This document provides guidance on effective storytelling techniques. It recommends listening first to gain insights, asking compelling questions to engage audiences, and being aware of the three concurrent conversations that occur - the story, the speaker's thoughts, and the listener's thoughts. Non-verbal cues like facial expressions, pauses, tone and body language are also important parts of storytelling. The document advises to focus on feelings over tone, lose notes to maintain eye contact, tell personal stories over resumes, engage audiences with their problems, avoid stating the moral, and practice storytelling daily.

1. MYTHOLOGY & FOLKLORE
GROUP 2

2. FUNDAMENTALS AND
VALUE OF STORYTELLING

3. LISTEN FIRST
•Good storytelling is about listening and then telling.
A good listener not only learns stories to repeat, but
also builds rapport and gains additional insights,
which naturally results in better storybtelling.

4. Try starting with a compelling question
• “Good orators often will pose compelling questions
at the beginning of their presentations to get the
audience thinking about a subject, switching them
from content absorption mode to content
consideration mode. These orators make listeners
participants in the speech, not observers

5. There are always three conversations at once
• Anytime a communication takes place, there are three
conversations going on: 1) the actual discourse (or
presentation), 2) the conversation the speaker has in
her own mind (“Are they listening? What should I say
next?”), and 3) the conversation in the mind of the
listener (“What is she saying? I can’t wait to
respond.”)

6. It’s not just oral
• People are not strictly evaluating what you say.
Your appearance and movements are all part of
“your story.” In fact, you are telling this story even
when you are silent. We might not want to judge a
book by its cover, but we do. “Even when you tell a
story about who you are, people filter your story
through their interpretations of what they see and
hear as you speak.

7. Facial expressions transcend borders and
cultures
• We all understand how to communicate emotional
content without using words. A smile equals happiness,
and a frown means anger or disagreement. “Actors
don’t study the anatomy of which muscles paint joy on
their face. They study how to conjure up joy in their
mind and body because they know that when they feel
joy.

8. Timing, Pauses, and Silence
• These add variety to your story—often bringing
more power than the words can. Pauses give listeners
the opportunity to participate in and process the story.
Have you ever noticed how well comedians do this?
They provide pauses, giving you ample time to “get
it” and also laugh. They don’t want the next punch
line lost in residual laughter. (They also use facial
expressions and body language masterfully during
these “time outs.”)

9. Tone
• Is the most important oral communication tool. It
ultimately can override every other aspect of your
communication. But the trick is not to work on your
tone; work on your feelings. As with the actors’
expressions, the right tone will follow if the feeling is
right. Faking it will result in severely weakening your
message.

10. Lose the notes
• Without using your notes, your story might not
include every detail you wanted to include. But
telling an imperfect story while looking directly into
their eyes is much better than including every detail
and looking at the podium.

11. Avoid your curriculum vitae
• The best way to accomplish this is to share a story
from your life that relates this clearly. You are a one-
of-a-kind person. No one has had the experiences
you have had. No one has met the people you have
met or read the books you have read. Telling them
about the turning points in your life lets them live
inside of you for a short time. This is the power of
story and personal testimony.

12. Get the audience’s attention with their problems
• Start with the issues you know are keeping your
audience awake at night, and present them more
starkly than your audience has ever heard them
articulated. Needless to say, this captures their
attention quickly. Once they are riveted (and they
will be), go into your springboard story.

13. Don’t name the value in your story
• For example, avoid stating, “Here is a story about
• ”Your audience might see a sermon coming and turn you off
before you get started. You also run the risk of telegraphing
the punch line or the moral of the story. Also, don’t end with
“And that is what I have learned . . .” or “That is why I made
this decision.” Remember: Storytelling is intended to allow
people to come to the conclusion they should come to—on
their own. Don’t make it for them.

14. Bad news first
•Even though they don’t elicit action, sometimes
you have to deliver negative messages. Never tell
a negative story without a positive follow-up.
That is why the bad news always must come first.

15. Avoid hypotheticals
•First of all, real stories are more interesting. They
also add credibility. But scientifically, hypotheticals
only speak to a small part of the brain, while real
stories are “whole brain” (think “healthier”). And, no
disrespect to college professors, but by and large,
they live in the world of hypotheticals. And they can
be pretty boring.

16. Use direct quotes rather than summary
• When your story involves other people (most do), bring
them in the room with you. Hear the difference: A. He
said, “I don’t think I am going to make it, man.” B. He
didn’t think he was going to make it. This is a subtle yet
significant difference in tone and urgency. The fact that
direct dialogue in storytelling (as in example A) is not
often used today presents another excellent opportunity
for you to wax old school.

17. Practice daily
• It’s easy. Once you take an interest in becoming a
master storyteller, a daily dose will come naturally.
Athletes practice their craft every day. You should,
too. Stories are everywhere, so become a story
scavenger hunter. Reading articles or books and
watching movies will take on a new level of
enjoyment for you.

18. The Cognitive Strategies: The use of graphic
organizers as tools in Storytelling

19. NARRATIVE
CONCEPT MAP
The concept map provides a
space to record the
definition, add synonyms,
construct an original
sentence, and develop
concrete examples. If done
well, students will start the
writing process with a
strong understanding of the
expectations for narrative
writing.

20. THEME CONCEPT
MAP
The next graphic organizer is
focused on the concept of theme. In
order for students to start thinking
about possible themes ahead of time,
I like to complete it with students
before they start writing. If students
are clear on their theme, their stories
tend to have more depth and
meaning. The theme organizer is
similar to the narrative organizer
outlined above. Students write the
definition, provide a synonym or
two, write an original sentence, then
generate theme examples from
familiar stories they have read in the
past.

21. PLOT TERMS
CONCEPT MAP
It is hard to write a narrative
without a basic understanding of
plot. The ability to differentiate
and understand the elements of
plot is necessary for crafting an
effective story. Using a concept
map to define each term will
help students when it comes time
to construct each part of their
story. Each element of the plot
serves a specific purpose, which
will hopefully be clear to
students after they have
completed the concept map for
each term.

22. CHARACTER
TRAITS BUBBLE
MAP
Brainstorming character
traits is always fun because it
gives students a chance to
think about their favorite
fictional characters and the
specific traits those
characters possess. Filling up
the bubble map also gives
students a great deal of
inspiration to work with
when it’s time for them to
start constructing characters
of their own

23. PLOT DIAGRAM
Plot Diagram. Most students will
be familiar with a plot diagram.
Like the narrative flow map, the
plot diagram ensures that students
add all the necessary story
elements to their narratives. The
plot diagram also serves as a
great storytelling visual. Students
can see how their story begins
with the exposition, takes the
reader up with the rising action,
peaks at the climax, brings the
reader back down with the falling
action, and ties up all loose ends
with the resolution.

24. STORY MAP
A story map is a graphic
organizer that helps students
to understand the structure
and elements of a story. A
story map can be used before,
during or after reading a
story to help students
identify the main characters,
setting, problem, events and
solution of the story.