My name is Allison May and I’m an English Instructor at Kaplan International Languages, Chicago (2011-2016, 2019-present).

To preface, I use all these techniques in classes where students are learning English as a foreign language. Class size is usually 12-15 students, and they come from all countries and all language backgrounds, and everything in the classroom is done in English. Students are placed in levels ranging from A1-C2, and understandably there is a range in skill within each level.

I use the creativity storytelling technique.

How did you learn about this technique?

I wasn’t explicitly taught about these techniques. Instead, they arose as natural solutions to accomplish educational goals.

I started using storytelling in a unit when we study transition words and the difference between various past tenses. We read a story about a surfer and how his childhood influenced him to start surfing, and how it affected his school and career. It just made sense to have students tell a story to partner about their life and how they ended up studying English in Chicago at Kaplan. The goal for this exercise is speaking, so to keep students from focusing too much on preparing an elaborately written story, they create a timeline with 7 key moments and write notes (not complete sentences) on each moment. Then they work with a partner and tell their story. It works better with partners instead of small groups because they feel more freedom to share details and ask each other questions. I find that students really enjoy learning about each other’s lives.

Did you have any problems in implementing it and if yes which ones?

The only problem is that sometimes they want to talk for too long and it can affect the pacing of the rest of the lesson.

How do you evaluate the results of this technique in class?

I evaluate the results by circulating the room and monitoring conversations and assisting as needed, and at the end I ask for a few volunteers to share their stories with the class.

With which subject/levels/courses/modules/VET degrees… Do you use it?

I use this technique with all language levels.

What are the benefits for the students (both in the learning process as well as for their professional careers)

The benefits for students are tremendous. Techniques like storytelling make the learning personal and applicable to their lives. When they use the targeted grammar and vocabulary in an authentic setting, it makes it real for them. Each technique brings a chance to build relationships because students are working in smaller settings. As I watch them participate, I see them be animated and energetic.

What do you think it brings to your students? What feedback do you get from them when applying the technique in class?

Their feedback at the end is that they always want to do more activities like those. I can also assess that their learning is improving as a result of these activities.

If you have any tips or tricks for other VET trainers/ teachers, please indicate them here.

Always identify your goal first. What is the learning objective and what do you want students to accomplish through the activity? When students are in small groups, it’s so important to establish rules first. I always say: no cell phones, ask each other for help, and make sure participation is equal among all members. It’s ok to ask a groupmate to participate if they are not participating. Establishing the norms and goals before beginning allows them to see the purpose of the activity and to know how to participate.

Are there any factors to take into account when applying this technique with different classes? (also, more appropriate number of students, appropriate space and age).

It’s helpful to know a little about your students’ personalities and skill level beforehand so you can create groups that work well together. There have been times where I’ve put two dominating personalities together and they fought for the spotlight rather than participated to be understood, and their other groupmates hardly participated.

If you encountered problems in using the technique, how did you solve them?

In my experience, storytelling works best in pairs.

Mention a personal anecdote, a very positive experience, a comment from a student, or something you have seen, something inspiring to encourage other teachers to try.

Students love storytelling because it gives them a chance to share something about themselves that they might otherwise not get to share.