Reading – The Persuasive Power of Narrative
Share how you have used storytelling to link learning in your teaching practice.
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By sharing experiences and story telling brings relevance to the learning material and allows the learner to connect. It becomes real and personal. It creates discussion and cohesiveness in the class.
Story telling in class is not new. In fact, story telling predates any class! Story telling has been the means by which pre literate people shared history and knowledge for aeons.
In a ESL class, the students learnt more language by listening and sharing stories than by writing word lists.
Context is key!
I often tell stories of patients I have looked after or experiences I have had nursing to illustrate a point.
I use stories in my classroom everyday, in vocational education I relate experiences both positive and negative that I had in the workplace to engage and encourage discussion, to provide relevancy to the learning and to develop the relationship with my students as an authentic person who makes mistakes and learns from them
Yes; students love to hear anecdotes that relate to what they are learning – it makes it more applicable to them.
I teach Medical Administration and have found that students benefit from hearing about the experiences that I have whilst working in a Medical Practice as it demonstrates the relevance of the the content which is being delivered within their course.
Great example Sylvia, I relate to this and agree that students get many benefits from hearing about our experiences in the workplace and often a negative experience is a good learning opportunity and it builds on our authenticity and relationshp
I teach Early Childhood Education and Care – our students enjoy hearing of experiences of my interactions with children in services and how even though times may change the level of play and care reman the same.
I agree Marney, student love to hear these stories and it makes the learning real and relevant.
Teaching Finance & Accounting I tell different kinds of stories to suit the circumstance. It is a useful for demonstrating the application of concepts. I also relate incidents of unsuccessful endeavors both in industry and as a new teacher to walk the talk of my view that it’s ok to make mistakes because that is how we learn’. Then students feel comfortable to take the risk and ask a question in front of peers and this enhances everyone’s learning. The other situation for stories is after 8 pm when I can see the poor evening students struggling to stay awake.… Read more »
A good example of sharing with students, your comment links directly to the information just provided about sharing stories -thanks for sharing.
Hi Mary, I like the authenticity that you demonstrate when sharing your stories with students. it really does make a big difference to helping students feel more connected.
Definitely: concrete examples solidify abstract practices in accounting and the reasons for them.
As a VET trainer in Accounting & Finance I use work stories lots to tie the theory to the practical applications of Accounting – whether this be about the technical topics, or discussions around workplace issues / politics in the workplace etc.
We have a similar approach Leona. We can use our stories in so many ways; as an application of theory, as a tool of engagement and to let students know everyone makes mistakes!
I am a Registered nurse you has been lucky enough to work in this profession both here and overseas. My current role is also a TAFE teacher in Health. I find that by being to put the theory into practice by relating that theory to my own experiences in practice, that student are so much more engaged bring the theory that they learn to life. By telling your story that incorporates theory and practical that students are learning makes their learning more real, tangible and relatable. This assist with student engagement and adds to the quest for even more knowledge.
Maryanne, I agree that providing your own experience helps students make the connection with the relevance of the teaching.
I use my stories to illustrate a point as I am in vocational learning. I have had compliments from students as being the “teacher who listens to me” as many vocational students have personal issues that get in the way of their learning. When I can relate to them with a story about my experience in the workplace, how I felt etc they feel a connection and that I am not perfect and can see their side. When trying to get a point across or a teaching new piece of learning, I find a story is so powerful that there… Read more »
I totally agree with you Trish. It can be very difficult to engage some students and I feel that you have successfully made this connection with your students by making yourself relatable and closing the gap between learners and facilitators. Well done.
Learners definitely connect with the story telling and it brings down barriers.
I have been fortunate to live in a number of different countries from adolescence to adulthood and now I have experience having taught in a number of different schools. I find that I can tell many stories and relate them back to the subject matter I teach, especially in the Creative Arts and Humanities subject areas. By storytelling as well as covering subject content, it is evident in my teaching experience that the students engage and connect with both you and the narrative with respect and emotion, therefore building relationships and interest within the lesson time.
Rebecca you are clearly a great teacher. I can validate your experiences that you have expressed with you students as they are very similar to my experiences with students when experiences are shared. It is so beneficial as this sharing generated communication and interaction not only with the facilitator but with each other in class, giving rise to basic networking skills that will be so important in their future careers.
Starting from very low levels Storytelling is a great resource.I start every class with my own story -they also have a written version then every student tells their own , and it’s great as they develop their speaking & listening skills as well as their confidence in English. We can then use the narrative in reading and writing.Narrative is the text that can connect all 4 macro skills.
I agree very much Marina, that we are further developing students speaking and listening skills, a great commodity once they themselves enter and engage in society.
Hi Marina
This is a great engaging way to begin a class thank you for sharing your experience that engages the student with their link to the class
I use personal stories when modelling particular text types, for example anecdotes or short stories or when teaching creative writing. This usually works well and engages students.
I agree, that using your own personal stories when delivering content helps students make the connection and engage within the classroom.
Listening to this session and reading the comments has inspired me. Relationship is so important as is facilitating rather than dictating. I love the quote referenced – No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. Students respond to a genuine, open teacher that genuinely values them. They are open to learn from someone they respect and trust.
I am also inspired by this session as I felt I was possibly wasting time with stories.
I agree with this too Kirsten. I wrote this quote down as well – it sums up the importance of relationships within the classroom.
When I started teaching I was told to use my experience to explain learning, good experience or bad
This seems to give context to the lesson. What I have noticed is that students remember the stories more than the lesson content.
I think stories have such a huge impact throughout life. A story stays with you and allows you to learn, interpret and apply to your own unique situation.
I have always brought my own work experiences into the classroom to demonstrate things, and to show what can happen when things are not done correctly (I’m an accountant). i admit though, that i rarely share experiences of when i made an error in the workplace – although I have retold one particular story, but tried to do it in a way that didn’t make me look too incompetent!!!
Agree Fran – we can bring accounting concepts to life simply by relating our own experience in industry. I find the story telling also gives everyone a mini-break from technically heavy content and allows time for processing.
As an integral component of my teaching in VET Community Services I use some of my own experiences (both positive and challenging) from when I was a case worker to help provide the students with an understanding of the more practical components when working with people who have complex needs.
Hi Christine,
Stories from when you were a case worker would be a really powerful way to engage students. I like to do this too but with nursing stories which my students love.
Discussing personal experiences relating to work and education are really good at breaking down barriers to younger generations who may feel they are struggling to achieve course competency. They often assume as a teacher that you did well at school / uni etc. Gen Y find it interesting when I discuss my challenges going through school / TAFE / Uni. Also issues faced early in my career both in industry and early teaching years. It helps in this respect to be teaching in the same area of TAFE I studied!
I totally agree Dan! Discussing your own experiences in relation to both work and education helps build rapport with the students as well as assists them in understanding that you as the teacher are a person as well, facing challenges and struggles.
As part of my teaching I introduce to students a real life scenario where they can use what is being taught in a common activity in their lives. For example in teaching areas and ratios I discuss with students how I have built an above ground plant box and how I worked out the dimensions and the areas required for each of the plants and how much soil would be needed and the number of sleepers required – including lengths and depths. This gave them a real life example of how to apply spacial quantification and dimensions in a real… Read more »
Belinda, what a great example! its something tangible and real that they can relate to, and provides a practical way the learning can be used! It might just inspire them to have a go at a home garden as well.
I work in the VET sector teaching Community Services and the sharing of stories from my work experience and personal experiences are invaluable for students, when trying to understand how complex humans can be.
I agree Renate, sharing stories and experiences certainly adds clarification to the theory that working with people is not textbook.
Renate, i can imagine how rich the stories you have must be! Those real-life experiences that you have dealt with would be invaluable for the students and would make for some very interesting class discussions!
So true. It’s the practical application that is so meaningful rather than just learning with no context to place it in.
Coming up through the ranks of HR when I was young and then shifting to being self employed in another industry, I like to use my stories about customers, my experiences as a customer (got a good one about my vaccum cleaner & the ACL) the challenges I have faced in small business and the changes. I like to throw in one about workplace discrimination when I was pregnant and overlooked for promotion and now often include my family in my stories.
Liza, I agree and have found myself in a similar situation when discussing stories and experiences that have come about from the small family business my husband and I are involved in. How to overcome challenges are positive stories for students to ponder.
Teaching Retail and Hospitality I have had many stories to tell. Plenty that are fun but some that have been sometimes even hard to tell. It gets the student so captivated while you are telling the story. I have been training for many years and have been grateful that I have had many experiences to share with students but the best thing for me is to see students employed that never thought they would ever have a job or the ability to get a job.
Kathryn I can totally relate to the stories in retail and hospitality about customer service, how to attract sales and WHS etc etc. Students love hearing about the good, the bad and the ugly and it often encourages them to share their own experiences.
Teaching business administration, with students, I like to share stories of my work experience – good and bad. But what I like more is when they open up and share their own stories and experiences, and everyone can learn from them, including me.
Hi, Lee, this is why I think for so many students that we need to keep face to face training as you learn so much in a classroom.
Agree Lee I like to share stories of my work experiences as I believe it is a valuable way for all to learn. It encourages self reflection too and personalises the context which is great for relationship buliding.
Thanks Lee – I feel that sharing our stories of challenges and adversity throughout our careers and study help to build stronger relationships in the classroom. More relatable than discussing success and superiority to a student challenged in the moment.
This is when building a relationship really works – when students will also share their stories!
Hi Lee, yes it does open up the gate of stories from students and I do share some of the student stories with new learners. Very healthy learning.
Shared experiences help all students to gain a feeling of being normal.
Absolutely, Karen, shared experiences are great as a classroom/online activity for any level/generation.
When teaching about cultural differences in understanding the English language. I tell the story of a teacher/colleague I worked with in Africa. He was marking the role and a student was absent. Another student said the student was late. The teacher replied was displeased that the student was late as he needed to undertake a test. The student had, in fact, died. He was the late Mr A.
Helen I often use my experiences in Japan when teaching English to my Japanese students of how to use communication techniques to ensure understanding when communicating using both verbal and non verbal communication and diversity
Working and teaching about animals makes it easy to retell amusing animal stories- my stuff-ups, or the crazy things that animals do. It makes class very engaging at times!
I love hearing animal stories and have told some to my students in the ESOL classes about what my animals were up to.
Stories, quotes, or sayings seem to help students grasp and hold on to tricky or difficult to remember concepts. They can be repeated and referred back to as well!
Most definitely. If you can make a student laugh, they are more likely to remember the context.
Hi Christine I often use pictures or drawings that make students laugh, but I know they have more of a chance to remember what I am trying to explain
I agree Christine, using quotes and anecdotes helps with memory. I have even used “raps” for memory – especially with history.
I agree stories seem to make a memory
As I work in VET sector – this is the key we have at our disposal – we have all worked in the industry about which we teach – this is a powerful tool that definitely engages with students.
It definitely helps them relate and recall what they have just learnt
I totally agree Jennifer. I too work in the VET sector and feel that without the industry experience I would not have the examples to share with students to increase their depth of knowledge.
Jennifer, It definitely is a powerful tool and it lets students realize we all make mistakes in the workplace which I’m sure they appreciate and it can relieve some of their anxiety
I often share with my students about the industry i worked for many years, is a good and bad, however, i noticed often i will get asked many questions after sharing the story.
I can relate to this method as well. My students seem to love hearing about the real life experiences I had operating my preschool
I was teaching a group of adults how to supervise and told them the story of how I was very young when I first became a supervisor and the problems I had, asserting myself with more experienced and older staff – I also told them the lessons I learned from this and made sure I didn’t make the same mistakes with the next team I supervised.
the power of how experience shared as a teaching tool -especially to encourage engagement
Its a great teaching tool
You make a really good point here Margaret about the power of sharing personal experiences. Often, as facilitators, we share our ‘wins’, the experiences we are proud to share. Important that our stories are also balanced and we are able to share our challenges with learners to support their learning process.
When teaching fault finding techniques to apprentices, I share a story that I was told by my boss when I was an apprentice that was passed on by his boss. It relates to ‘rolling a cigarette’ when faced with a machine breakdown. In other words, don’t get caught up in the panic of the moment, but step back and observe and ask questions first.
What a great strategy Glen. I like the analogy of taking the time to process what is going on and not being to gung-ho.
That’s a great share Glen! Yes, sometimes just stepping back and taking a moment to reflect is critical. Similar to idea of “when you are not sure what to do, do it slowly!”.
I also have stories to tell my students. I use industry stories but also stories from home, family and friends. I believe it shows a kind of honesty and openness to the sudents. They are more engaged and see you as a person not just a teacher
Spot on Aimee, level of engagement is heightened when we share our own experiences.
I could’t agree with you more, Aimee.
Agreed, Aimee, there’s nothing quite like being a real person!
I totally agree with you.
I will always tell about my first experience with programming, how hard I found it, how I would go home and cry after class as I struggled with it and how I ended up getting a HD but then how now I feel like I have forgotten much of what I learnt in that language but the pathways are still there to go back down
I think it’s important to share both positives and negatives. It allows us to share insights about how to problem solve, overcome challenges, and manage mental health.
In my working life I have had several different careers. I use my stories to demonstrate how skills learned in one area can be applied to other areas. Two examples are working with clients to determine their requirements and troubleshooting.
I think this is really useful, creating links which helps for the students to identify relevancy
I like to relate to my migrant students by sharing the early years that I settle in Australia. They can easily identify their culture shocks and adjustment settling in a foreign. This has build mutual respect and rapport. That has also created an engaging environment for my students to learn, interact and contribute. They have build great sense of commitment instead of commitment.
I totally agree Ivy, I teach migrant learners too and sharing these stories helps us all to bond and be on the learning journey together.
I too agree and this enables a smooth journey of learning and teaching.
As a beauty therapist i have wonderful stories of failures and i just love sharing them! i love sharing the last minute client on a Thursday evening – squeezing them in just to make salon targets, but accidentally dripping the wax on their clothing or floor only to have to stay longer to clean it up – resulting in a client that wont return or paperwork to complete or and now the potential of a bad review! this story – which is true is linked o so many units found in the training package and of course not to mention… Read more »
great example Karalyn showing the problems with clients and your own experiences of these.
I worked for Ritz-Carlton Hotel company in Sydney in the late 1990’s so as a teacher of Event Management I love to tell stories about Tom Cruise, Princess Diana, Bob Hawke and Michael Hutchence.. then I explain by referencing Leo, Megan, ScoMo and Bieber. I have them eating out of the palm of my hands ….
Love this! when teaching the muscles of the body, i always ask my students who the ‘hotties’ are in their world and ensure i throw a few pictures of Pink or a Hemsworth into the mix!
Awesome…I’d love to hear some of those stories! I teach business admin, and have shared stories of meeting Richard Branson – unfortunately with my younger students they say “who?”
I love to tell my students about my travels and experiences, the problems I have faced and the fun I have had. It makes it real for the students.
Student love to hear stories because they can relate and they appreciate … as Ben Lee would say “We are all in this together” ……..Well done Caron
I’m the same and I love to hear their stories as well
Yes, this is true but it can also expose our vulnerabilities.
I use real life stories/experience from industry to help students connect and learn from course content
I think the students can usually tell if the stories are real. They are extremely clever these days in picking things up and catching you out if it is not consistent.
Jackie, i do this too.They get so much more out of the content. They also see us as people not just teachers
I constantly use my professional and current industry experience to tell my student a narrative or my experience as it is so relevant and beneficial to them as student as well as future professionals. I convey to them my strengths as well as weaknesses and how they can learn from those for their own benefit. I also often excite them with narratives and stories where I have used constraints as opportunities and reversed negatives into positives to make every project as enjoyable as possible.
Completely agree – Weaknesses are a must in the training room, shows them your human too
Good point. Sharing our learning from weaknesses and reverse negatives is very powerful.
When I am teaching I always tell stories as it relates to the subject I am teaching and the students then are able to connect what I have taught to their learning.
I do this to. I also ask the students if they have had a similar thing happen to them or would they like to share a story that also relates
I share the same experience. When I let down my guard and start to share some of my own experience and stories, students start sharing their own stories with me too. As the presenter mentioned, we have a built a classroom where we can ‘put relationship before role’. There is a good rapport and trust built.
Yes, I do that ,too.Telling stories related to the subject, makes learning more engaging and easy to remember, and that comes through students’ feedback.
I found this method so effective when I was teaching massage – to talk about specific clients (confidentially of course) and specific instances when I used a certain technique or method really allowed the learners to think about their own stories and apply that to their learning
I also do this as it is a good relationship builder and then it is applied to their own learning
I use stories as my main form of engagement. Using stories builds relationships, connection and relevance. Make sure they are your own stories. I’ve seen people using others stories as their own and it ends badly. Student are not stupid.
Great feedback Andrew – I agree that story telling is a great way of engaging learners of all ages
Good point Andrew.
In many cultures, storytelling is the way knowledge is shared. It allows for connectedness. I have always been drawn to this method and have actively used it with my learners. Storytelling does not always have to be verbal. It can be done using technology such as sharing a video recording.
Great idea Els to share a video recording of a story – this enables you to let others tell a story in your classroom
I include my own stories of my professional experience to link content with real life applications.
I find students are very interested in how the unit content has helped me in my professional life. The stories help with the students learning and opportunities that exist once their studies are finished.
Using stories to show students the relevance of their learning is a great motivator.
I have often used stories in my teaching to encourage students to remember a salient point or concept. I have found that they relate better to the information and are able to connect information more appropriately. I have also found the negative stories, or stories of over coming negative incidents can encourage the students to do better and support them in their decision making.
I also give the good and bad stories as well as then the students understand what happens in Health
I will also try to use examples of my experiences, both positive and negative, to make my point when Teaching students. It helps them see the relevance of the practice, skill or knowledge and sees me as an authentic teacher who has alot of experience and has also made mistakes and faced challenges.
I agree Chloe, It puts a human face on their learning experience.
I also agree Chloe. Authenticity is paramount and exposing short falls builds confidence in others.
Yes Chloe, totally agree, puts you on the same playing field when being honest and open
I am teaching adult migrants and being a migrant myself I frequently use the stories about my experience as a newly-arrived migrant. My students appreciate that and relate to that and it really helps me build my rapport with the class. Quite often I use good news stories about students from previous semesters, especially stories about gaining employment or places in other courses or university. Showing students that I’ve been through what they are experiencing at that moment is a really powerful tool to develop a relationship with them.
Previous students teaching current students brings authenticity and relevance to both parties
I believe we should allow our students to be story-tellers too, especially the cohort of migrants students that I’m teaching in ESOL. There is a wealth of experience that the learners share in the classroom. Learners are actively engaged and mutual empathy and support are established. I also see myself as a facilitator in the classroom, this is always the preferred approach teaching adult students.
I love using Storytelling during my day in the classroom. It takes practice and an honest/authentic approach. Students do find the stories useful in both practical and theory areas, especially if they can place themselves in a similar situation or experience. Honest storytelling is a great method of engaging with your class. I learn something new with each new story told, the feedback and discussion points by the group is fantastic and well worth the time.
This is so true Alison, if you open up and share a story with the students, they see you as authentic and respect you for this. I love it when they then start sharing their stories and you can make relevant links to the lesson to help them see the relevance and make meaning.
I agree with your comments Alison. There is an art to storytelling like there is in writing a beautiful letter. Students have always shown their appreciation for sharing stories.
The idea of storytelling goes back hundreds of generations and it is still just as relevant today. I am guilty in veering lessons off track because a memory has returned to me and I feel that the students would benefit and connect to the lesson by hearing the story. In this tricky time of building resilience in children, telling stories of my own failures can help open an honest dialogue with my students. Years ago I was competing in an Ironman triathlon and I put together a Powerpoint on everything that I was fearing would go wrong in the race.… Read more »
They do love hearing about our failures and mistakes – but I think this is essential for them to go forward knowing that we all make mistakes and fail at things, but this just makes us more resilient in the end.
The best lessons often happen we we do go off track and if we can strengthen our relationships with our students learning for all participants can be exciting and can open students up to share their own stories.
You have provided a good example here Sophie. Showing a vulnerable side enables students to feel safe in coming forward with their own questions and not be afraid of making mistakes.