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Best 80 Storytelling Podcasts You Must Follow in 2022

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Best 80 Storytelling Podcasts You Must Follow in 2022

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New York About Podcast The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, the Moth Podcast features stories from our Mainstage, StorySLAM and Community programs. Frequency 1 episode / week Since Mar 2008 Podcast themoth.org/podcast
Facebook fans 344.5K ⋅ Twitter followers 94K ⋅ Instagram Followers 53.1K ⋅ Domain Authority 65ⓘ ⋅

About Podcast Each week, we bring you stories told live from the Story Club chair at the Giant Dwarf Theatre in Sydney. Since Jul 2015 Podcast omny.fm/shows/story-club
Twitter followers 644 ⋅ Social Engagement 24ⓘ ⋅ Domain Authority 74ⓘ ⋅ Alexa Rank 58.1Kⓘ

About Podcast The Memory Palace is a storytelling podcast and public radio segment about the past. It was named a finalist for a Peabody Award in 2016. Frequency 1 episode / week Since Nov 2008 Also in History Podcasts Podcast thememorypalace.us/category/..
Facebook fans 12.8K ⋅ Twitter followers 19.2K ⋅ Social Engagement 3ⓘ ⋅ Domain Authority 56ⓘ ⋅ Alexa Rank 4.6Mⓘ

About Podcast This show is hosted by author and notable widow (her words) Nora McInerny, this is a funny/sad/uncomfortable podcast about talking honestly about our pain, our awkwardness, and our humanness, which is not an actual word. Frequency 1 episode / week Since Nov 2016 Also in Mental Health Podcasts Podcast ttfa.org
Facebook fans 38K ⋅ Twitter followers 15.3K ⋅ Instagram Followers 53.6K ⋅ Domain Authority 52ⓘ ⋅

New York, United States About Podcast The Truth makes movies for your ears: short stories that are sometimes dark, sometimes funny, and always intriguing. Each story is different, and usually 10 to 20 minutes long. We take you to unexpected places using only sound. Frequency 2 episodes / month Since Nov 2011 Also in Fiction Podcasts Podcast thetruthpodcast.com/story
Facebook fans 6.9K ⋅ Twitter followers 9.9K ⋅ Instagram Followers 1.7K ⋅ Domain Authority 53ⓘ ⋅

Radiotopia About Podcast Ear Hustle, from Radiotopia, brings you stories of life inside prison, shared and produced by those living it. The podcast is a partnership between Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams, currently incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, and Nigel Poor, a Bay Area artist. The team works in San Quentin's media lab to produce stories that are sometimes difficult, often funny, and always honest, offering a nuanced view of people living within the American prison system. Frequency 1 episode / week Since Mar 2017 Podcast earhustlesq.com
Facebook fans 22.3K ⋅ Twitter followers 21.7K ⋅ Instagram Followers 59.7K ⋅ Social Engagement 127ⓘ ⋅ Domain Authority 54ⓘ ⋅ Alexa Rank 2.1Mⓘ

Los Angeles, California About Podcast Hollywood's most famous comedians and writers tell true, personal stories. Christine Blackburn is the creator and host of Story Worthy and Story Smash the Storytelling Gameshow LIVE every month at the Hollywood Improv. Past guests include Ed Asner, Vince Van Patten, Mary Birdsong, Larry King, Marylynn Rajskub, Wayne Federman, Jimmy Pardo, Danny Zuker, Laurie Kilmartin, Heather McDonald, Kelly Carlin, Matt Oswalt, Phil Rosenthal, Dana Gould, Eddie Peppitone, Mindy Rickles, and many more talented comedians, writers and actors. New episode every TUESDAY! Frequency 1 episode / week Podcast storyworthypodcast.com
Twitter followers 2.3K ⋅ Instagram Followers 2.4K ⋅ Domain Authority 33 ⋅

North Carolina About Podcast Criminal is a podcast about crime. Not so much the 'if it bleeds, it leads,' kind of crime. Something a little more complex. Stories of people who've done wrong, been wronged, and/or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. We are a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a curated network of extraordinary, story-driven shows. Frequency 4 episodes / year Also in Crime Podcasts Podcast thisiscriminal.com/episodes
Facebook fans 34.7K ⋅ Twitter followers 38K ⋅ Instagram Followers 30.2K ⋅ Social Engagement 2.1K ⋅ Domain Authority 60 ⋅ Alexa Rank 711K

Charlottesville, Virginia About Podcast BackStory with the American History Guys is a nationally syndicated, hour-long, weekly public radio show. We're based in Charlottesville, Virginia at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. Each week we take a topic that people are talking about, and explore it's roots in American history. Through stories, interviews, and conversation with our listeners, we turn the things Americans take for granted inside out. Frequency 30 episodes / year Since May 2010 Podcast backstoryradio.org/episodes
Facebook fans 14.5K ⋅ Twitter followers 13.7K ⋅ Social Engagement 3 ⋅ Domain Authority 56 ⋅ Alexa Rank 1.6M

About Podcast Every month, a group of people are invited to tell ten minute personal stories on a theme to a live audience. The stories are not read or memorized, they are told from the life experiences and creativity of the teller. Frequency 1 episode / week Since May 2017 Podcast odysseystorytelling.libsyn.com
Facebook fans 1.2K ⋅ Domain Authority 12 ⋅ Alexa Rank 4.3K

About Podcast This podcast is a collection of a father's bedtime stories for his angels, and now a Knight! Sometimes a bit scary, sometimes sad but mostly happy. Frequency 9 episodes / month Podcast spreaker.com/show/lights-out..
Social Engagement 1 ⋅ Domain Authority 87 ⋅ Alexa Rank 8.3K

About Podcast The universe has good news for the lost, lonely and heartsick. 'Dear Sugars' is here, speaking straight into your ears. Hosted by the original 'Sugars,' Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond, the podcast fields all your questions, no matter how deep or dark - and offers radical empathy in return. Frequency 3 episodes / month Podcast wbur.org/dearsugar
Twitter followers 9.1K ⋅ Instagram Followers 17.4K ⋅ Domain Authority 82 ⋅ Alexa Rank 23.8K

About Podcast Tune in for weekly discussions about LGBTQ storytelling in all genres and mediums. Our guests share personal accounts on living the artistic life and their personal experiences writing, crafting, and reading stories that explore the edges of what's accepted and where storytelling should be headed. Frequency 1 episode / week Also in LGBT Podcasts Podcast wrotepodcast.com
Twitter followers 231 ⋅ Social Engagement 15 ⋅ Domain Authority 19 ⋅

Santa Monica, CA About Podcast UnFictional is a show full of stories that grab you and keep you that stick in your head like a memory. Dream alongside a soul far away: soldiers and criminals, adventurers and hustlers, the saved and the damned. Everybody has an inner life. The award-winning show is created in collaboration with the best independent audio documentary makers and storytellers from around the world, who are always looking for new ways to tell stories with sound. Frequency 7 episodes / year Since Sep 2010 Podcast kcrw.com/culture/shows/unfic..
Twitter followers 3.2K ⋅ Instagram Followers 131.4K ⋅ Social Engagement 10 ⋅ Domain Authority 80 ⋅ Alexa Rank 42.1K

Brooklyn, NY About Podcast StoryCorps mission is to reserve and share humanity's stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.The podcast is about stories from people of all backgrounds and beliefs. Frequency 2 episodes / month Podcast storycorps.org/podcast
Facebook fans 632.5K ⋅ Twitter followers 69.9K ⋅ Instagram Followers 55.6K ⋅ Social Engagement 172 ⋅ Domain Authority 72 ⋅ Alexa Rank 91.2K

Canada About Podcast Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids aims to invite podcast listeners to reflect on their own lives, to connect with who they used to be, and to draw a line that connects the past and the present. Frequency 1 episode / year Since Jan 2015 Podcast grownupsreadthingstheywrotea..
Facebook fans 8.8K ⋅ Twitter followers 2.1K ⋅ Instagram Followers 2K ⋅ Social Engagement 1 ⋅ Domain Authority 43 ⋅

New York About Podcast Tell the Bartender is a bi-weekly storytelling podcast hosted by Katharine Heller, featuring tales from everyday people with unique stories. Frequency 1 episode / day Since Jan 2013 Podcast tellthebartender.com
Twitter followers 3K ⋅ Domain Authority 27 ⋅

Cape Town, South Africa About Podcast Him & I is a storytelling podcast inspired by true events of a love story that went horribly wrong between a girl next door and a charming handsome boy. He won her heart then tried to stop it from beating permanently. Podcast anchor.fm/himandi
Twitter followers 373 ⋅ Domain Authority 84 ⋅ Alexa Rank 2.7K

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Top 20 Storytelling Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021

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New York About Podcast The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating.

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20 Best Storytelling Podcasts to Listen to 2022

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20 Best Storytelling Podcasts to Listen to 2022

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Reading Rainbow's LeVar Burton Has a Storytelling Podcasts for Adults

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Like a beloved book, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, these enthralling storytelling podcasts will draw you in and whisk you away.

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The Art of Storytelling - Mensa for Kids

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The Art of Storytelling - Mensa for Kids

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Introduction

Storytelling is an ancient and valuable art that extends around the globe. In this unit, students develop their own storytelling talents, apply the techniques of storytelling, create storytelling guides, and perform a story for an audience. This unit can be taught to an entire classroom or given as a self-directed extension activity. Each lesson is quite short, and they can easily be combined.

Guiding Questions

Where did storytelling originate?

What are the benefits of storytelling?

What are the key features of a well-told story?

How does a storyteller develop a story to prepare it for an audience?

How can a storyteller develop and refine his/her storytelling ability?

Learning Objectives
After completing the lessons in this unit, students will be able to:

Give the rationale for the telling of stories.

Evaluate a story for its storytelling potential.

Outline a story in preparation for storytelling.

Present a story before an audience.

Preparation

Read through each of the mini-lessons.

Find the suggested materials you want to use.

Make any copies needed and gather any materials you want to use.

Choose appropriate extension activities.

Lesson 1: History of storytelling

As long as there have been people, there have been stories. From the stories told in paintings on the ancient caves at Lascaux (Google it!) to the bedtime stories told to young children, stories make up our history and guide our future.

You are surrounded by stories every day. The news on television, radio, and in the newspaper is nothing but stories. The Bible and other religious books are full of stories. The lessons teachers give in school are often stories. Songs tell stories. Pictures tell stories. Movies tell stories. Comedians make up their routines with stories. When you tell a friend about something that happened to you, you are telling a story. Can you think of the last story you heard? Think hard: it may be something you just heard a few minutes ago!

Some stories have lasted hundreds and even thousands of years and are still being told. Stories began with the oral tradition, meaning they were passed on by being heard and retold. Later, people began to write the stories down, but we still love to hear stories told out loud.

Stories are powerful. They can teach morals - the values that the author of the story thinks people should live by. They can teach history. They can entertain us. They can make us think about things in ways we've never thought of them before. They can make us laugh. They can make us cry. Telling stories is a large part of what makes people connected to each other.

Stories are a part of every culture. Stories about our country and its history help us feel proud of our nation. Stories about our ancestors teach us about where we came from and the things we have in common with other people around us.

You probably have favorite stories of your own. Maybe they're stories about your family that you hear from your grandparents. Maybe they're books you've read over and over. What is your favorite story?

A man named Robert Moss said that the Australian Aborigines think that the important stories are always seeking the right person to tell them, looking for the storyteller like an animal hunting its prey. Do you think there could be a story looking for you?

Lesson 2: Getting ready to tell a story
(The following games come from a book titled Children Tell Stories by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss.)
Storytelling is more than just reading the words of a story out loud. It takes other skills as well. It is important to be able to use different tones in your voice when you are telling a story. If your voice stays at the same level, it is boring! You will want your voice to go higher and lower. You will want your voice to go louder and softer. You can practice this with games. These games will help you develop the skills you need to make yourself a good storyteller.

Counting from 1 to 10

First, read a paragraph of a story, any story. Keep your voice the same level. Don't go high or low or loud or soft. Just say it flat.

Now count from one to 10 (out loud!) in these different ways:

As if you were an angry parent who said, "I am going to count to 10 and if you're not in the bedroom by the time I get to 10, you're in big trouble."

As a very little child just learning to count

As if you were very sad because you thought everyone had forgotten your birthday, but then you walked into your living room and saw 10 birthday presents sitting on the floor. How would you count them?

As if you were a referee for a boxing match and you were counting someone out.

As if you were telling someone a telephone number when the phone was not working right.

As if you were counting pennies as you dropped them into a piggy bank.

Read the same paragraph again that you read before. This time, let your voice go loud and soft. Go high and low. Go fast and slow. Do you hear the difference? Which way sounds better?

Walk the Walk

Storytelling isn't just words; it's motion, too. You will have to move around while you tell your story. You will use your arms and legs. You will use your hands and face to tell the story. Practice storytelling motions with this game.

Walk across the room six times. Each time, pretend something different:

You are coming home from school and you know you have a lot of chores to do when you get there.

You are walking through a foot of snow.

You are walking barefoot in a very sticky, squishy swamp.

You are walking across a blistering hot desert.

You are in a graveyard at night walking through the tombstones.

Your right leg is in a cast.

You are walking through honey.

Good job! Now you are ready to find a story to tell!

Lesson 3: Finding and mapping a story

Stories are everywhere, but it can be hard to find a good story for telling. You will want to start with short stories that you can remember. Fairy tales such as Cinderella make good stories to tell. Folktales such as Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan make good stories to tell.

You can find Grimm's fairytales online. You can find folktales at americanfolklore.net. You can also find fairytales and folktales in books at the library.

Pick a story you like to read. If you don't like the story, it will be hard to spend a lot of time with it. Pick a story that has some things it says over and over. That makes it easier to remember. This would be a story such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears when each bear says, "Someone's been eating my porridge."

Once you have a story you want to tell, you have to learn it really well. Try reading the story three times. Now use the story mountain at right to lay out the main points of the story. Make notes about the points on the lines provided. Using your story mountain with notes, tell the story out loud. Try it three times. Now try it without the story mountain.

Lesson 4: Getting your story ready

Now you have a story and a story mountain, and you know your story very well. It is time to get your story ready for telling. First, you need a written-down copy of your story. If you can print it on the computer, leave space to the side for notes, like the story on the next two pages. If your story is in your own book, use a pencil or sticky notes to write things down.

You may want to use props when you tell your story. Props can be small or large. You can wear a full costume or a hat or a cape. You may want to wear a specific hat every time you tell a story. You may like to use puppets or a musical instrument such as a harmonica. You can use cut-out figures or stuffed animals. You may want to use a blanket or a towel.

Remember that you want to keep it interesting!

Don't forget that your body and your voice are important tools to help tell your story:

Move your body in the storytelling "V." The storytelling "V" is when you shift where you're facing when different characters speak. This helps the audience know who is talking. Aim your body one direction when you are one character, and then aim it another direction when you are a different character. Remember which way you faced for each character!

Use hand movements and face movements (called "expressions") to help tell the story.

Use different voices for different characters.

Speak faster and slower and higher and lower.

Make sure you speak loudly enough so that everyone can hear you.

Say the words clearly so that everyone can understand you.

When the story is over, make sure you end it; don't keep going or just trail off. Make it clear with your voice or movements or expression that you are done. Make the ending kind of fast. That leaves the audience feeling that the story was exciting.

We will use the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff to show you how to plan your storytelling.

Once you have your plan ready, practice it at least three times!
The Three Billy Goats Gruff
Once upon a time, back when animals could talk, there were three boy goats, called billy goats, who would walk from their house up the hill to eat the thick, green grass and get fat. Their last name was "Gruff." To get to the hill, the three billy goats had to cross a bridge that went over a bubbling stream.

Under that wooden bridge lived a big, hairy, ugly troll. He had big eyes and long teeth and a pointed nose. And he ate billy goats like they were microwave popcorn.

One spring day, the youngest Billy Goat Gruff came to the bridge. As he walked across the bridge, his hooves made a clippity-clop sound.

"Trip, trap, trip, trap," said the bridge.

"Who's that stomping on my bridge?" yelled the troll.

"Oh, it is just me, the littlest Billy Goat Gruff. I am just going over to eat the green grass on the hill to make myself fat," said the youngest Billy Goat Gruff in his wee little voice.

"And I'm coming to gobble you up," said the troll.

"Oh, no! Please don't eat me! I'm so little, I'm just a snack," said the billy goat. "Wait a bit till the second Billy Goat Gruff comes. He's much bigger than I am."

"Well, okay, keep going," said the troll.

* * *

A little while later, the second Billy Goat Gruff came across the bridge. Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap, went the bridge.

"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" roared the troll.

"Oh, it's just me, the second Billy Goat Gruff. I am just going over to eat the green grass on the hill to make myself fat," said the billy goat.

"I'm going to eat you up," said the troll.

"Oh, no! Don't eat me. Wait until the big Billy Goat Gruff comes. He's a lot bigger meal than me."

"Well, okay. But hurry off my bridge," said the troll.

* * *

Just then, here comes the big Billy Goat Gruff. Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap, went the bridge because the third billy goat was so heavy that the bridge groaned under him.

"Who's that tramping over my bridge?" roared the troll.

"It is the big Billy Goat Gruff," said the billy goat, whose voice was even louder and meaner than the troll's voice.

"I'm coming to eat you up," yelled the troll.

"You just try it," said the big Billy Goat Gruff. "I'll poke out your eyeballs and I'll pull of your ears, and I'll crush you to bits like smushed-up cereal at the bottom of the box!" said the big billy goat.

That was what he said!

* * *

And then he ran at the troll, and he poked at the troll's eyes with his horns and pulled his ears and stepped on his feet. The troll decided that maybe it was okay if the billy goats ate the grass on the hill after all.

* * *

So the Billy Goats Gruff came every day to eat the grass on the hill, and they got so fat that they could hardly fit across the bridge. And if you go to this hillside, you will still see them there, fat and happy. And if you look closely, you might see the troll under the bridge.

But don't worry - he won't bother you.

Lesson 5: Presenting the story

Now you're ready to tell your story in front of people! Wow! You can practice on your family first to get ready for telling the story in front of strangers. Here's how to do it: Make sure you have everything you need (props, your special storytelling hat or cape, etc.). Take a deep breath in and try to relax. Next, thank everyone for coming. Try not to sound nervous, even if you are! Make sure everyone is quiet and ready to listen before you begin. Tell them where you got your story. Did you get it from a book? Is it an old fairy tale or an old Indian legend? Tell them!

Look people in the eye while you're telling the story. You can use the audience to help you tell the story. If there is something that repeats (like the trip, trap across the bridge of the billy goats), let your audience make the sounds with you. Invite them by saying something like, "Slap your hands on your legs with me!" You could also have the audience repeat lines with you, such as, "Not by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin!"

If the audience gets loud, pause. Wait for a second until they stop talking. Do not be mean to the audience or they won't like your story. Don't answer questions during the story. If someone is trying to ask a question, signal them to wait by holding up your pointer finger.

Begin and end your story in a good way. You can find suggestions for how to begin and end your stories.

Make sure you practice and practice! You will make mistakes, and that's okay! Just pause and then go on. Don't say you're sorry for the mistake because that just draws more attention to it. Making mistakes is a part of making anything, so don't let it bother you.

Most importantly: try to have fun!

Extension

Use your skills to serve others: tell stories in a classroom, a library, at a campfire, or while you are caring for younger children.

Interview someone to find out a story from his or her own life. Record the story.

Research the storytelling traditions of your ancestors.

Research the development of Grimm's Fairy Tales.

Listen to storytellers at Story Bee.

Learn about World Storytelling Day and create your own event.

Find terrific activities and lesson plans on storytelling.

Join the Kids' Storytelling Club.

Read these books about storytelling:

Hamilton, Martha and Mitch Weiss. Children Tell Stories: Teaching and Using Storytelling in the Classroom (Multimedia DVD included with the book)

Greene, Ellin. Storytelling: Art and Technique.

MacDonald, Margaret. Storyteller's Start-Up Book.

Do a storytelling thinkquest.

Subscribe to Junior Storyteller. Storycraft Publishing, P.O. Box 205, Masonville, CO 80541. Print Version, $15.95 Online Version, $9.95. (More resources and an online link at storycraft.com.)

Build a story collection. Get a notebook to keep stories in and organize them by length or by subject or by type (happy, sad, rescue).

Assesment

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Storytelling is an ancient and valuable art that extends around the globe. In this unit, students develop their own storytelling talents, apply the techniques of storytelling, create storytelling guides, and perform a story for an audience. This unit can be taught to an entire classroom or given as a self-directed extension activity.

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Incorporating Storytelling in the Classroom « Notes on Teaching and Learning

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Incorporating Storytelling in the Classroom « Notes on Teaching and Learning

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Tell me a fact and I'll learn. Tell me the truth and I'll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever. - Indian Proverb

Stories are used in so many ways to teach and persuade, whether that be through fairy tales, fables, books, movies, etc. While our culture is such that we no longer sit around the campfire listening to our elders, there is still a special place in our hearts for good storytellers. Sermons, TED talks, political addresses, these are all examples of modern day stories that do more than just share information; they change us. A good story engages us, it touches us deeply and can stay with us for years and throughout all of this it shapes how we see ourselves and the world. Compare this to a typical lecture where the students are itching to leave and are often only paying attention to ensure they can remember the information for the next quiz or test and it raises the question, how can we bring the power of stories effectively into our classes?

Incorporating storytelling into a class can be done primarily in two ways. The easier method is doing it from the front of the classroom and taking the responsibility upon yourself. However, with some preparation, having your students sharing their own stories is doable and can help form a strong sense of community within a classroom. This post will briefly explore some helpful suggestions for implementing storytelling in either setting.
Storytelling: Instructor
So that we are on the same page, it will be helpful to remind ourselves of the key elements of any good story. As we go through this list, examples from a variety of fields will be provided.

Who are your characters? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What relationships exist between the characters? Characters: In a history class on the World Wars the characters could be the various countries with the relationships being the numerous treaties and pacts that existed.

What challenge are the characters facing? Why is this story or topic important? Challenge: An economics class could look at the 2008 recession and examine the challenges that needed to be overcome to prevent a larger collapse.

Why are the characters behaving in a specific way? Why must they be the ones to face the challenge? Motivation: While care must be taken, using motivation in a chemistry class can provide a helpful picture to new students. Intermolecular interactions can be initially described in an anthropomorphized way where a sodium atom is happy to give up its one valence electron to the cool atoms like chlorine and bromine so that they can both reach a noble state.

What is the backdrop of the story, how does this affect the characters and the story? Setting: A sociology class might examine The Communist Manifesto after first seeing how the industrial revolution has changed so much of society.

What is preventing the characters from solving the challenge? Obstacles: A biology or biochemistry course could examine the difficulties surrounding protein crystallization. The inspiration for this example comes from a short video entitled The Making of a Scientist.

How do the characters overcome the obstacles, what transformations and events were necessary? Climax: A political science class could examine what events were ultimately necessary for an amendment to make in into the constitution.

Conclusion: This is the time to tie up the loose ends and draw a strong connection between the theme of the story and the lesson or topic of the class that you were trying to get across.

Now keeping these elements and examples in mind a few ways to complement a normal lecture with stories are presented.

1. Case studies: Case studies are usually mini-stories that are focused on a key theme. They are the modern version of a fable and can be integrated into a class as an active learning exercise or made the focus of an entire lecture. A brief google search of "case studies in " should get you started with this activity.

2. Role-playing: Have the students act out portions of the story or historic event. This will turn them from passive into active learners, especially if they are encouraged to research the motivation for their specific character. This will work better for smaller classes where everyone can play a part and will take some amount of preparation.

3. Lecture as a story: Depending on the course this suggestion could be difficult. The intent is not to add a story here or there to illustrate a point, but rather to tell the entire lecture as a story. One would begin by connecting the above story elements with the topic of the lecture and then instead of delivering a lecture, go through these steps spinning the story. Introduce the cast of characters, establish the challenge and the character's motivations for taking on this challenge. Describe the setting and its importance and proceed to the obstacles and finally the climax. Throughout this, make use of suspense, foreshadowing, humor, and other narrative techniques to transport the students into the world your words are creating.

The above are just a few suggestions of how you as the professor can bring stories into the classroom. What follows focuses more on how to engage your students in this creative process.
Storytelling: Students
If the focus of the class has been changed to include more stories then asking students to contribute their own will not be as difficult. Papers lend themselves well to requiring story elements but there are other ways to get students involved in this endeavor.

1. After introducing a topic or story in class, ask students to create their own alternate ending. Tell them the goal of their story should be to answer "What if?", that is, their stories should explore how the world would differ if one key point were changed. Alternate Ending: If Archduke Ferdinand Francis was not assassinated, would the first World War still have occurred?

2. Have a storytelling project on an important concept in the class. Encourage the students to use something other than the written word to tell their story, e.g. digital, verbal, visual. The Kaneb Center's Storytelling project: Technology Remix site has many helpful suggestions for non-traditional projects. Spend a class period (or a portion), either as a whole, or in groups allowing the students to share their creations.

3. Story Analysis: Have students perform a story analysis of a topic related to but not covered in the class. Have them identify the key characters and their motivation, describe the setting, and explore the obstacles and how they led to the climax and ultimate conclusion.

If you get stuck as you begin to incorporate these elements of storytelling into your lectures, classes, and assignments there are many sources of inspiration to draw upon. Open a well-written book and instead of reading for narrative, reflect on how the author is describing the story. If you prefer listening to stories, there are a variety of fantastic programs that are continually producing engaging stories, examples include This American Life, TED Talks, and many others. Finally, the Kaneb center is tentatively planning a workshop on storytelling in the classroom for spring 2016 so keep your eyes open for our spring workshop list and keep telling stories.
Resources
Storytelling in Teaching by Melanie C. Green

Storytelling as Pedagogy by Janel Seeley

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Tell me a fact and I'll learn. Tell me the truth and I'll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever. - Indian Proverb Stories are used in so many ways to teach and persuade, whether that be through fairy tales, fables, books, movies, etc.

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Storytelling - benefits and tips | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

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Storytelling - benefits and tips | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

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What can storytelling offer?

Storytelling and intercultural understanding

Other benefits of using storytelling in the classroom

Commonalities of cultures around the world
Other benefits of using storytelling in the classroom
Children have an innate love of stories. Stories create magic and a sense of wonder at the world. Stories teach us about life, about ourselves and about others. Storytelling is a unique way for students to develop an understanding, respect and appreciation for other cultures, and can promote a positive attitude to people from different lands, races and religions.

Storytelling and intercultural understanding

There are a number of ways in which storytelling can enhance intercultural understanding and communication. Stories can...
Commonalities of cultures around the world

allow children to explore their own cultural roots

allow children to experience diverse cultures

enable children to empathise with unfamiliar people/places/situations

offer insights into different traditions and values

help children understand how wisdom is common to all peoples/all cultures

offer insights into universal life experiences

help children consider new ideas

reveal differences and commonalties of cultures around the world

Stories...

Promote a feeling of well-being and relaxation

Increase children's willingness to communicate thoughts and feelings

Encourage active participation

Increase verbal proficiency

Encourage use of imagination and creativity

Encourage cooperation between students

Enhance listening skills

Stories reveal universal truths about the world. Through stories we see how very different people share the same life experiences and how human nature can transcend culture.

Performance techniques
Performance skills
Telling a story can captivate an audience; that is, with the right techniques and a little practice.

Remembering and retelling the plot:
A last word...

map the plot as a memory technique

use story skeletons to help you remember the key events

think of the plot as a film or a series of connected images

tell yourself the story in your own words

create your own version of the story (adapt and improvise)

retell it numerous times until it feels like a story

Adapted from a workshop by Paula Stoyle, British Council, Jordan
Remember to...

vary the volume, pitch and tempo of your voice (enunciate clearly and exaggerate expression)

use your face, body and gestures (let your body speak)

make your body and face respond to the tale

have a clear focus and maintain concentration

maintain engaging eye contact with the audience/ individual listeners

create a charismatic presence (make the audience believe in you)

use different, exaggerated character voices

use your space/ be dynamic

remember to pace yourself

always remember to regain your style as a narrator

use silence and pauses to add dramatic effect

Young Learners share a remarkable variety of personal experiences, values and ways of understanding. The language they learn in the classroom is the tool they use to shape their thoughts and feelings. It is more than a way of exchanging information and extending ideas, it is their means of reaching out and connecting with other people. Stories can link not only between the world of classroom and home but also between the classroom and beyond. Stories provide a common thread that can help unite cultures and provide a bridge across the cultural gap.

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What can storytelling offer? Storytelling and intercultural understanding Other benefits of using storytelling in the classroom Commonalities of cultures around the world Other benefits of using storytelling in the classroom Children have an innate love of stories. Stories create magic and a sense of wonder at the world.

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The Power of Storytelling in the Classroom: 5 Ways It Can Be a Great Help - Blog

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The Power of Storytelling in the Classroom: 5 Ways It Can Be a Great Help - Blog

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People say unbelievable things all the time and often we may wish they were true. These stories touch our imagination, as we feel ourselves playing a role in the story in both time and place. More often than not, they are make believe and are told to attract the audience, whether it's a small group of friends or family or a larger group such as a school classroom or even a conference attended by the business community.

When it comes to teaching in the classroom, research shows that children tend to retain more knowledge when they can connect it with a classroom activity. One of the most common classroom activities is storytelling. Children love listening to their teachers telling stories. While they listen, they begin to focus and follow the story through until its end.

As a teacher, this is exactly what you want: a way to centrally focus the thirty children you have sitting in front of you. Once one child follows, it's surprising how one by one, every child will settle down and listen. They will stop texting their friends or making distractive faces at each other and focus.

The question is: How goal-centered should these storytelling sessions be? You can't waste too much curriculum time simply sharing stories about your experiences at their age. Instead of using the odd five minutes of time you have left at the end of class to quickly tell a story, you can try to incorporate storytelling as a part of your lesson so that your students stay engaged and focused throughout.

5 Ways to Use Storytelling in the Classroom

SHARE YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES.

When you know you are trying to teach a difficult concept, teach your class with a story of how you managed to understand and remember the concept when you were in their shoes. Explaining the theory of gravity is a hard concept for students to grasp, but by telling a story, they may understand that although we are visibly fixed firmly to the ground, there are forces of gravity constantly working against us.

USE A STORY TO INTRODUCE A NEW TOPIC.

At the start of a lesson, use a story as a way of introducing a new topic. If you can't think of any with ease, you may find some ready-made ones on the Internet that might fit your topic. Do remember that copied material, whether it's written text or the spoken word, should not be used in its original form as you may be breaching copyright rules.

USE A STORY TO ILLUSTRATE A CONCEPT.

Occasionally, straight figures and facts don't necessarily make for easy understanding, so throw in a narrative to help your class retain these hard facts.

NURTURE LISTENING SKILLS.

As young people progress through their early years, listening skills become increasingly important, and there's no better way to improve attention span and listening skills than by telling stories to keep them attentive. Of course, as useful as storytelling is, the stories should be relevant to the curriculum material for students to reap any benefits.

STORYTELLING ATTRACTS LESS MOTIVATED LEARNERS.

Many kids these days are completely turned off old-fashioned textbooks and even sitting behind a computer screen does not help much. However, storytelling with a useful theme may engage the more lethargic learner. These are the students who you may engage the most if you throw in a few interesting stories to keep them motivated.

Storytelling is an age-old art shared among friends, families and strangers, and its presence can captivate young and even older learners in the classroom too.

Stories Come in Different Forms

Consider these 4 different types of stories and use any of them in your class:

ONE OF YOUR TRUE LIFE STORIES.

A TRUE STORY BUT NOT YOUR OWN.

Grammar and Vocabulary Through Storytelling

With these stories you can demonstrate your students how grammar and in particular way the tenses are used in storytelling. For example, if you're telling a story of an event back in time, you'll be using the past tense to describe the events. Similarly, a fictional story used as the basis for events you may predict will happen in the future, the bulk of the story will be told in the future tense. Of course, some stories may use different tenses depending on when a certain event is taking place.

One of the important features of storytelling is exciting the listener's mind so that he and she were captivated by the story you're telling. One of the best ways of doing this is to use appropriate nouns, adverbs and adjectives. Those that depict color and actions are particularly forceful when attracting and keeping readers' attention.
Michael is a former school teacher, currently working as an ESL tutor. Teaching is his favorite way of finding inspiration. In spare time he enjoys volunteering and provides a lot of help to wild and homeless animals. Connect with Michael via Twitter and LinkedIn.

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The Power of Storytelling in the Classroom: 5 Ways It Can Be a Great Help

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People say unbelievable things all the time and often we may wish they were true. These stories touch our imagination, as we feel ourselves playing a role in the story in both time and place.

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Storytelling in the Classroom as a Teaching Strategy

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Storytelling in the Classroom as a Teaching Strategy

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President Obama spoke at my college once, the night before he was elected into congress. Upon reaching the room containing the overflow crowd where I was standing, he had but a few minutes left to speak-so he told us a story. Even though he had just spent the last 40 minutes speaking to another room full of supporters, it was interesting that out of all the things he could've talked about, he chose to speak from the heart.

And it's strange-I've noticed that many of my former students will come back and ask, "Do you still tell your class that story about ...?"

Of all the knowledge that I attempted to instill in their minds, those goofy stories I told from time to time seemed to leave the longest-lasting impression.

There's something about stories that stick with us. Something about an organized narrative teaching strategy that serves as a unique kind of glue, lingering with us long after the facts and formulas fade away. It's exactly this kind of adhesive that I want to leverage for my own students, weaving the skills and information they need together with the magic of storytelling. But despite how magnetic these teaching strategy narratives may be, it can be difficult to pry time away from our busy day-to-day lesson plans. So how do we make it work?

Should we schedule time for it, or should it be organic? Should we attach requirements to storytelling, or simply allow it for fun? Honestly, there's no right or wrong way to include them. Here are a few simple approaches you might take to include storytelling in your classroom:

Share your own stories, just for fun: Tell them about when you were their age, about times you failed, succeeded, or about memorable lessons you learned. This builds a strong connection between you and your classroom, letting them know that you can relate to them, and vice versa.

Use stories as introductions: Just as we encourage students to use attention-getting devices for their essays and speeches, we can use the same technique as educators. Begin class with an interesting story, but one that is relevant to the lecture's focus.

Use stories as illustrations: When you're hammering through a relatively difficult concept with your class, one easy way to explain it is to illustrate the concept with a story. When facts and figures won't do, simple narratives sometimes can.

Tie storytelling to learning goals: We want our students to develop listening skills, and we can incorporate storytelling into the larger picture of achieving these outcomes.

Tell stories to engage reluctant learners: Some students experience difficulty connecting to drab textbooks or abstract concepts. However, those same learners typically have little struggle connecting to stories. Through telling stories, you make life and learning more relevant, giving reluctant learners a better angle of engagement.

Types of Stories

There are several different types of stories you could potentially tell in your classroom. Harbor knowledge of each type, so if you're lacking in one kind, you can replace it with another.

A true story from your own life.

A true story from the life of someone you know, like a friend, family member, or neighbor.

A true story from the news or a current event.

A story that took place sometime in history.

A fictional story, with made up characters or events.

An "Imagine if ..." story that sets up a hypothetical situation.

Of course, there are various genres and styles of storytelling, but the above list represents the essential variety that you might incorporate into the classroom.

Why Storytelling Works

In its simplest form, storytelling remains a powerful element of communication, with the narrative being equally as compelling as essays and textbooks. They humanize learning. It offers us the opportunity to connect to like-minded characters, or see the world literally from within someone else's skin. Stories touch our emotions and make us laugh, cry, fear, and get angry-a sharp contrast to a plain old presentation.

Plus, no matter how organized or detailed a textbook might be, there's something about the shape of a narrative-the exposition, the problem, the quest for a solution, the resolution-that resonates with our mental makeup.

Have Students Tell Their Stories

As you incorporate your own stories, recognize how they connect with students on a different level. But why keep the power of storytelling to yourself? You can also actively help students become their own powerful storytellers, too!

Allow students to write, illustrate, and tell their own tales. The way you incorporate this may vary depending on your curricular goals, but it is essential that children understand how to tell a good story and how this relates to effectively accomplishing an objective. Students can use stories in their essays and argumentation-they can help in remembering processes or formulas, or connecting events with one another. The opportunities are endless, and easy to employ.
How do YOU incorporate storytelling in the classroom? Share your ideas with us in the comments below! Check out TeachHUB.com's extensive library of back-to-school and first-day of school articles, a list which grows every day: 7 First Day of School Activities Students Love Back to School: 6 Things to Do at the Start of the Year Back to School: Starting the Year on the Right Foot How Parents Can Prepare for Back to School Time Back to School: Top 5 Grammar Tips Back to School: 10 Ways Teachers Can Prepare
Jordan Catapano is a high school English teacher in a Chicago suburb. In addition to being National Board Certificated, he also has worked with the Illinois Association of Teachers of English and currently serves as a school board member for a private school. You can follow him on Twitter at @BuffEnglish, or visit his website .

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Storytelling in the Classroom as a Teaching Strategy

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President Obama spoke at my college once, the night before he was elected into congress. Upon reaching the room containing the overflow crowd where I was standing, he had but a few minutes left to speak-so he told us a story.

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Why Storytelling in the Classroom Matters | Edutopia

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Why Storytelling in the Classroom Matters | Edutopia

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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The 14 Most Addictive Storytelling Podcasts Of 2015

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The 14 Most Addictive Storytelling Podcasts Of 2015

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The 14 Most Addictive Storytelling Podcasts Of 2015

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Who doesn't love a good story? These podcasts are a great start, but if you have an amazing true story bubbling up inside of you, submit it to Schick's Epic Story Project for a chance to win epic prizes valued at up to $12,000.

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Mortified: Share the Shame – Adults Sharing the Embarrassing Things They Created as Kids

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Mortified: Share the Shame – Adults Sharing the Embarrassing Things They Created as Kids

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Adults Sharing the Embarrassing Things They Created as Kids

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A semi-regular podcast since March 2011, featuring original stories, fantastic fables and curious tales written and read by your host, Seymour Jacklin. Each episode is from 8-18 minutes long and takes the listener on an imaginative and thought provoking journey. Aimed at adults but very suitable for children, too.

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UnFictional | Radio Documentary & Storytelling | KCRW

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UnFictional | Radio Documentary & Storytelling | KCRW

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KCRW 89.9FM | Music, NPR News, Culture Los Angeles

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KCRW creates & curates music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. From Los Angeles to around the world, KCRW.com.