Recreating an already well-known story

Relaying information in a creative format

Voicing your truth through the lens of a character

Multisensory communication (verbal, written, visual)

A process that involves planning and experimentation (with characters, setting, plot, etc.)

Initiating change through action-oriented discourse

An opportunity to be transparent with one’s thoughts, feelings, and emotions-- an opportunity to be vulnerable and relatable

A form of expression that reveals core beliefs and values (based on character’s words and actions)

Storytelling is important for teaching and learning because it gives students choice. One statement that really stood out to me from the article titled 6th-Graders Have Their Say: Why Students Value Blogging reads, “Last year with my writing I was used to the teacher just handing us a topic to write about, but now since our topics are free, I think my writing has gotten stronger" (Davis, 2014). 

Storytelling promotes creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration, all  skills essential for the twenty-first century workforce. The article titled 6 Reasons You Should Be Doing Digital Storytelling with Your Students lists questions that drive critical thinking, such as “Why am I [writing] this and what is the [story’s] message?” and “Who is my audience and what do I want them to feel?” When asking these questions, writers, in turn, make their writing relatable for their readers. When writing is relatable, readers are more likely to engage with the content through meaningful discussion and feedback.

Students can use various tools to hook the reader, such as audio and images. For instance, because my students have access to Google Slides, they could add images and audio to individual Slides.

Students can plan on a Storyboard or in a more traditional way, like in a notebook or on an index card.

There is a social aspect to storytelling, which makes it more engaging for the learner. When students share their stories, their peers have the opportunity to comment, ask questions, offer suggestions, and point out similar interests.