The Use of Stories and Casual Talk in Teaching Speaking

Abstract

An ancient form of human communication, storytelling is a ubiquitous tool that imparts cultural, historical, and informational knowledge and beliefs. The timelessness of storytelling is due to the way the human brain processes information by using narrative structures, such as the basic structure of beginning (setup), middle (confrontation), and end (resolution). Because the brain is hardwired for narratives, teaching storytelling is appropriate for all ages. Stories employ a wide variety of formalized narrative structures, including myths, legends, folktales, and fairy tales. However, stories without formalized structures are an essential component during casual talk or small talk, a specific social interaction used to build personal and professional relationships. Although stories during casual talk are fluid and informally structured, underlying cultural norms, formulaic language, and expected patterns of interaction create difficulties for English learners. When teaching speaking, explicit instruction of stories and casual talk benefit English learners' proficiency from fluency to turn‐taking skills.