Storytelling as English Language Learning in the Primary School Author: Wenli Tsou(Department of Languages and Literature Education, National Tainan Teachers College)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 48, No.1
Date：July 2003
Pages：53-67
DOI：10.6210/JNTNULL.2003.48(1).04

Abstract：

This is a study of the relationship between storytelling and language learning at the primary school level. It focuses on the significance of storytelling in the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language in primary school. We compared two classes -in one the teacher incorporated storytelling into her teaching method, in the other she did not-in terms of the teacher talks, the students' oral classroom participation and the classroom atmosphere. The result indicated that the teacher talks in the storytelling classroom were different from that in the non-storytelling, regular English classroom. The teacher used more open questions, prompts and student volunteers in the storytelling classroom; in addition, students' oral classroom participation and the classroom atmosphere on spirit were also enhanced by storytelling. Therefore this study concludes that language educators should not overlook the significance of storytelling for language learning, especially foreign language learning. Potential problems regarding the use of storytelling were also discussed; possible solutions and further suggestions were given.

Keywords：storytelling, teacher talks, oral classroom participation, classroom atmosphere

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