and “The nail that stands up must be pounded down.”
If you want to play a game, make the competition among groups rather than among individuals. If you need to discipline a student, do so in private.
7. Be aware of cross-cultural communication styles. French students appreciate wit. Venezuelan students like boisterous rapid-fire exchanges. In Japan, where debate is not as valued as in the U.S., students appreciate long pauses in discussions and silent “think time” after you ask a question. “Hollow drums make the most noise” goes a Japanese proverb, and Japanese students are uncomfortable blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. American teachers, who are uncomfortable with silence, tend to anticipate the student’s words or repeat their original question—both irritating interruptions for the Japanese student.
8. Present a rationale for what you do in class. Your pedagogy is going to be very different from what students are used to. They’ll conform much more eagerly to new classroom content and procedures if they understand the benefits.
9. Expect the best of your students. They’ll be serious about learning English because their economic advancement often depends upon mastering it.
10. Relax and enjoy yourself. Happiness in the classroom is contagious.
JANN HUIZENGA has taught EFL and trained EFL teachers in 20 countries since 1978. She has held three Fulbright grants to the former Yugoslavia, Turkey, and Italy.