Teaching Traditional Values in the Social Studies Classroom through Storytelling

Abstract

This paper examined the use of storytelling in the effective teaching of traditional values at a junior secondary school in Botswana. The national values of Botswana were briefly presented and specifically linked with an aspect of hard work in producing the effective citizen. The story of a lazy student was used to elicit questions and answers from a Form One social studies class. An analysis of the students’ qualitative responses indicated progressive low to high order responses. This is interpreted to mean that storytelling is a powerful tool in the teaching-learning process. A number of conclusions were made which included: the enhancement of learning through storytelling; the use storytelling to elicit high order thinking; and the use of small groups for the acquisition of knowledge and decision making. Based on the findings and conclusions, it was recommended that teachers should adapt their methods of teaching to specific teaching/learning situation; that storytelling should be emphasized as a technique of teaching in the syllabus or the curriculum; and the need to encourage further research on the power or efficacy of storytelling in the teaching-learning situation. Keywords: Values, Storytelling, teaching, learning, efficacy, social studies, Botswana