On the Significance of Storytelling in the Classroom and Its Effects on Students Language Proficiency

Learning a FL may be frustrating for some young learners; however, integrating fun in learning would encourage them to develop positive attitudes towards learning a language. Recent trend in EFL teaching indicates the necessity of integrating literature because of its rich potential to provide an authentic model of language use. There are many reasons why we want to tell stories in our classes. Stories provide students with opportunities to listen to language in context rather than in bits and pieces. Stories also help students enhance the four skills and introduce new vocabulary and language forms within rich networks of associations. Equally important, stories can have a deep impact on a person’s construction of knowledge and self. We all know the pleasure that stories can bring to students' lives and their potential as tools in the teaching and learning process. In the foreign language classroom, stories are also recognized as a means of motivating them to an appreciation of the target language and culture. As awareness of the utility of foreign languages for other learning increases, it is important to reflect on and adapt practice to ensure that we provide an education that meets the demands of the world we are living in. This paper aims at emphasizing the use of story as a popular technique in our times. It is an attempt to explore the effectiveness of using short stories in EFL and eventually suggests some efficient techniques and activities in teaching stories. Findings show that stories in the textbooks are enthusiastic and suit learners' interest and level, and the follow-up activities increase their benefits.

کلیدواژه ها:

Literature ، Language Skills ، Foreign Language Teaching ، language proficiency