Welcome to the Story!

Oral storytelling is one of the most ancient artforms, and continues to this day as a vibrant part of culture throughout the world.  Educators have long known that the arts can contribute to student academic success and emotional well being. The ancient art of storytelling is especially well-suited for student exploration. As a folk art, storytelling is accessible to all ages and abilities. No special equipment beyond the imagination and the power of listening and speaking is needed to create artistic images. As a learning tool, storytelling can encourage students to explore their unique expressiveness and can heighten a student's ability to communicate thoughts and feelings in an articulate, lucid manner. These benefits transcend the art experience to support daily life skills. In our fast-paced, media-driven world, storytelling can be a nurturing way to remind children that their spoken words are powerful, that listening is important, and that clear communication between people is an art. 

Gaining Verbal Skills
Becoming verbally proficient can contribute to a student's ability to resolve interpersonal conflict nonviolently. Negotiation, discussion, and tact are peacemaking skills. Being able to lucidly express one's thoughts and feelings is important for a child's safety. Clear communication is the first step to being able to ask for help when it is needed. 

Imagination
Both telling a story and listening to a well-told tale encourages students to use their imaginations. Developing the imagination can empower students to consider new and inventive ideas. Developing the imagination can contribute to self-confidence and personal motivation as students envision themselves competent and able to accomplish their hopes and dreams.

Passing On Wisdom
Storytelling based on traditional folktales is a gentle way to guide young people toward constructive personal values by presenting imaginative situations in which the outcome of both wise and unwise actions and decisions can be seen.

When telling a story, an effective storyteller demonstrates the following traits observable by others: 

Voice Mechanics

Speaks with an appropriate volume for the audience to hear. Employs clear enunciation. Uses non-monotonous, vocal expression to clarify the meaning of the text.

Face/Body/Gesture

Expressively uses non-verbal communication to clarify the meaning of the text.

Focus

Concentration is clear.
Eye contact with audience is engaging.
Maintains a charismatic presence in space (stage presence).

Characterization

If dialogue is employed, characters are believable to listener. Storyteller's natural voice is differentiated from character voices.

Use of Space:

Storyteller seems comfortable, relaxed and confident in front of listeners. Storyteller maintains clear spatial relationships for characters and narrator.

Pacing:

The story is presented efficiently and keeps listeners' interest throughout.

This is a rubric you can use to have the basic aspects for the assessment to your pupils.

	Beginner	Intermediate	Proficient	Accomplished
After Listening To A Story A Student:	Can answer non-subjective factual questions such as the names of the characters, the stated setting of the story, the subject matter of the story.	Can summarize the story in an organized fashion with a beginning/middle/end feel.	Can retell the story in a sequence of events with descriptive details, dialogue, and characterization.	Can skillfully retell the story with a sense of metaphor making it relevant. to listeners.