MASARYKOVA UNIVERZITA V BRN

PEDAGOGICK FAKULTA
Katedra cizch jazyk

Using Stories in Teaching English

Bakalsk prce

Brno 2006

Autor prce: aneta Urbancov

Vedouc prce: Mgr. Nadda Vojtkov

Bibliografick zznam
URBANCOV,

aneta.

Using

Stories

in

Bakalsk

prce.

Brno:

Masarykova

Teaching

English

univerzita,

Fakulta

pedagogick, Katedra anglickho jazyka a literatury, 2006.

37 list, 11 list ploh. Vedouc bakalsk prce Mgr.
Nadda Vojtkov.

Anotace
Bakalsk

prce

Pouvn

pbh

ve

vuce

anglitiny pojednv o dleitosti poslouchn, ten a

vytven pbh pi studiu cizho jazyka, v tomto ppad
anglitiny. Svou prci jsem zamila na studenty druhho
stupn zkladn koly, protoe pbhy jsou nezbytn pro
dobr vvoj nejen malch dt, ale i dospvajcch. Uvdm
dvody,

pro

jsou

meme

erpat

uitel

me

pbhy

zabvm

pout

ped

dleit,

se

zde

z jakch

tak

zatkem,

zdroj

aktivitami,

bhem

po

je

kter

skonen

vyprvn pbhu. Uebn pln, kter nsleduje, obsahuje

praktick vyuit aktivit ve dvou vyuovacch

hodinch,

kter jsou zaloeny na pbhu z knky.

Annotation
The thesis Using Stories in Teaching English deals with
a need of listening to, reading and creating stories in
learning foreign language, in this case English. I focus my
thesis on students of secondary school, because stories are
necessary

not

only

for

good

development

of

young

children, but adolescents as well. I state reasons why

stories

are

important,

from

what

sources

we

can

gain

stories and I also deal with activities, which a teacher

can use before, while and after storytelling. A lesson
plan,

which

follows,

includes

practical

application

of

activities in two lessons, which are based on a story from

a real book.

Klov slova
Pbh, vyprvn pbhu, ten, innosti, dospvajc

Keywords
A story, storytelling, reading, activities, adolescents
3

Prohlen
Prohlauji,
samostatn

e
a

jsem

pouil/a

diplomovou
jen

prameny

prci
uveden

zpracoval/a
v

seznamu

literatury a internetovch strnek.

Souhlasm, aby prce byla uloena na Masarykov univerzit
v Brn v knihovn Pedagogick fakulty a zpstupnna ke
studijnm elm
V Brn dne 7. srpna 2006

aneta Urbancov

Acknowledgements
I would like to express gratitude to my supervisor Mgr.
Nadda Vojtkov for her valuable advice and help. Then I
would like to thank my husband for his support, patience,
love and help with our four-month-old daughter.

Motto:

"Tell me and I forget.

Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn."
Benjamin Franklin

CONTENT
INTRODUCTION.................................................
1. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND STORIES.....................
2. ADOLESCENTS - THE AGE OF THE GROUP.......................
3. REASONS FOR USING STORIES................................
4. SOURCES OF STORIES.......................................
5. ACTIVITIES BASED ON STORIES..............................
5.1

PRE -

STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES..............................

5.1.1 Concreate pre - storytelling activities...............

5.2

WHILE -

STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES............................

5.2.1 Concreate while - storytelling activities.............

5.3

POST -

STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES.............................

5.3.1 Concreate post - storytelling activities..............

6. LESSON PLAN..............................................
CONCLUSION..................................................
RESUM......................................................
BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................
REFERENCES..................................................
APPENDIX
APPENDIX #1
APPENDIX #2
APPENDIX #3
APPENDIX #4
APPENDIX #5
APPENDIX #6

INTRODUCTION
Stories guide us through our whole life - from the
moment we were born and it does not change when we become
teenagers or adults. When we are children, our parents tell
us or read us stories and fairy tales. When we are older we
can hear stories in radio or watch them on TV. As pupils we
have to create our own stories at school from time to time.
As adults we like listening to songs with strong stories in
them, watch soap operas or films or read books or magazine
stories. Stories are for all of us, not just for children.
I chose the topic using stories in teaching English
because I believe that stories are important not only in
our mother tongue. Children enjoy listening to stories,
they are familiar with narrative conventions, and they can
make predictions about what will happen next. Stories are
an

ideal

present

introduction
language

in

to
a

the

foreign

familiar

and

language
memorable

as

they

context.

Stories could help us in learning and it could be more fun.

A lot of books were written about story-telling and
young learners, but I would like concentrate my work on
pupils at secondary school, that means teenagers, children
from 12 to 15, because I have mostly worked with them. I
want to use stories as a supplementary teaching aid as I
have to follow national curriculum and I have always used a
coursebook in lessons. In these days some coursebooks are
very good, they develop all skills and they use different
techniques to motivate students in learning, e.g. stories,
songs, cartoons. Another reason for using stories just as a
part

of

lesson

is

that

adolescents

have

lessons of forty-five minute session per week.

only

three

Firstly,

in

my

theses,

would

like

to

outline

psychological point of view of using stories in different

periods

of

humans

life

and

then

will

describe

the

adolescents as a group of students for whom is this theses

focused on. Next I will state some activities to use in the
beginning, during or at the end of storytelling. Lastly
there will be lesson plan based on reading of extract from
a real book.

1. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND STORIES

Psychologists

believe

that

children

need

stories,

legends and fairy tales when they grow up. They are a part
of childrens intellectual life. They provoke their fantasy
and give them answers to important questions of a childs
life.

They

are

meaningful

and

effective

item

of

their

socialization. Myths and legends give material of which

children make their concept of origin and purpose of the
world and of ideals, which they may follow.
Fairy tales express inner intensity of a child, which
he

or

she

different

unconsciously

understand

possibilities of

and

problem solving.

which

offer

Fairy tales

always have good end. At the end a good man is awarded for his or her good nature, persistence, courage - a bad
man is affected by upright punishment.
Obvious polarization between good and bad makes
different

situations

explicit

and

comprehensible.

Characters are not individual, unique, but typical. That is

why the identification is easier. A child identifies with a
young hero not because he is good, but because he titles
the child, and if the hero is good character, the child
wants to be good as well. (based on: Maria Frst, 1997)
Classic fairy tales solve a problem important for a
human

in

particular

developmental

stage.

Psychologists

believe that human mental development is in progress of

several periods. In every period we try to cope with a
problem, gain some skills and experience, which is very
important for our next life. These periods tie together on
themselves.

Successful

precondition

of

command

antiquation
10

of

of

one

problems

period
in

is

following

period.

(based

on:

http://psychologie.doktork+-a.cz/pohadky-nasi-

dusi-vyvojove/ )

According

to

Erikson

we

go

through

eight

periods

during our lives. We obtain basic confidence in first year.

We look for a way to our own autonomy till we are three.
This is connected with locomotive faculties. In a preschool age we balance between a desire to be initiative and
feel guilty when we are unsuccessful. Before puberty it is
assiduousness vs. inferiority and in a period of puberty
and adolescence we look for our identity - it means the
conception about who we are. Intimacy, establishment of
close and steady relation, is important for us in another
period. In a middle age we focus on upbringing of our
children,

later

development

by

of

our

stage

grandchildren.
of

integrity

Old
-

age

the

end

the

sense

of

satisfaction, conciliation, in another case the sense of

frustration and desperation. (based on:
http://psychologie.doktork+-a.cz/pohadky-nasi-dusi-vyvojove/ )

We develop whole life and in each period of our life

we need stories with heroes who solve similar problems that
we solve in a particular period. These stories usually do
not give concrete advice how to cope with our problem; they
give

notice

that

situations

like

that

may

come.

They

prepare our soul on that. For our soul the story is real.
(based on: http://psychologie.doktork+-a.cz/pohadky-nasi-dusivyvojove/ )

Stories are very important for our psychical health.

We

learn our

mother tongue

through stories.

So, it

is

natural to learn foreign language through them as well.

Teachers should try to teach their students about language,
life and culture through stories.

11

2. ADOLESCENTS - THE AGE OF THE GROUP

Because I have been an English teacher at a secondary
school for five years, I chose teenagers as a group of
students I will focus my work on.
It is quite difficult and sometimes hopeless to teach
secondary school students. They are a group of people who
are less motivated and to motivate them is a very difficult
work. They are tired of school and a lot of things bored
them. Teenagers present discipline problems and they are
sensitive about their individual identity. Identity has to
be forged among classmates and friends. They value love and
friendship very much. They do not want to lose their face
in front of their peers, peer approval may be considerably
more important for the student than the attention of the
teacher. (based on: Jeremy Harmer, 2005 and Methodology session)
The work with adolescents is hard, because they are
undisciplined. There are few factors like need for selfesteem

and

the

peer

approval

which

may

provoke

disruptiveness in a class. It is useful then to set up some

common rules at the beginning and be consistent in keeping
them. Very often teenagers feel bored, so as teachers, we
have to attract their attention through new and challenging
topics. (based on: Jeremy Harmer, 2005 and Methodology session)
Teenagers, if they are engaged, have a great capacity to
learn, a great potential for creativity, and a passionate
commitment to things which interest them. There is almost
nothing

more

people

at

exciting

this

age

than

pursuing

class
a

of

involved

learning

goal

young
with

enthusiasm. Our job, therefore, must be to provoke student

engagement with material which is relevant and involving.
At the same time we need to do what we can to bolster our
12

students self-esteem, and be conscious, always, of their

need for identity.1
not

do

is

(Jeremy Harmer, 2005:39)

ridicule

or

humiliate

What we should

them,

not

laugh

or

criticise them or their friends. We always have to respect

them. We should not press them to express their opinions or
push them into activities if they do not want to. (based on:
Methodology session)

Teenagers have got the biggest potential to learn the

language, because they have time, good memory and they are
able to discuss abstract issues. But students world of
thought

and

experience

is

different

from

adults.

So,

teachers must link language teaching far more closely to

the students everyday interests, they must be encouraged
to respond to texts and situations with their own thoughts
and

experience,

doing

abstract

rather

than

learning

by

answering

activities.

questions

Teenagers

and

address

learning issues directly in a way. They need constructive

feedback on whatever they do. (based on: Jeremy Harmer, 2005)
To teach teenagers is not easy as I said, that is why
teachers have to permanently develop their skills, they
have

to absorb

minded

and

new educational

flexible

to

ideas, have

accommodate

the

to be

needs

of

open
all

students in each class, because classes often consist of

mixed levels of using foreign language. It must to lead to
the fact that every lesson will be important for their
students.
achieved

On

the

certain

other

hand

students,

level,

they

tend

to

when

they

fossilise

have

there.

Another problem is that if they are classified as good or

bad students, they do not try to change it.

13

3. REASONS FOR USING STORIES

Stories are very important for children in learning
their mother tongue, and they are important in learning any
foreign language as well. That is why it is good to start
using stories in teaching English as soon as possible.
Primary school children enjoy listening to stories over
and over again. This frequent repetition allows certain
language

items

to

be

overtly

reinforced.

acquired
Many

while

others

stories

are

contain

being

natural

repetition of key vocabulary and structures. This helps

children to remember every detail, so they can gradually
learn to anticipate what is about to happen next in the
story.

Repetition

also

encourages

participation

in

the

narrative.2 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2)

Stories are very motivating, challenging and great fun
for children. They can help develop positive attitudes
towards

the

foreign

language,

culture

and

language

learning.3 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:1) Using stories allows

the

teacher

to

introduce

or

revise

new

vocabulary

and

sentence structures by exposing the children to language

in

varied,

enrich

memorable

their

and

thinking

familiar

and

contexts,

gradually

which

enter

will

their

own

speech.4 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2) Listening to stories

helps children become aware of the rhythm, intonation and
pronunciation
Stories

also

of

language.5

provide

(Ellis

and

opportunities

Brewster,

for

2002:2)

developing

continuity in childrens learning. They can link English

with other subject areas across the curriculum.
When children listen to stories in class they share
social

experience,

it

provokes
14

shared

response

of

laughter, sadness, excitement and anticipation which is

not only enjoyable but can help to build up the childs
confidence

and

development.6

encourage

(Ellis

and

social

Brewster,

and

emotional

Stories

2002:1)

are

useful tool in linking fantasy and the imagination with

the childs real world. They provide a way of enabling
children to make sense of their everyday life and forge
links between home and school.7 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:1)
Children exercise their imagination through stories.
They can become personally involved in a story as they
identify

with

the

characters

and

try

to

interpret

the

narrative and illustrations. This imaginative experience

helps8 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:1) students develop their own
creative potential.
Stories

also

intelligences

develop

that

the

contribute

different
to

types

language

of

learning,

including emotional intelligence.9 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2)

Stories develop childrens learning strategies such as
listening
meaning

for
and

general

meaning,

hypothesizing.10

predicting,

(Ellis

and

guessing

Brewster,

2002:2)

Stories can develop all childrens skills.

Stories address universal themes which go beyond the
useful

level

of

basic

dialogues

and

daily

activities.

They allow children to play with ideas and feelings and

to think about issues which are important and relevant to
them.11 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2) They also provide ideal
opportunities

for

presenting

cultural

information

and

encouraging cross-cultural comparison.12 (Ellis and Brewster,

2002:2)

For teachers stories allow to use an acquisitionbased methodology by providing optimal input.13 (Ellis and
Brewster, 2002:2)

It is great to use real storybooks because

15

they add variety and provide a springboard for creating

complete units of work that constitute mini-syllabuses and
involve pupils personally, creatively and actively in an
all-round whole curriculum approach. They thereby provide
a novel alternative to the coursebook.14 (Ellis and Brewster,
2002:2)

Secondary

school

students

like

stories

as

well

as

primary school pupils. They want them, maybe not all the
time, but basically they all need them. Stories are largely
based

on

English

words.
through

secondary

school

They

give

stories
in

meaning

can

terms

of

lay

to
the

words.

Learning

foundations

learning

basic

for

language

functions and structures, vocabulary and language learning

skills.15 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002:2) It is obvious that we
should

choose

different

types

of

stories

and

different

topics for secondary school students. Also the sources of

stories are different. Students are able to create their
own stories if they have the right input.

16

4. SOURCES OF STORIES
We can use many sources when we look for stories to be
used in lessons.
Firstly, we are all storytellers and all the time we
tell someone about missing a train or losing our watch,
about our family life - we are telling a story. We cannot
tell all the facts, we must select. We have to decide what
to say first and then next - we sequence for effect and
understanding, we decide what words to choose and how to
move our body and use our voice for expression. (based on:
http://www.developingteachers.com/articles_tchtraining/stories_andrew.htm)

So, the best source is our everyday life, our experiences.

We, teachers, are real people and we can choose to
share some or many of our experiences with the students.
Telling stories from our life can give something personal
to

our

students.

It

needs

not

be

only

listening

comprehension but it helps to establish a special rapport

with the class. The students are more likely to really use
English

in

order

to

communicate

than

just

mechanically

practise it. They will probably do this because they begin

to see us as people and not just teachers. And they realise
that we think of them as people and not only students of
English. Personal stories can help to bring about this
shift of perception. (based on:
http://www.developingteachers.com/articles_tchtraining/stories_andrew.htm)

The main skills we teach here are speaking and listening.

Storytelling encourages empathy and a respect for different
points of view as well.
Secondly, there is a lot of English childrens fiction
or original texts (like newspapers articles, anecdotes,
folktales,

etc.).

Real

books
17

give

us

the

feeling

of

accomplishment and satisfaction, such richness and magic of

language no coursebook can ever offer (based on: (Brumfit, Moon
and Tongue, 1991).

Using real books helps children to become

better readers, writers and users of language.16 (Brumfit,

Moon and Tongue, 1991: 187)

They are also exposed to such

issues as loss, death, friendship, responsibility, power

and domination which can heighten their sensitivity and
help

them

in

the

task

of

growing

up.

Furthermore

the

varied illustrations, which provide clues to the story,

stimulate
themselves

interest
develop

and

pave

the

childrens

way

for

artistic

the

text,

perception

in
and

imagination.17 (Brumfit, Moon and Tongue, 1991: 78)

Students can listen to or read folktales from other
times and places. They can evaluate a folktale from its
historical context. Listening to or reading about ancient
times

and

places,

about

different

customs.

Folktales

usually have a moral too, which could be important for

students.
Next, we can bring pictures or we can use a short
video extract to illustrate the topic we want to work.
Pictures provoke students imagination and video may be
used to show an authentic language.
Songs
listening

are
to

other

songs

and

alternative.
using

real

Adolescents
songs

can

love

encourage

children in other learning of English. For example The

Beatles is a group which is a part of British culture and
which use strong stories in their songs. Unfortunately for
some students they are old fashioned. But we can use other
pop-songs or we can use folk ballads. Usual activity is gap
filling. Another activity is retelling the story in the
song in students own words.

18

5. ACTIVITIES BASED ON STORIES

When we create a story-based lesson plan or syllabus,
we need to know what aim we want to achieve and think about
activities that will be used not only during the students
work with the story but also about activities that begin
and activities that end the work with the story. These
activities

are

known

as

pre-reading

or

before

reading

activities, while- or during reading and post- or after

reading activities. It is good to change several activities
during the lesson and keep students in constant interest.
Of course stories need not to be only read but also heard
or created.
Good language activities have no age limits, an idea
which

works

adaptations

with
in

five-year-olds

content

and

will,

with

presentation,

some

minor

probably

work

equally well with much older learners.18 (Brumfit, Moon and

Tongue, 1991: 187)

Children may need to try each type of

activity several times before they begin to exploit fully

its learning potential. Activities must be varied, so that
the

learning

environment

is

stimulating,

exciting

and

unpredictable, and to stay motivated, they need goals and

rewards. A teacher must plan each activity beforehand. It
is

also

important

to

give

clear

instructions

and

to

communicate to the children what is expected of them. (based

on: Brumfit, Moon and Tongue, 1991)

demonstration

of

the

activity

This will often involve a

by

the

teacher

with

the

whole class watching, discussing and participating. When

the children know exactly what to do, and how to go about
the

task,

they

have

completed

the

activity;

brief

report-back session provides children with some feedback

on their success.19 (Brumfit, Moon and Tongue, 1991: 189)

19

5.1 PRE - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

Pre-storytelling activities are important because they
introduce the topic, they motivate the students to read or
listen to a story, they provoke initial interest in the
topic, students start to think about it, they prepare their
minds and show what they know about it. These activities
help teacher anticipate problems in terms of language and
concepts and give space to pre-teach complicated language
(based on: http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/mod/resource/view.php?id=12940).

Warming up activities relax students. For example an

informal

chat

can

build

up

and

maintain

good

relation

between a teacher and students. Questions that introduce

the topic are good to use, but not too many. Or students
can guess the title of the topic of the lesson. We can show
students a picture or watch a video extract to provoke they
interest. A newspaper article or just a newspaper title as
well as a song may lead on to a brief discussion about
students related personal experiences. (based on: Ellis and
Brewster, 2002, and on
http://www.developingteachers.com/articles_tchtraining/stories_andrew.htm)

5.1.1 CONCRETE PRE - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

HANGMAN - students may guess the topic by saying alphabet,
every wrong letter is making a part of a hangman.
WARMING UP - DISCUSSION - brief discussion about students
own

personal experiences.

ANSWER AND PASS ON - each student has a piece of paper and

must answer a question and pass it on, another student
will answer second question and pass it on, etc.
Example

of questions are - who, where, when, what is

he/she doing.

20

BRAINSTORMING - we can ask students to think about a topic

and

write down all their ideas.

ASKING QUESTIONS - is a good activity and we can use it a

lot,
motivate

but

good

question

must

be

probing

and

thought so that it encourages children to justify

their responses, it must focus their attention and

encourage observation, invite enquiry and stimulate
because it is open-ended, it should be productive and
seek a response and generate more questions.20 (Ellis
and Brewster, 2002: 20)

5.2 WHILE STORY-TELLING ACTIVITIES

When we have involved our students in the lesson by prestorytelling activities, we can start reading or hearing
the story. The way we choose to present and tell a story
affects the content and the style of telling. We should
offer activities to all our students. There are three types
of learners:
a)

V - visual learners
- learn by seeing, they need real items, pictures, colours,
etc. in learning,
- like reading books,
- create an orderly environment,
- watch the teachers face,
- are appearance orientated,
- are good spellers, remember what was seen, and understand
directions, use colours, shapes and physical position
as memory aids.

b)

A - auditory learners
- learn through listening, like dialogues, plays, they move
lips when reading,
21

- like songs, sounds, sound effects, chants, rhymes, etc.

- they are usually class clowns, chattering, whispering,
- speak in rhythmic patterns,
- remember what was heard, they have short concentration
span,
- can retell a story or message with high accuracy.
c)

K - kinaesthetic learners
- learn through doing, they like a moving plot, reflect
action in story with body movement,
- they gesture when speaking and like to be active,
- move around a lot, like to do things with hands, they are
good at taking things apart,
- remember overall impression, want to start the activity
immediately, impatient,
-

learn best with quiet periods followed by active ones,

they gesture when speaking and like to be active.

(based on: http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/mod/resource/view.php?id=13663)

5.2.1 CONCRETE WHILE - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

During the story the teacher might like to see if the
learners understand the language of the story and might ask
them to mime what is going on or use other activities.
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT - we can stop the reading and
ask questions to provoke students think about what
they have been reading.
YES/NO QUESTIONS - e.g. a teacher think about a character
or a place mentioned in the story and students have
to find out who or what it is by asking only yes/no
questions.

22

HOT SEAT - a teacher is one character from the story, and

students have to ask questions to find out, what has
happened, or why, etc.
PANTOMIME - a teacher act as some character and students
have to guess who is it, other variation - one student
act and the rest guess.
COUNTING - in this activity we may ask students to count
how

many times they hear a

particular word or how

many characters are there - it is good when a teacher

tell the

story or when we use a story on video.

A PART OF A STORY - students have one part of a story first, last, or middle and they are asked to complete
it or continue it.
A CAREFUL LISTENER - while students listen to a story, they
may

answer easy factual questions like - who (name

the main

characters), what (describe one action that

a character in the story did), where (setting of the

story)

or

when

(make

linear

timeline

of

the

sequence of events).
(based on:

http://www.storyarts.org/lessonplans/newstandard/index.html)

5.3 POST - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

Stories may bridge the gap between language study
and language use and also to link classroom learning with
the world outside. Some of the activities do not always
have a very large language element but are nevertheless
important
learning

in

creating

English

means

feeling
fun,

among

activity,

the

pupils

creativity

that
and

enjoyment.21 (Ellis and Brewster 2002: 17) Students will be

much more involved and motivated to the teaching process
when they see that their hard work in lessons has been
leading somewhere. That is why follow-up activities are so
important for students.
23

Follow-up activities include rounding up, reviewing

and summarizing the lesson. They may be done in a lesson or
used as homework. They should provide opportunities to
extend

and

consolidate

language

or

topics

introduced

through a story.22 (Ellis and Brewster 2002: 17) Students can

make a poster, a book, a collage, a greetings card or other
things based on story, they can organize an event or play a
part of the story. Follow-up activities develop students
skills especially their productive ones such as writing
(e.g. writing letters and postcards, note-taking, etc.) and
speaking

(e.g.

interviewing,

role-play,

questionnaires,

etc.). In these activities students can work individually

or in groups or they can work on a project as a whole class
(based on: (Ellis and Brewster, 2002).

Follow-up

activities

provide

enjoyment

and

satisfaction as they allow students to complete a piece of

work in English. They can also gain self-confidence which,
in turn, can create a more positive attitude to learning
English.23 (Ellis and Brewster, 2002: 17) Students may express
their own ideas in follow up activities that means that
students creativity is encouraged. Some arts and crafts
activities may help dyslectic and dysgraphic children and
further more it is always very motivated when end-products
decorate the classroom.

5.3.1 CONCRETE POST - STORYTELLING ACTIVITIES

SUMMARIZATION - students can summarize the story in their
own

words.

WRITTEN QUESTIONNAIRES - we can ask students questions

belong to or come out from stories. Students answers
may lead to discussion.
24

RE - WRITING THE STORY - we can encourage students to rewrite the story from different position, e.g. from
position of a particular protagonists point of view,
placing it in a different time and setting. Students
also may re-tell the story.
WRITING A LETTER - students can write exchanging letters
between protagonists.
ROLE-PLAY OR SIMULATION - can be used to encourage general
oral

fluency,

or

train

students

for

specific

situations based on the story.

MAKE A VIDEO - this activity based on the read or heard
story take much time, on the other hand it may be very
motivated for students to make their own video, and
they can use a wide variety of language in the process
and the product of video-making. For

students

the

product will be helpful, because they can see what

mistakes they have

made and they can find them and

learnt from them. (based on: Harmer, 2005)

CREATING

STUDENTS

OWN

STORIES

when

we

create

an

atmosphere in which stories are valued in human terms

much more than in 'learning English' terms, we will
encourage students to create their own stories. Main
technique

to

help

them

is

to

ask

questions.

The

principle is the same for young learners as well as

for adolescents (based on:
http://www.teachertraining.hu/04_andrew_copies.html).

'Tell me more!' 'But what do you mean?' 'Tell me how

he walks when he is going to work.' 'Tell me how he
walked on that particular

morning.'.24

(http://www.teachertraining.hu/04_andrew_copies.html)

MAKE A BOOK - we can let students

write, design and

illustrate a book which is then exhibited in the

school and then put in the school library. It will be
great experience of using English. We wont have to
25

say, 'Get the English right!' They will be desperate

to

do that because their dignity as a whole person

is at stake.

26

6. LESSON PLAN
I have based this lesson plan on an extract from a real
book Ivanhoe by Walter Scott. The reasons for it were to
introduce
lessons

the

old

devoted

English

to

part

history,
of

to

English

follow
history

up

last

from

coursebook. I will add a rationale after each activity.

Class: 9 th year
Length of lesson: 45 minutes (first lesson)
Materials: Pictures - App. 1, copies of App. 2, App. 3,
App. 4 and App. 5

Topic: Ivanhoe by Walter Scott - part one - the 12th

century

Aims:
- to focus on the life in the 12th century as an

important

part of Englands history, this lesson plan may be

used as a link of English with History or Literature
- to get familiar with a knights stuff
- to read an extract from a real book

Assumptions:
Ss know some information from History about 12th century,
Ss know some information from Literature about Walter
Scott,
Ss know how to work with a text and how to use a Czech
English dictionary,
Ss read the text.

27

Procedures:
Time:
5

Activity:

Greetings, brief

Interaction:

Aids:

T - wh.class

a board,

introduction of

a notice

todays topic,

12th

brainstorming

century

Brainstorming

is

very

good

activity

in

the

beginning of the lesson, because students start to think

about the topic, everything what they say is right and
their own ideas about the 12th century will provoke their
interest in the following activities.
5

talking about this

T - wh.class

pictures

century - about life

App. 1

in it, about peoples

character, clothes,
buildings
In this pre-reading activity students can show what
they know about the topic. Pictures help them in talking
and

they

present

some

cultural

information

about

the

topic. A teacher can help with vocabulary.

5

try to name knights

in pairs

stuff

the picture
App. 2,
a dictionary

Students will learn words important for reading in an

entertaining way in this pre-reading activity. The picture
will stimulate their interest and pave the way for the
text.

28

introducing a book

individually

the crossword
App. 3

Students will find out the title of the book, from

which they will read an extract in an entertaining way.
This activity will be done before reading and it can be
done as a competition, because only 5 minutes is planed
for it.
5

talking about author

T - wh.class

the picture

and about this novel

individually

of WS - App. 4

Students will learn some details of Walter Scott they will be asked to fill the gaps individually. Students
have already known something about him from Literature.
There will be small discussion after this activity.
5

short extract of video

whole class

video (e.g.

showing knights

A Knights

tournament

Tale)

Students watch a short extract of video, before they

read

the

extract,

so

they

can

better

imagine

the

atmosphere of knights tournament. It can motivate them to

read the following text.
15

read the extract

individually

copies
App. 5

Students are asked to read the copy of the extract.

This activity is placed at the end of the first lesson,
because students do not read in the same speed and they
can read it for the second time or finish the reading at
home, if they need it.
29

Length of lesson: 45 minutes (second lesson)

Materials: App. 1, App. 5, a veil, a leather cap, a
sword, paper, crayons, copies of App. 6

Topic: Ivanhoe by Walter Scott - part two - work with text

from real book

Aims:
- to make questions - it depends on a teacher, if he or she
wants to practise Yes/No questions or Wh- questions
- to use information from text to summarize it in students
own words
- to write an informal letter

Assumptions:
Ss can speak about the topic,
Ss know how to find out information by asking questions,
Ss know how to summarize a text
Ss are familiar in writing an informal letter.

Procedures:
Time:
5

Activity:

Greetings, brief

Interaction:

Aids:

T - wh. class

pictures

repetition of last

App. 1

and todays topic

Brief

repetition

based

on

pictures

students

have

already known will bring them back to the topic about the
12th century. There maybe also repetition of new words from
the last lesson.

30

talking about the

T - wh. class

App. 5

extract in own words

Students summarize the story in their own words. This
activity will consolidate the topic and they have to think
about

what

they

were

reading

at

the

end

of

the

last

lesson. A teacher will find out who is familiar with the

story. Although I have count this activity as post-reading
in the theory part, I have used it here as while-reading
activity. That is because students read the extract at the
end of the last lesson, but I want to use the extract in
following while-reading activities.
5

who are probably those

in pairs

people(Rowena, Cedric,
Disinherited Knight) what
relationship do they have
This activity is similar as the following one, but
this

one

is

done

in

pairs.

Students

can

show

their

imagination and empathy, they can express their opinions.

It

is

similar

to

brainstorming,

because

there

are

no

incorrect answers.
5

who are probably those

T - wh. class

people(Rowena, Cedric,
Disinherited Knight) what
relationship do they have
Similar activity to the previous one, but whole class
is involved. Speaking - answering questions, statements,
arguing, agreeing, disagreeing - is developed as a skill.
Students will teach to respect different point of view.

31

10

hot seat - a different

T - wh. class

a veil,

person - teacher (Rowena,

a leather

Cedric, Disinherited Knight)

cap,

ask any questions to complete

a sword

information - students
Students

will

develop

speaking

through

asking

questions to find out who really are those people (Rowena,

Cedric, Disinherited Knight), what is their relationship.
It depends on a teacher if this activity will focus on
Yes/No questions or Wh- questions.
10

write a letter to Rowena

groups

paper,

from Ivanhoe

a pen,

write a letter to Ivanhoe

crayons,

from Rowena

a seal

make his or her seal

This

post-reading

activity

provides

opportunity

to

express students own ideas, they may identify with those

characters, because they solve love problems in their life
as well, so their own experience may be useful here. They
develop their writing skill of informal letter and they
will show how creative they are when they make seals. As
they will work in small groups, they have to cooperate
together. When we have no time for making a seal we can
ask an Art teacher to do it in an Art lesson.
5

an exhibition of letters
and seals

wh. class

a notice
board

Students were motivated in the previous activity to

make some creative activities such as letters and seals,
so, we have some final products now, which can decorate
32

the classroom and students will see that their hard work
in lessons has been leading to a small exhibition.

33

7. CONCLUSION
Stories are an ideal tool in learning language as they
guide us through our whole life. So, not only learning our
mother tongue, but also other foreign languages through
stories can make our effort more interesting, amusing and
memorable.
language

Students

when

have

activities

an

amazing

are

familiar

ability
and

to

absorb

enjoyable

to

them. Teaching foreign language on the base of storytelling

is exactly the activity which is both familiar and it is
fun.
Stories are for all of us, not just for children, that
is why using them in teaching adolescents is as important
as

using

attract

them

in

teaching

students

young

attention,

children.
because

Stories

they

can

provide

challenging topics based on their everyday interests such

as love and friendship. They also provide a huge space for
fantasy and creativity.
Stories may link English with other subjects across
the curriculum, which I demonstrate in my theses. They
teach

students

structures

may

to
be

think.

All

taught

by

skills,

functions

stories.

and

Vocabulary,

pronunciation and creativity may be developed.

In my theses I have tried to make a lesson plan based
on an extract from a real book, and even thou I had no
opportunity to try it with a class I believe that students
will like it and they will be motivated to read a whole
book.

34

8. RESUM
Using

of

stories

in

learning

language

is

an

important teaching technique. Stories guide a human for his

or her whole life and use them when the human learn his or
her

mother

tongue.

Consequently

it

is

natural

learn

foreign language with the help of stories.

An essential part of this thesis is devoted to some
activities, which we may use, when we create a lesson plan
based on a story. Activities are divided into pre-, whileand post-storytelling activities. Activities may of course
penetrate.

RESUM
Vyuvn

pbh

pi

studiu

jazyka

je

dleitou

vyuovac technikou. Pbhy toti lovka provz po cel

jeho ivot a vyuv je tak pi poznvn sv matetiny.
Tud je pirozen poznvat a uit s ciz jazyk pomoc
pbh.
Podstatn
alespo
vytvme

st

nkterm
pln

tto

bakalsk

aktivitm,
vyuovac

kter

hodiny

prce
meme

je

vnovna

pout,

zaloen

na

kdy

pbhu.

Aktivity jsou rozdleny na aktivity pouvan na zatku,

v prbhu

na

konci

ten,

vyprvn

nebo

vytven

pbhu. Aktivity se tak samozejm mohou rzn prolnat.

35

BIBLIOGRAPHY
WRIGHT, Andrew: Storytelling With Children, OUP 1995,
ISBN: 0-19-437202-2
WRIGHT, Andrew: Creating Stories With Children, OUP 1997,
ISBN: 0-19-437204-9
HARMER, Jeremy: The Practice of English Language Teaching,
Longman, 2005, ISBN 0-582-40385-5
ELLIS, Gail and BREWSTER, Jean, Tell it Again!, Penguin
2002, ISBN: 0-582-44777-1
BRUMFIT, Christopher; MOON, Jayne and TONGUE, Ray, Teaching
English

to

Children

from

Practice

to

Principle,

Longman 1991, ISBN 0-17-556889-8.

FRST, Maria: Psychologie, Votobia, 1997,
ISBN 80-7198-199-0
KULHNEK, Jan. Pohdky v na dui 1 - vvojov pohdky
[online]. accessible from WWW:
<http://psychologie.doktork+-a.cz/pohadky-nasi-dusivyvojove/>
VOJTKOV, Naa. Using authentic literature in the
classroom [online]. accessible from WWW:
<http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=638>
VOJTKOV, Naa. Didaktika 2A [online]. accessible from
WWW:
<http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=438>
WRIGHT, Andrew. YOU are a story absorber and a story
teller. A web site for the developing language
teacher

[online]. 2005, accessible from WWW:

<http://www.developingteachers.com/articles_tchtrainin
g/stories_andrew.htm>
FOREST, Heather. Storytelling Lesson Plans and Activities.
Story arts [online]. 2000, accessible from WWW:
<http://www.storyarts.org/lessonplans/newstandard/inde
x.html>
36

REFERENCES

37

Jeremy Harmer, The Practice of English Language Teaching, Longman, 2005

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

10

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

11

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

12

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

13

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

14

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

15

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

16

Christopher Brumfit, Jayne Moon and Ray Tongue, Teaching English to Children from Practice to

Principle,

Longman 1991
17

Christopher Brumfit, Jayne Moon and Ray Tongue, Teaching English to Children from Practice to

Principle,

Longman 1991
18

Christopher Brumfit, Jayne Moon and Ray Tongue, Teaching English to Children from Practice to

Principle,

Longman 1991
19

Christopher Brumfit, Jayne Moon and Ray Tongue, Teaching English to Children from Practice to

Longman 1991
20

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

21

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

22

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

23

Gail Ellis and Jean Brewster, Tell it Again!, Penguin 2002

24

http://www.teachertraining.hu/04_andrew_copies.html

Principle,