The Language Teacher
02 - 2002
A Few Resources to Keep in Mind
Robert Croker
Nanzan University
Analysis of Narrative Structure and Language
Analysing Casual Conversation, by Suzanne Eggins & Diane Slade (1997). London: Cassell. 333 pages.
Stories of life's experiences often crop up in casual conversation. We tell stories about how we overcome problems, amusing things that have happened to us (or to those close to us), or sometimes we tell stories to illustrate a point made in discussion. In chapter six of this book, "Genre in Casual Conversation: Telling stories," the authors identify four different types of stories and describe some of their structural and linguistic features. The insights they give are very helpful to teachers who want to teach their students how to tell stories more effectively. (REJ)
Spoken Language and Applied Linguistics, by Michael McCarthy (1998). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 206 pages.
Although this book is not about storytelling per se, there are several sections that are of interest to the conversational storyteller. Areas dealt with include verb patterning in stories and frequently heard lexical phrases. The final chapter, "So Mary was saying" deals with how we typically quote others when telling our stories. There are many interesting insights to be gained here for the teacher who wishes to convey some typical aspects of conversational storytelling to the students. (REJ)
Exploring Spoken English, by Ronald Carter & Michael McCarthy (1997). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 160 pages.
The first three units of this book contain examples of stories transcribed exactly as heard in conversation. The authors give detailed line-by-line notes on linguistic items which occur in these stories. Topics range from dangerous childhood pranks to the story of a bad-tempered housewife who struck terror into all the local shopkeepers. The material is taken from Nottingham University's CANCODE corpus, and there is an accompanying cassette. (REJ)
How to Improve Your Storytelling Skills
Improving Your Storytelling: Beyond the Basics for All Who Tell Stories in Work or Play, by Doug Lipman (1999). Little Rock: August House. 219 pages.
This is an excellent resource for all teachers who use narrative in their classroom. Chapters range from the use of language and imagery to exploring the meaning and structure of stories and how these can improve the effectiveness and impact of your storytelling. This book will help you to become an excellent story teller. Another must-have for all teachers. (RC)
"Did I Ever Tell You About The TimeÉ": How to Develop and Deliver a Speech Using Stories that Get Your Message Across, by Grady Jim Robinson (2000). New York: McGraw-Hill. 241 pages.
Good story telling is an important skill. This book shows you how to develop and deliver a speech using stories that will persuade and captivate your class. The book illustrates archetypal stories, such as the hero and the journey. It also outlines techniques such as integrating humour and action into the story and effectively tying your story to a universal theme. This is a useful book for all teachers as well as for speech classes. (RC)
The Power of Personal Storytelling: Spinning Tales to Connect with Others, by Jack Maguire (1998). New York: Penguin Putnam. 253 pages.
This book gets my highest rating for practicality and entertainment for beginners and old hands. Not only will it convince you to tell your own stories, it will show you how to get to them, spice them up, spice up your own telling, and fall in love with storytelling. The quotes throughout motivate you to "Just do it!" (TM)
Using Folktales in the Classroom
Using Folktales, by Eric K. Taylor (2000). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 302 pages.
This is a comprehensive book that covers both the theoretical background of folktales and a vast array of classroom activities. It is specifically for the second language classroom. It contains many excellent folktales in a ready-to-use format and a useful annotated bibliography: for use with students of all levels, and a must-have for the budding storyteller. (RC)
Once Upon a Time: Using Stories in the Language Classroom, by John Morgan and Mario Rinvolucri (1988). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 120 pages.
Providing a myriad of ways to use stories in the EFL classroom, this book has become a classic. It is a useful resource for the teacher considering using stories in their classroom. The many stories may need adapting before use. (RC)
Collections of Folktales, Stories, and Other Resources
The Illustrated Book of Fairy Tales, by Neil Philip. (1997). New York: DK Publishing. 160 pages.
Fifty-two of the most famous fairy tales from around the world are presented in relatively simple English, with wonderful illustrations. Each fairy tale is relatively short, about two or three pages long, finding a good balance between brevity and detail. These fairytales are suitable as is for even low-level students. Next to each folktale is an interesting snippet of history or simple literary comment. The introduction has a short history of fairytales, and a brief but informative explanation of different kinds of folktales. An excellent buy. (RC)
The Oxford Book of Modern Fairy Tales, edited by Alison Lurie (1995). New York: Oxford University Press. 455 pages.
A superb collection of fairy tales dating from the 1800s through to 1989. See especially Angela Carter's rewriting of Beauty and the Beast in "The Courtship of Mr. Lyon" (1979) or alternatives to the maiden heroine in Mary De Morgan's "A Toy Princess" (1877) or "The Princess Who Stood On Her Own Two Feet" (1982) by Jeanne Desy. Lurie's introduction is enlightening. (BC & EB)
Chicken Soup for the Soul. By Jack Canfield & Mark Hansen (1995). Florida: Heath Communications. 308 pages.
A heart-warming collection of 101 stories that areÊarranged thematically. Teachers and students alike will be inspired to share their own stories after reading a few of these gems. The stories also give wonderful affective filter massages and leave the wanting more -- which is great because there are numerous other volumes that are thematically constructed on such topics as: Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, and others. We are still waiting for a Chicken Soup for the Language Learner's Soul. (BD)
Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend, edited by Maria Leach and Jerome Fried (1982). San Francisco: Harper & Row. 1236 pages.
For those interested in the history and background of folktales and legend, this mammoth volume will answer all your questions! This book gives a short summary and background to the most well known folktales, gives a background to the folktales and legends from many cultures, and explores the meaning of many common folktale symbols. Useful for the inquisitive teacher. (RC)
Collections of Personal Anecdotes
The Healing Power of Stories: Creating Yourself through the Stories of Your Life, by Daniel Taylor (1996). New York: Doubleday. 182 pages.
This book acknowledges the impulse all people have to relate to others through narrative. The first resource we have for narratives are our own stories. This book helps you find and understand your own experiences, and the powerful messages that they contain. It outlines the elements of stories, their plots, characters, and significance. Through relating your own stories in the classroom, you can not only improve your relationship with your students, but also show them how to access their own stories. (RC)
Language Learning Histories, by Tim Murphey (1997). Nagoya: South Mountain Press. 56 pages.
Perhaps the answer to the Chicken Soup for the LanguageÊLearner's Soul: This collection of 40 first-year Japanese university student language learning stories is very inspiring and motivating. They provide real, inspiring accounts of language learners struggles, triumphs, and insights into language learning that other students will enjoy and benefit from significantly. They also provide valuable insights into theÊlearner's mind that will help teachers to teach more effectively as well. (BD)
Good News, Bad News: News Stories for Listening and Discussion, by Roger Barnard (1998). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 72 pages.
This book contains 18 stories of the strange but true type such as: the woman who won a fortune because of a dream, and the chain-smoker who kicked the habit by having himself tied to the sofa for three weeks. For additional practice after doing the exercises in the book, I encourage the students to retell the stories as if they're telling them to a friend in a coffee shop. This helps them to think about the differences between newspaper reports and stories told in conversation. (REJ)
Stories about Teaching
Understanding Language Teaching: Reasoning in Action, by Karen E. Johnson (1999). Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers. 149 pages.
This book is based on teachers who participated in the author's MA TESOL program. We will benefit from these teachers' voices about themselves, their students, and their teaching in their own contexts. We can develop our understanding about the complexities of teaching and why developing robust reasoning is important to improve our practice. (YS)
Stories Lives Tell: Narrative and Dialogue in Education, by Carol Witherell and Nel Noddings (1991). New York: Teacher College Press. 290 pages.
This book introduces a new approach to knowing and teaching. We can learn the power of narrative in human lives and develop new insights as a way of understanding human experience. I recommend this book to those who are interested in teaching, teacher education, qualitative research, human development, and anthropology. (YS)
Gender Analysis through Narrative
The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales, by Bruno Bettleheim (1989). New York: Random House. 328 pages.
This controversial book discusses the enormous value of fairy tales and how they educate, support, and liberate the emotions of the child reader. Well-known fairy tales are analysed for gender stereotyping, personality integration, and the development of the psyche. (BC & EB)
Sacred Pleasure: Sex, Myth, and the Politics of the Body, by Riane Eisler (1995). San Francisco: Harper Collins. 495 pages.
Using Western models, Eisler discusses the construction of gender, offering two models for comparison: the dominator model, which validates inequality of the sexes; and the partnership model, which she maintains will overcome many problems that plague contemporary society. See also her earlier work, The Chalice and the Blade. (BC & EB)
Devi: Tales of the Goddess in Our Time, by Mrinal Pande (1996). New Delhi: Penguin. 184 pages.
For those readers who would like to look at gender roles in other cultural and literary contexts, Pande's book is a must. As she writes in her preface, "Narrative is a form women's knowledge of human life has taken since civilization began.... Like my mother, I have survived even as Scheherezade had survived....with the help of the stories we created and recited" (xix). (BC & EB)
Off With Their Heads! Fairy Tales and the Cultures of Childhood, by Maria Tatar (1992). Princeton: Princeton University Press. 295 pages.
This is a readable and fascinating discussion of fairy tales, with discussions of different cultural representations of fairy tales. Chapters that focus on gender roles include "Beauties and Beasts: From Blind Obedience to Love at First Sight," and "Daughters of Eve: Fairy-Tale Heroines and Their Seven Sins." (BC & EB)
The Brothers Grimm: From Enchanted Forests to the Modern World, by Jack Zipes. New York: Routledge, Chapman and Hall. 750 pages.
Don't Bet on the Prince: Contemporary Feminist Fairy Tales in North America and England, edited by J. Zipes (1986). New York, Methuen. 270 pages.
These are just two books (out of several volumes) by a prominent American researcher who adapts fairy tales. The first book tells famous fairy tales by changing the social context and speaker; the second is a source for feminist versions of fairy tales for re-telling, comparison, or discussion. (BC & EB)
Contributors
BC: Beverley Curran; BD: Brad Deacon; EB: Erin Burke; RC: Robert Croker; REJ: Bob Jones; TM: Tim Murphey; YS: Yoshi Sato.
Robert Croker is currently an Associate Instructor at
Nanzan University in Nagoya. His interests are researching story
telling, finishing his PhD, and triathlons.
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