Exploring the impact of using storytelling activities in class on teacher development

Analysis and Interpretation of trainee teachers’ experiences of using storytelling activities in the

ESOL CLASSROOM

“We are wired for communicating through and learning from stories.”

(Gibson 2012)

The Research Background:Why?1. To enhance professional practice of ESOL/literacy teachers by

encouraging them to explore the possibilities of using storytelling as a creative approach to teaching in the ESOL/literacy classroom.

2. To map a variability of storytelling approaches currently in use in the ESOL /literacy classroom in order to share innovative ideas and practices.

3. To encourage new approaches to teaching and learning and to improve thresholds of language and literacy attainment in the ESOL classroom.

The research hopes to answer the following questions:

1. What are the most effective teaching and learning approaches to using storytelling as a pedagogic tool in the ESOL classroom?

2. How best can storytelling activities enhance learner engagement with language learning?

3. What are trainee teachers’ responses to using storytelling in the ESOL classroom?

Research Questions

Methodology/Participants –Moodle 19 Trainee Teachers (12 pre-service/ 7 in-service) http://elearning.bolton.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=9237

Preliminary Findings- in relation to research questions

1. What are the most effective teaching and learning approaches to using storytelling as a pedagogic tool in the ESOL classroom? - Where did the trainees find the inspiration for storytelling activities?- How were storytelling tasks used by them?

Their own stories Their own reading/viewing Topics related to curriculum

Impromptu; anecdotal; starters

Formalised; prepared ahead;

Texts from fiction; fairy tales; canonical texts; ’moving’ stories

Clips from films; stories – pre-reading & pre-writing stimulus;

Move on onto ls’ telling their stories

Pictures/ games/ technology/scrabble

Childhood related; biographical – emotive response and languageStoryboard – collaborative story telling

My Home; Travelling;Holidays (randomly chosen in a box to talk about);

Where did the trainees find the inspiration for storytelling?

How were storytelling tasks used by trainee teachers?

The TTs accounts demonstrate that storytelling tasks :were practised in different contexts with different groups/levels of learners– from IELTS, ESOL E1 to E3; Literacy L1 -In different stages in the lesson -Different sources-were implemented through various contextual frames – -asking learners to tell something about themselves at the beg of the course; as part of CV writing with an additional ‘emotive’ element; re-tell known stories to find out about each other’s culture; tell stories as if for children; tell an anecdote; summarise a story; invent a story following a model frame;

The data on MOODLE demonstrate a wide range of usage – organised into ‘themes’

Themes

Themes Identified

Personal Anecdotal Storytelling - teacher and learner Warmers-engagers/lesson lead ins Use of ‘visual literacy’ in storytelling Use of ‘digital literacy’ in storytelling

Routines – a well established part of a regular classroom activity as opposed to ‘one offs’

Use of personal creative initiatives (a dramatic hook) – Teacher as a storyteller/storywriter

2. How can storytelling activities enhance learner engagement with language learning?

Promote social and personal skills through the engagement of the affective (aesthetical/ethical) domain

Storytelling is associated with: ‘imagination’; ‘laughter’‘They found out more about each

other’ Increase motivation ‘helped to

cross both cultural and personal boundaries’

‘help ... bond’ ‘more confident and creative’; ‘group bonding and confidence building’

Cognitive engagement - storiesProvide clarification of a particular

grammar pointEnable ‘to relate to the topic and

subsequent vocab, with their existing schemata’

Bring the language into a real life context – meaning making (telling stories to children; about themselves)

Enable effective initial assessment of ls’ confidence

Encourage collaboration – ‘using peers as learning resources’ e.g. reading and writing and re-telling stories in pairs;

Challenges of Storytelling

Lack of grammar, vocabulary, writing skillsLess enthusiastic to write (productive skill)Less desire to speak (productive skill)Storytelling tasks need plenty of preparation

and setting up

3. What are the trainee teachers’ responses to using storytelling in their practice?

Analysing the MOODLE contributions we can identify clearly a continuum of trainee responses to using ST in their practice. The continuum illustrates very well, we believe, our trainees’ professional development in their pre-service /novice stage as teachers of ESOL/Literacy

To interpret the data from the accounts we have used a theoretical framework developed by Linda Evans: (2002, 2014):

Professional development - as a ‘cognitive process’ on the ‘micro level’;

A ‘mental internalisation’ process – conscious or unconscious in which teacher(s) ‘displace(s) and/or replace(s) previously- held … knowledge … attitudes … and … skills’ (2014, 186)

Teacher development ...3 components

Beh

avi

ou

ral • Performan

ce is modified

Att

itu

din

al • Work-

related attitudes are modified

Inte

llect

ual • Professional-

related knowledge, understanding or reflective capacity … modified

The impact of using storytelling tasks on TT’s development

Impromptu

One off – enthusiastic/hesitant

Established; routines

Carefully planned; aware of possible variations

Carefully planned with elements of innovation and creativity; perseverance in the face of the learners’ resistance; confidence with the value of ST; belief in its pedagogical effectiveness

Findings so far...2 – no change – despite positive experience, still no

evidence of seeing ST as part of everyday classroom practice; or discouraged by perceived limited impact

Mostly - Attitudinal change – motivational and intellectual – due to positive experience and learners’ response to the approach; recognising its social, cognitive and personal values;

Frequently intellectual change – variations of the activity/tasks; also improved reflective analytical skill when reviewing own experiences with ST including noticing ls’ reactions to the activities – need for better planning

Practical Storytelling Activities

Storytelling Apphttp://educationaltechnologyinelt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/storytelling-websites-and-apps.html

Jack the Ripper Story-Ryan Ellershaw

Dictogloss Story- Peter Wilson

A Double Life