The Application of Storytelling in English Writing

【Abstract】As writing remains an essential medium of learning not only that it serves as an outlet for student creativity and intellect but also as another instrument in assessing their verbal and mental developments where all other types of learning emanate from. This paper will explain it from mainly the background， characteristics， relationship and significance.

【Key words】storytelling； writing； metal development

【作者簡介】王芳，西北師范大學。

1. Background

Writing is considered to be one of the most significant means of communication through which humans can express their ideas and discover the observations of others. It is considered to be the pride of the human mind， as it is the greatest production of human thinking. Storytelling has long been the mainstay of the global society in terms of communication and storing information. In ancient times， storytelling constituted the way in which people held onto their customs and beliefs and passed on the knowledge they acquired to younger generations. Comparing with earlier records， no other means of doing so were available and it is the oldest method we know in which people memorize events （Abrahamson， 1998）. Abrahamson （1998） claims that storytelling may have facilitated the survival of some civilizations considering that the experiences of life and death were thus passed on to generations to come.

Vygotsky （1978） stated that success in writing is not exclusively dictated by the writers cognitive skills. As a skill， it is possible for storytelling to utilize the cognitive and affective aspects of learning and offer a pedagogical alternative for developing various language skills. Storytelling also plays an important part in reading and writing classes. Al-Mansour and Al-Shorman （2011） indicated that storytelling improves pupils reading comprehension and suggested that oral storytelling is useful for improving learners self-confidence and reading skills. Since stories constitute a form of creative writing， learners should be encouraged to practise it pedagogically and extensively.

2. Characteristics

First， motivating student. If we adopt the storytelling， we will use it feasibly. As the saying goes “Interest is the best teacher”， so learners can adapt a story about what they see or hear， thus making knowledge close to life， obtain “Learning by doing”. Second， stimulating curiosity and inspiring thinking， such as Aesops Fables， Fairy Tales. Third， enriching learners life， and cultivating the aesthetics of learners. We know a story have different plots， various characteristics and roles， to make learners experience lives.

Telling a story can use many ways. Some can be used as an introduction to classes， others can be used as a form of English games， sometimes it can be used as a means of training basic skills， or can be reached by conducting an English story or an English party. Teachers often change the forms and content of storytelling in the classroom， which helps to create a warm atmosphere for learning English and makes the teaching process a pleasant experience shared by teachers and students.

3. The relationship between storytelling and writing

The storytelling strategy could be used for the purpose of developing writing since it employs different phases of literacy development. It also variably improves the four essential skills in language learning along with grammar and vocabulary. Gallets （2005） indicated that in storytelling one person relates the story from memory to a different person or a group. The teller acts as a transmitter and the listener（s） as a receiver of thoughts and ideas with interaction between the two. Young children listen to stories and other narratives and subsequently incorporate them in their writing through drafting， sharing， or editing.

4. The significance of the storytelling

The method of storytelling adapts to English classroom， which can make learners acquire knowledge from materials， but also can learn extensional knowledge from a story. To improve the enthusiasm， we should adopt the method of storytelling in junior middle school. Students are encouraged to take part actively in classroom， therefore， improving the quality of teaching.

References：

[1]Abrahamson，C.（1998）.Storytelling as a Pedagogical Too in Higher Education.http：//www.findarticles.com.

[2]Al-Mansour，N.，& Al-Shorman，R.（2011）.The Effect of Teachers Storytelling Aloud on the Reading Comprehension of Saudi Elementary Stage Students.Journal of King Saud University-Language and Translation，23，69-76.

[3]Vygotsky，L.（1978）.Mind in Society the Development of Higher Psychological Processes.Cambridge，MA：Harvard University Press.