It is impossible to imagine human life without language. It is the language, more accurately, the capacity to produce symbolic systems and then use those systems as a means of communication which gives us our humanness. Without language there wouldn’t be any art, literature, law, conversation, culture, trade and society as we know it. Without language no one could share their feelings, pains and emotions. It is language which brings everyone together and comes in contact. This helps everyone to have good relationship with each other in the world. So by using and understanding language whether spoken or written, voice or internal is clearly important to anyone wishing to play a full active independent and cooperative part in the society and for the matter of living a life reasonably comfortable and happy. To cooperate and share ideas with people on the society language has become ingredient in the world.
Since the human civilization, English language has been as the most influential global language of communication in various countries around the world. So in the world of today, English has become almost as necessary as food and clothing. The countries where English language does not occupy an important role for intra-country function, it is usually considered a major foreign language. It is therefore taught and learnt in school and universities. Since most people use English language in order to communicate with the people belonging to different linguistic backgrounds in order to carry out real world communicative task in events like in conference, business transaction, seminars, workshop etc. So it is necessary to teach English language effectively in the classrooms.
There are various ways of teaching and learning English language to the learners such as through games, drama, role playing, using different cards etc. Besides these materials, the stories can be used as tools for teaching and learning in ELT classes. Telling and reading various stories in the ELT classes for the learners is the natural way of improving learner’s English skill. All learners from babies to grown up people learn better with reading or telling stories through stories even hard truths can be taught easily.
Highlighting the importance of stories as a tool for teaching and learning language to the learners Cameron, (2001) says that
Stories offer a whole imaginary world created by language that children can enter and enjoy, learning language as they go. Themes of stories begin from an over arching topic or idea that can branch out in many various directions, allowing children to pursue personal interests through the foreign language (p. 159).
By reading and telling stories at home and school both can entertain and educate the young learners effectively. A teacher can use stories the learners for teaching and learning language in the ELT classroom, which could be really fun and interesting. In fact, story telling and reading for the learners plays vital role to language teaching in the classroom. Learners always become curious of listening and telling the stories. They enjoy reading and telling stories in the class for their friends which can motivate the learners to learn language easily. Stories can create interest in them and make them to speak as well as builds up their confidence to express their ideas and views which leads towards learning language. So any kind of stories as folks, legends, Fable Tales, Fair Tales, etc are based on realities of life and experienced by learners themselves that can enable the learners to praise and respect the culture and the values of various groups and help them to understand the cultural norms and people of the society. These stories foster the transformative powers of education. Therefore, stories can lead to understanding, harmony and peaceful resolution of conflict.
For teaching and learning English language, stories form around the world can be used as an instrument in the ELT classroom. But teachers also need to use stories from their own as well as from the learners own culture and heritage so that they can understand the things easily and learn the language very easily. Using stories from different society and community or local or national ensures the learners to know the story. Through the familiarity of the stories reduce the stress and anxiety of the young learners in the classroom.
“Stories lower the younger learners’ affective filter allowing them to learn more easily”(karshen, 1982 as cited in United States and Tanzania, 2006, p. 14) This statement is rightly put forward as learners can learn and teach even difficult things easily through stories as they are curious to listen or read stories. The students like to know or read about the folk stories and myth, as their themes are always universal. Therefore, people everywhere appreciate from other parts or groups though they are not from listeners’ own culture. But people become delighted when stories are used from their own culture or from their own part of the world. It enhances understanding and self esteems among the learners. Stories are powerful teaching instrument to the students because of their potential to stimulate the imagination of them and engage them with materials to learn English language. The stories give meaning to abstract concepts, aids, memory, makes learning fun and enjoyable as well a is time efficient.
The foreign language can be taught and learn easily using stories as an ingredient for learners in the classroom. The students can try to tell the stories using foreign language which they may know in their own mother tongue. For instance, when I was a child my neighbor uncle used to tell us folk Tales and Legend stories to entertain and create interest in us to learn something from it and pass on the knowledge of traditions, customs of their community. All the children around his inhabitant used to go to his house in the evening to listen stories. Sometimes he used to tell us the stories about heroic deeds. By listening stories the learners learnt lots of things from him such as to be moral, obedient and disciplined as well as honest towards elders and do things honestly. Listening stories from we used to retell and share stories using broken English in the classroom in order to improve and learn English language skills. Therefore, it is one of the beat way of teaching and learning of foreign language in the classroom for the learners. It is best technique of passing knowledge, customs, traditions and cultures from one generation to another throughout the world. But now days Because of advanced technologies and science, this kind of technique is going to die. However stories can be used important tool for teaching and learning various aspects of learning language for the learners.
Stories can help the learners feel positive about other countries and cultures, and can broaden their knowledge of the world. But teachers should always check for the values and attitudes that may not be appropriate in some cases so only the appropriate stories should be taken into the ELT classroom. For creating appropriate learning environment one should use the stories in the ELT classes which would be fruitful for the learners.
Stories as solutions to large classes and limited resources
In many countries, like in Nepal there is a shortage of teaching and learning resources. So, in such countries teachers can use stories as alternate tool to teach language and to introduce other different subjects like about HIV/AIDS problems or social problems. Stories can be used as a tool to manage large classes in the absence of books or materials. In order to improve learners English language skill, a teacher has to exploit various stories in the classroom. Thus, it is considered one best way of improving learners’ language skills. Young learners can be motivated and curious by telling or reading stories without book. The teacher, therefore, has to make an effort to continue the traitor of storytelling in the classroom and at home. In fact, the teacher can teach students foreign language telling and reading stories to them in the classroom. In such case it could enable the teacher to manage and control the class. Using stories as a tool, the teacher can improve foreign language skills of the young learners.
The teacher may choose any story either too short or long from any community or society brought into the classroom. But it is better if the story is such that gives students much fun and interest because amusement and interest in story act as a tonic for learners while learning a language. After reading and telling a story in the class, the learners have to be asked to retell in their own way or ask them to tell or bring the story that they know so that their English language skill can be improved.
The teacher has to collect all type of stories such as Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, fables etc as well as pictures, children’s books and small everyday objects or toys that can be used as an important instrument to teach the learners to involve them in improving their language. After reading or telling stories ask the students to tell the stories to improve learning language skills of learners. It can involve several learners in the activities and let them re-tell story turn by turn whatever they have understood in the classroom,. It can also improve the learners listening capacity. Therefore, Teachers should let the learners to speak or express their feelings and understanding about the stories in the classroom.
Teachers can various objects such as pencil, cups, spoons, forks toys to trigger stories. The teacher can divide the learners into different groups of four or six students. Then ask them to make the story and share with other groups in ELT classes. This technique can help the learners improving their language and builds up their confidence.
Even different types of pictures can be used for teaching and learning purpose in the classroom. In order to express their ideas and opinions a teacher using the pictures can help the learners in improving languages. If they ate given pictures, it builds confidence in them. Thus, this kind of materials should be used to improve learners’ language skill interestingly in the classroom. In this regard Cameron (2001) says,
“Listening to the teacher read or tell a story is a useful language learning activity at any age but using story books does not have to be about teaching reading. Listening to a story practices the ability to hold in mind the meaning of an extended piece of spoken discourse” (p.173).
Therefore a teacher can read or tell the simple stories in order to improve their listening skills. Small objects or pictures can be used in the class while telling stories which may create excitement among the students. Through these technique learners listening skills can be improved. The teacher can bring different audio cassettes or visuals for listening purpose for the learners that will help tem to increase their listening skill and language learning activity. If a story appeals to children, that will create an environment to hear it again and again for them.
In order to improve their language finds the stories which are simple and understandable for the learners. We have to let the learners read the story silently first time or read them aloud, then let them read loudly. It will be very effective for the learners’ improvement. Reading stories, simple questions can be asked to the learners for the learners’ language learning activity. By asking learners will be able to response towards question that will encourage them to use language and if they are confused while answering a teacher has to help them. The same story can be used for several times for the learners’ improvement. Discussion, role play creating short stories can be asked to the students to do in the class.
“Stories can enrich the learners learning experience and motivating as well as fun and can help develop positive attitude towards the foreign language learning. Listening to stories in class is a shared social experience” (Ellis & Brewsteras cited in The Reading Matrix vol. 6, April 2006). A teacher may ask the learners to draw or paint a scene or character from the story and ask them to write few sentences from the story under the picture. Various speaking activities can be used for language learning purpose. Then let them to dictate the story that they created in the class. After the story made up, learners can be engaged in speaking activities with everyone reading or telling the same story in the class. Let the learners write or create their own stories using different pictures or objects.
Finally through oral retelling, learners can display their comprehension of a story. It can be useful technique in learning language. Thus reading, writing, listening and telling stories can help students to learn the foreign language easily. Stories are easy tools for teaching English language to the learners. In fact the story creates a world of characters who talk to each other and this discourse world presents opportunities for communicative activities. Hence story books are can be an effective tool for language learning and teaching purpose.
Reference
Cameron, L. (2001) Teaching language to Young Learner, Cambridge,
Cambridge University Press
English Teaching Forum, (2006). Volume 46, Number 2,
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