Interactive Stories or Guided Stories is the name of a teaching technique developed by Mark White, a Kyoto based language teacher/writer.

Mark White in Kyoto

What is an Interactive Story?
The technique consists of a story, which includes both sentences and questions so that as one student reads it to the other, the listener can respond to the questions and interact with the storyteller and the story itself by making it up as they go along.

What are they for?
The goal of an interactive story is to teach narratives in graded language (like graded readers) but orally and interactively. Each episode of the story is written in successively more complex syntax. Since the progressively more complicated sentence patterns are introduced in the context of a story, the learner can learn grammar in context.

Learn more:

Things you can do with an Interactive Story

The Origin and Evolution of Interactive Stories

Interactive Stories: An Interview with Mark White (mp3)

Examples of Interactive Stories

The Big Dream
The Two Lovers
Nurse Story
Tibet Story
Water World
Asian Odyssey
Yamashita’s Gold
The Water Car
The Ghost of Phra Ka Nong

The Story of Green Willow
The Obsession
International Business Story

The Banjo Player’s Brother

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21 Responses to “Interactive Stories”

  1. […] e, shares with us a unique teaching technique he created for his Japanese students called, Interactive Stories. He talks about where he came up with the idea, how to use Interactive Storie […]

  2. […] anese students talking with one another and using their imaginations. It’s called Interactive Stories. Please have a listen. Future podcasting plans include a series of cross-cultur […]

  3. on 27 Sep 2007 at 12:44 pmJigar

    This is quite good efforts. This shows the true power of both the teaching and imagination.

    This comes from the state-of-art by ‘Guru’ of this kind of teaching.

    i must appriciate his efforts.

    Thanks

    jigar

  4. on 28 Sep 2007 at 7:37 pmMark White

    Hey Jigar!
    Thanks for your kind words!
    Which story did you like best?
    Mark

  5. on 28 Feb 2008 at 9:10 amRahul kashyap

    Hi Mark,

    It’s good to have such a kind of material on web I was surfing through the net and i found this lovely website .
    you are really good man.

    I specially like the conversation with the sanyasi in India who explained vedas to you .
    Its good to know that you were here in india .
    can you please tell me where did you meet him?

    Regards,

    Rahul

  6. on 01 Mar 2008 at 1:21 pmMark White

    Thanks Rahul

    I am glad you appreciate and enjoy. Swami-Sarasvati lives at the top of Chanderakanih Pass. If you stay at Nagar in the Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh, you can hike over to Malana. The swami lives at the top of the pass which you have to cross on the way over. He is a great man.

    Best wishes
    Mark

  7. on 01 May 2008 at 3:14 pmomer

    I would like to thank you very much because I gained alot of benifts from this wep site.
    I hope to make friendship with native speaker and this is my email
    omerkulbus@yahoo.com

  8. on 08 May 2008 at 8:39 pmjavier

    please tell me how I do to get into a interactive story with a partner.

    thanks

    javier, from Colombia

  9. on 30 May 2008 at 11:05 amrahul raj

    hi i am rahul i want to learn english iwant to speak fluent
    english to get better job .your site help me a lot i always
    read your sites conversation that helps me to improve my english
    Thanks

  10. on 22 Jun 2008 at 11:30 pmHumberto

    Thank you Mark for your stories
    they are very good to learn English and the same time i can learn about others cultures

    Take care
    Humberto

  11. on 25 Jun 2008 at 4:06 pmbrehima

    Hi all,

    I am very glad that I came across this website.
    I am using these dialogues with my students. Thank you.

    I am from Brazil and feel free to add me to your msn.

    Thank you again

  12. on 31 Aug 2008 at 7:33 pmjersy

    YOUR IDEA IS APPRECIATED

  13. on 05 Dec 2008 at 2:57 pmArun

    hi Aaron/ Mark

    I need to improve my english knowledge. i am always reading and listening your stories and conversations. i hope that i will gain a lot of benifits from your website.

    Thanks & Regards

    Arun(INDIA)

  14. on 26 Mar 2009 at 10:11 amLokesh Shankhwar

    Mr. Mark White you r such a genius. That is such a great technique to enhave one’s english langauge.

  15. on 22 Apr 2009 at 10:31 pmitzak

    this is very nice and so easy to learn a new language….thank you for exist people like so cool….see yaa

  16. on 12 May 2009 at 11:31 amzhanna

    Hi, Mark! I am writing from Kazakhstan. Thank you so much for the job you have done. It is important not only for those who are learning the language but also for teachers of English as Second language. I liked everything on your site. Especially — your Interactive stories. I am going to try them and would like to talk to you afterwards if it is possible. Do you have any payable form for such contacts? I think I will have to ask you for more advice. I realize it will take your time to answer me. So, thank you again and hope to have your response.

  17. on 12 May 2009 at 12:50 pmMark White

    Hi Zhanna

    I would be very happy to talk about interactive stores some time. I have just written a new one for advanced classes and I will post it on the site soon. You can email me at studyenglishwithmark at yahoo dot com dot au if you have any questions.

    cheers M

  18. on 16 May 2009 at 12:45 pmlucky

    mark you are great,these conversations are fantastic.thanks for everything , have a nice day

  19. on 02 Jun 2009 at 12:21 amArwa

    Hi, Mark
    Thank you for such an interactive way .I ‘ve just listened to The big Dream episode 1. I liked it soooooooooooo much

  20. on 02 Jun 2009 at 9:06 amMark White

    Great!
    When you are happy, I am happy!

  21. on 09 Jun 2009 at 10:48 pmhesham

    Hi
    Good evening
    If any one wants to interact through everyday conversation
    This is my email address
    hesham_elamer2006@yahoo.com

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