Advantages and Disadvantages of Story Telling Method of Teaching

Back to: Pedagogy of English- Unit 5

Storytelling can be regarded as the original form of teaching. Storytelling is a method in which one narrates a story from their memory rather than from a book. In this approach, the teacher uses stories to teach language skills and components to the learners. The lesson plan is interactive and communicative to improve language learning. Tasks are developed systematically by the teacher and the stories manage to keep the learners interested throughout the lesson.

Anderson (2005) adds, People have always told stories; it is the oldest form of remembering. In ancient times, long before written language was developed, people told stories to preserve the history, traditions, desires, and taboos of their social groups. Each generation told their stories to the next, which in turn told the stories to the youth of the generation that followed them.

Since prehistory, all cultures have passed along such tales through the oral tradition, and they have always been an essential part of our humanness. Some stories were told just for entertainment. Others were used to share the history of a group of people and also to teach lessons and transmit values and beliefs. Still, others were intended to explain natural phenomena–such as the changing of the seasons and the cycle of night and day–and usually involved the people’s gods and other religious beliefs. Certain stories were accompanied by music and were sung instead of recited. These stories remained in a constant process of variation, depending on the memory, talent, or purpose of the storytellers.

Advantages of Storytelling Method

Natural Context

The method provides a natural context that enables learners to explore language.

Presentation

Several language items can be presented through stories.

Universal Appeal

Stories possess a universal appeal due to which they are highly engaging for learners.

Sustains Interest

Stories help the teachers to fascinate and sustain the interest and motivation of learners.

Positive Learning Attitudes

Storytelling can also develop a positive learning attitude among learners when they are learning a language.

Disadvantages Of Storytelling Method

Passivity

Too much use of the storytelling method can lead the learners to become passive listeners.

Less Questioning

Learners may not be able to question much and hence, won’t understand the lesson much better.

Less Active Participation

When learners become passive listeners, they become less active participants.

Lack of Learning by Doing

Learning by doing isn’t implemented in this method.

Monotonous

Excessive use of this method can lead the lesson to become monotonous and tedious.

Despite these disadvantages, stories can be used for various purposes in the teaching-learning process like group discussion. Learners can choose the key phrases and words from stories, develop dialogues, and do more to develop their language skills.