Storytelling for language teachers

1. be a
BRAVE LITTLE
(STORYTELLING) TAILOR
Kentucky World Language Association
Fall Conference 2016
#bravelittletailor #kwla16

2. Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell
musicuentos.com
@secottrell
facebook.com/musicuentos
secottrell@musicuentos.com
2

3. CAN DO
ò I can identify and incorporate
the non-negotiable elements of
comprehensible input.
ò I can develop an interaction
that engages students with
comprehensible learning
targets.
ò I can adapt storytelling
strategies to fit my students’
learning situation.

4. An experiential approach to
proficiency
(the last stage of backward design)
“
”
I can do what the
sum of my
experiences have
prepared me to do.

5. An experiential approach to
proficiency
(the last stage of backward design)
“
”
Interaction with
comprehensible input
along a continuum
naturally encourages
language use.

6. EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO
PROFICIENCY DEVELOPMENT
A continuum from passive input to TL performance
SPONTANEOUS ACTIVE OUTPUT
scaffolded x/y
response
☑
passive
CI
scaffolded
open
response

7. 2/7 Tips for a
Good Story
òGoals
òSimplicity
FOTO: IMAGEN EN ACCION

8. Identify targets & group up!
What will you teach?
Whom will you collaborate with?
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9. Let me tell you a story.

10. 7 Tips for a Good
Story
ò Goals
ò Student involvement
ò Questions
ò Strange characters
ò Simplicity
ò Repetition
ò An unexpected
ending
FOTO: IMAGEN EN ACCION

11. Tailor Tip: “I’m not creative enough.”
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ò Use reality.
ò Think about how you
might tweak it.
ò Ask.
ò #langchat
ò students
ò Creativity is a muscle.

12. Selecting input:
noticing patterns
camina
limpia
llama
mira
pasa

14. Personalizing
Input
ò Include student
interests, talents, and
experiences in input.
ò Use characters they
know.
ò Use famous people they
love or hate.
ò Shift unit focus to
student interests.
ò Allow more choice in
formats, assignments,
vocabulary, etc.

15. Comprehensible
input must not be
confused with
total
comprehension.
TERRILL & CLEMENTI

16. Progressive Interaction:
POST-IT VOTES

17. Progressive Interaction:
POST-IT VOTES

18. Progressive Interaction:
class polling

19. Tailor Tip: “My learners don’t like crazy.”
19
ò Pinpoint what they do
like (drama?).
ò Ask.
ò #langchat
ò students
ò Use interesting people
and events instead.

20. What’s your intermediate step(s)?
How will you move students along the continuum with a
low-response interactive activity?
20

21. Progressive Interaction:
Linguacafé
это хорошо!
О, это
плохо!
это хорошо
!
или
ili
!
это
плохо?

22. What’s your intermediate step(s)?
How will you move students along the continuum with a
low-response interactive activity?
22

23. Tailor Tip: “I can’t get into storytelling.”
23
ò That was not a story; it
was a game.
ò Start a file of
inspiration.
ò Investigate / bookmark
ideas and sources for
other strategies. Such
as…

24. 24
descriptive
sudden
cortometrajes! commercials! film!

25. infographics!

26. social media!

27. Twitter
!
!
TRENDING
TOPICS

28. Twitter
!
!
SEARCH
KEYWORDS

29. Twitter
!
!
(e.g. country)
HASHTAGS

30. Facebook
Celebrity Pages

31. Facebook
Fan Groups

32. music!
“Voy a reír, voy a
bailar.”

33. TL websites!

34. In the focus on
whether they can,
don’t forget to
focus on whether
they care.
MUSICUENTOS.COM

35. Now what?
ò Trained storytelling teachers willing to be observed:
http://bit.ly/2cbQRP6 (thanks martinabex.com!)
ò Story scripts: https://bryankandeltprs.com/category/
story-scripts/ ; https://martinabex.com/category/story-
scripts/ (thanks Martina & Bryan!)
ò Encouragement from Terry Waltz: http://bit.ly/
2cbR2K8
ò My Linguacafé set: http://bit.ly/2cPABWK
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36. Sara-Elizabeth Cottrell
musicuentos.com
@secottrell
facebook.com/musicuentos
secottrell@musicuentos.com
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