Abstract The oral tradition of storytelling has served to stir the imagination of human kind since time immemorial yet it has been all but lost in our dry, isolationistic digital age. We need to revive the art of storytelling for all, as an essential art form and as a means of emotional and affective communication. This theopractical presentation considers storytelling techniques for teachers and for young learners. Practical strategies will be borrowed from the world of educational drama to develop both vocal and body expression, laying the emphasis on pacing, rhythm and volume, mime, facial gesture, and action. No great resources will be suggested but an understanding of the concept of “The Speaking Body in the Empty Space” will be seen as essential, with the Teacher and the Student being the real resources. Teachers should leave with lots of practical ideas to use in their classrooms when term starts.

1. The GiftThe Gift
ofof
StorytellingStorytelling
Susan Hillyard B.Ed ( Hons)Susan Hillyard B.Ed ( Hons)
ssnhillyard@gmail.comssnhillyard@gmail.com
http://susanhillyard.blogspot.com.ar/http://susanhillyard.blogspot.com.ar/
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/EVO_Drama_2014/infohttp://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/EVO_Drama_2014/info

2. Questions for today….Questions for today….
What isWhat is
Storytelling?Storytelling?
How do we do it?How do we do it?

3. ““After nourishment, shelterAfter nourishment, shelter
and companionship, storiesand companionship, stories
are the thing we need mostare the thing we need most
in the world.” in the world.”
Philip Pullman

4. ????????? Think Time???????????????? Think Time???????
The Speaking Body in theThe Speaking Body in the
Empty SpaceEmpty Space
Peter BrooksPeter Brooks

5. Resources required…Resources required…
Nothing moreNothing more
than the resourcesthan the resources
the Teacher andthe Teacher and
the Studentsthe Students
bring to thebring to the
Empty SpaceEmpty Space
( see HO…..B rubrics)( see HO…..B rubrics)

6. Typical elements of a Trad FairyTypical elements of a Trad Fairy
StoryStory
 Hero/heroineHero/heroine
 Anti H or HAnti H or H
 Others like prince/ess, wicked witch, monster,Others like prince/ess, wicked witch, monster,
 Animals or objects that speak ( personification)Animals or objects that speak ( personification)
 Setting…..forest, haunted house, sea, castle…Setting…..forest, haunted house, sea, castle…
 Plot….conflictPlot….conflict
 Theme…..universal/moral/message/twist in theTheme…..universal/moral/message/twist in the
taletale

7. ?????Talk Time??????????Talk Time?????
Tell your partner your story as a teacher. Include:Tell your partner your story as a teacher. Include:
 When you started…When you started…
 Why you started….Why you started….
 Great moments…..Great moments…..
 Tough moments…Tough moments…
 Where you have arrived todayWhere you have arrived today
 Where you hope to be in some years etc etcWhere you hope to be in some years etc etc

8. Tell the Story BackTell the Story Back
 Use the elements we discussed andUse the elements we discussed and
 Use the third person singularUse the third person singular
 Tell the story back with theTell the story back with the
archetypical elementsarchetypical elements

9. Stories come in all shapes...Stories come in all shapes...
 FantasyFantasy
 FactualFactual
 HorrorHorror
 RomanticRomantic
 LegendLegend
 HistoricalHistorical
 CulturalCultural
 ComicComic

10. 7 Characteristics to Exploit7 Characteristics to Exploit
1.1. A central premise.A central premise.
2. Strong three-dimensional characters who change2. Strong three-dimensional characters who change
over time.over time.
3. A confined space -- often referred to as a crucible.3. A confined space -- often referred to as a crucible.
4. A protagonist who is on some sort of quest.4. A protagonist who is on some sort of quest.
5. An antagonist of some sort bent on stopping the5. An antagonist of some sort bent on stopping the
hero. hero.
6. An arch in everything -- everything is getting better6. An arch in everything -- everything is getting better
or worse.or worse.
7. And perhaps most important -- Conflict.7. And perhaps most important -- Conflict.


11. Why Stories work in ELTWhy Stories work in ELT
 rhythmrhythm
 rhymerhyme
 repetitionrepetition
 rousingrousing
 responseresponse
 ritualritual

12. WHY?WHY?
The SPICE of ELTThe SPICE of ELT
S-social developmentS-social development
P-physical developmentP-physical development
I-intellectual developmentI-intellectual development
C-creative developmentC-creative development
E-emotional developmentE-emotional development

13. Ways in to StorytellingWays in to Storytelling
 Playing with BreathingPlaying with Breathing
 Playing with Sounds …..abstract andPlaying with Sounds …..abstract and
meaningfulmeaningful
 Using rhymes/ alliteration/initial /endingUsing rhymes/ alliteration/initial /ending
soundssounds
 Adding movement/tableauxAdding movement/tableaux
 Singing…… especially Action SongsSinging…… especially Action Songs
 Chanting/rappingChanting/rapping
 Reader’s TheatreReader’s Theatre

14. BreatheBreathe
WellWell
!!!!!!!!!!

15. Sounds Fun!Sounds Fun!
 final /m/ Tom, Tim, Pam, Mumfinal /m/ Tom, Tim, Pam, Mum
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 /b/ I have a ball bouncing, bouncing, (Big,/b/ I have a ball bouncing, bouncing, (Big,
small, high, low)small, high, low)
 I have a balloonI have a balloon, blow it up…., blow it up….
 /d/Daisy Daisy digs in the dell: (with her/d/Daisy Daisy digs in the dell: (with her
hands, with her elbow, with her nose!)hands, with her elbow, with her nose!)

16. •/th/ My mother and my father,
My sister and my brother
The dog, the cat, the baby
They are my family (Adams)
• /t/ Tick tock(x2),
Time to go to bed
Tick tock (x2),
No time to talk
It’s time to go to bed
• /th/ Every Thursday, I am thirsty. In my little throat. Thirsty!
Thirsty! Thirsty! Thirsty! ………………… Thank you!
• /v/Vicky Vasquez vanishes in Venice/ Victor the Vampire
votes for Vipers

17. Stock phrases…..Stock phrases…..
 Once upon a time……Once upon a time……
 It was a cold dark winter’s night…..It was a cold dark winter’s night…..
 And as she skipped through the green, greenAnd as she skipped through the green, green
forest…….forest…….
 A dark, gloomy castle rose up into the nightA dark, gloomy castle rose up into the night
sky…..sky…..
 And they lived happily ever after….And they lived happily ever after….
 And they never went into the forest again…..And they never went into the forest again…..

18. RefrainsRefrains
 I’m a troll folderol…..I’m a troll folderol…..
 What big eyes you’ve got, Grandma…What big eyes you’ve got, Grandma…
 And it was too salty…And it was too salty…
 Trip, trap, trip, trapTrip, trap, trip, trap
 Jigglety jolt, x 3, Up the hill, down the hill andJigglety jolt, x 3, Up the hill, down the hill and
through the valleythrough the valley
 Mirror, mirror on the wall…..Mirror, mirror on the wall…..

19. Nonsense ModelsNonsense Models
Pair work.Pair work.
See HO …..ESee HO …..E
Try out!Try out!

20. Rap a story! Mootoo and DeclanRap a story! Mootoo and Declan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJeJd4yJ36Ahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJeJd4yJ36A

21. Using Mime: How would you mime?Using Mime: How would you mime?
 enormousenormous
 elephantelephant
 boredbored
 ideaidea
 walkwalk
 New YorkNew York
 meetmeet
 magicmagic
 monkeymonkey
 what's the matter?what's the matter?
 with mewith me
 OKOK
 crazycrazy
 crocodilecrocodile
 tiredtired
 sleepsleep

22. Miming a storyMiming a story
Now listen to the story (on nextNow listen to the story (on next
slide) and mime the actions youslide) and mime the actions you
decided on while I tell the story.decided on while I tell the story.
We will do it twice…We will do it twice…

23. ENORMOUS ELEPHANTENORMOUS ELEPHANT
This is the story of Enormous Elephant, Magic Monkey, and Crazy Crocodile.This is the story of Enormous Elephant, Magic Monkey, and Crazy Crocodile.
One day Enormous Elephant was bored, very very bored. Then he had an idea.‘IOne day Enormous Elephant was bored, very very bored. Then he had an idea.‘I
know,’ he said, ‘I’ll go to New York.’ So he started to walk, and he walked, andknow,’ he said, ‘I’ll go to New York.’ So he started to walk, and he walked, and
he walked, and he walked. On the way he met Magic Monkey.he walked, and he walked. On the way he met Magic Monkey.
‘‘Hello, Magic Monkey,’ he said. ‘Hello,’ said Magic Monkey.‘What’s the matter?’Hello, Magic Monkey,’ he said. ‘Hello,’ said Magic Monkey.‘What’s the matter?’
said Enormous Elephant. ‘I’m bored,’ said Magic Monkey, ‘very, very bored.’‘I’vesaid Enormous Elephant. ‘I’m bored,’ said Magic Monkey, ‘very, very bored.’‘I’ve
got an idea,’ said Enormous Elephant, ‘why don’t you come to New York withgot an idea,’ said Enormous Elephant, ‘why don’t you come to New York with
me?’ ‘OK,’ said Magic Monkey.So they started to walk, and they walked, and theyme?’ ‘OK,’ said Magic Monkey.So they started to walk, and they walked, and they
walked, and they walked. On the way they met Crazy Crocodile.‘Hello, Crazywalked, and they walked. On the way they met Crazy Crocodile.‘Hello, Crazy
Crocodile,’ they said. ‘Hello,’ said Crazy Crocodile.‘What’s the matter?’ saidCrocodile,’ they said. ‘Hello,’ said Crazy Crocodile.‘What’s the matter?’ said
Enormous Elephant. ‘I’m bored,’ said Crazy Crocodile, ‘very, very bored.’‘I’veEnormous Elephant. ‘I’m bored,’ said Crazy Crocodile, ‘very, very bored.’‘I’ve
got an idea,’ said Enormous Elephant, ‘why don’t you come to New York withgot an idea,’ said Enormous Elephant, ‘why don’t you come to New York with
us?’‘OK,’ said Crazy Crocodile. So they started to walk, and they walked, andus?’‘OK,’ said Crazy Crocodile. So they started to walk, and they walked, and
walked, and walked. And they walked, and they walked, and they walked. Andwalked, and walked. And they walked, and they walked, and they walked. And
they walked, and they walked, and they walked.‘Oh, I’m tired,’ said Enormousthey walked, and they walked, and they walked.‘Oh, I’m tired,’ said Enormous
Elephant. ‘Oh, I’m tired,’ said Magic Monkey.‘Oh, I’m tired,’ said CrazyElephant. ‘Oh, I’m tired,’ said Magic Monkey.‘Oh, I’m tired,’ said Crazy
Crocodile. So they all went to sleep.Crocodile. So they all went to sleep.

24. Action SongsAction Songs
 My Mummy is a dentist…My Mummy is a dentist…
 There was a Princess….There was a Princess….
 When Goldilocks went to…..When Goldilocks went to…..
 There were Ten in the Bed….There were Ten in the Bed….
 Miss Polly had a Dolly…..Miss Polly had a Dolly…..
 Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed..Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed..