The Folklorist as Teacher: Towards the Use of Story Telling Pedagogy

Abstract

Child learns best in his mother tongue and through stories related to his immediate environment. Teachers too often find out that pupils are eager to read stories they have seen on the screen, because the stories mean more to them. Pupils' experiences are broadened through watching films and listening to stories. Youngsters also want to discuss and write about the make-believe experience they have shared as they strengthen their communication. Unfortunately , the art of storytelling is almost extinct in Nigerian schools. This paper focuses attention on re-developing the curriculum and re- defining the technique of story telling. Fifty Yoruba teachers were randomly selected from secondary schools in Ojoo and Yewa south local governments of Lagos and Ogun state, Nigeria. Questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. Results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation t-test and PPMC.The results indicate that there is significant difference between folklorist as a teacher and the use of storytelling pedagogy , listening to folktales influence or af fects change of attitude, builds character , new concepts and ideas of the tar get audience. The implications for teacher education in the next millennium were highlighted.