Things You Can Do With an Interactive Story
- The simplest and most obvious way to use an interactive story is to put students in pairs and get them to read it to each other like this:
Student A: There was a man.
Student B: Uh-huh
Student A: He went in to a café.
Student B: Uh-huh.
Student A: Was it crowded?
Student B: Yes, it was.
Student A: He ordered a drink.
Student B: Uh-huh.
Student A: Was it a latte?
Student B: What does “latte” mean?
Student A : I don’t know. EXCUSE ME! What does “latte” mean?
Teacher: It is a type of milky coffee.
Student A: I see. Thanks. Was it a latte?
Student B: Yes, it is.
Student A: Uh-uh! That’s wrong. You should say: “Yes it WAS.”
Student B: I see. Yes, it was. - The class can read it to each other in larger groups of three or more with all listeners saying ‘uh-huh’ and in the event of a question, the storyteller nominates one person to answer. Some classes like to work in larger groups.
- The class can read it as a group, one person at a time reading one sentence at a time and getting each other’s attention by establishing eye contact. Many students do not realize the importance of eye contact as a linguistic signal and how to use it.
- The class can read the text silently to themselves, underlining the target patterns for that episode.
- The whole class can read the story to the teacher and the teacher acknowledges it and answers the questions, sometimes elaborating on aspects of the story and turning the questions back on the students and asking them to ask each other various things as topics come up in the course of the narrative.
- The students can copy the story out turning the questions into sentences and including them in the text and also expanding on the story at will.
- The students can role play various situations that come up in the story.
- The class can (in pairs or groups) try to re-tell the story to each other from memory.
- The class can re-write the story from memory perhaps modifying it and elaborating on it.
- The class can discuss aspects of the story and issues that come up; what they would do in that situation, whether they like a particular character and why, etc.
- The students can redo the story turning all the patterns into past forms. Be careful. This is complex. Make sure you have read through and understood how to do it yourself before getting the students to do it.
- Most importantly, encourage your students to relax and have fun!
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Its realy worthfull web site. everyone can learn the english in short span of time
All about it’s excellent
It is an interesting way of learning english
it is an interesting method of learning
It’s a useful and interesting way of learning English. I think pairwork is the most effective
I have been learning and studying english for 9 year’s.
I found this programme more efficiently.according to my thing english conversation best way of learning english and most effective.
how can I join these classes
Today I have worked with my private pupil with text Nurse.
He enjoyed it very much. THANKS A LOT FOR THIS ORIGINAL IDEA. It’s cool……
Jersy is saying correct, exectly.
This is very helpful site for them who want to learn english
with lots of materails.
I dont hide my mail id.
If anyone want to share anything related english, just write down to me at ravi.kumar_1982@yahoo.com
Hey thanks for the feedback Ravi.
Treza, Get a partner and download an interactive story and work through it with your friend.
hi my teacher, how are you. it’s me again. in fact i got advice before to study listen and answer mini stories not listen and repeat. so do you think that if downloaded an interactive story and repeated it alone will do the job? please advice. my problem that i find difficulty to speak English automatically i mean that i have to translate the sentences before i say it.
please advice.
Thanks.
That is a great idea.
Another thing you can do it talk to yourself.
Well, here I am alone in my room. I am sitting in my chair and I am talking to myself. I am sitting in front of the computer.
Last night I was on a bus and i was teaching myself japanese by thinking in japanese and talking to myself (quietly in Japanese).
When I become aware of something (a word) that I do not know, I look it up in the dictionary.
Try it!
hi
i am seenivasan i want good story and dicionary, plese arrange………
thank’s
it is very useful website for english learners
Dear Mark,
I am attached to an institute In Calicut, S. India, that works for the social transformation of the marginalised communities. We address students who have completed their professional course in Engineering. One of the modules we teach is English communication.
My colleague Mr. Nirmal Joy and I were searching the net for Ideas! And there you are with the wonderful idea of interactive stories. Thank you Mark! We would like to try this out in our classes. I shall keep in touch with you with the feed back.
Ashley Paul
Hey Ashley
Great stuff. I am very interested in Indian culture and also the plight of adivasis. Please do let me know how the stories work. Maybe I could write a story for their situations.
A lot of the stories on the site were written with Japanese students in mind but now I am thinking of the needs of others; Buddhist monks in Thailand, Muslims, Aboriginals in Australia, people in rural and traditional societies, etc etc.
keep in touch
Mark
Hi dear staff:
my name is mariwan , Iam a kurdish iraqi i wanted to improve my English language ,It is a great idea about this style of learning,
Good luck
Hi,How are you?
Could you please help me how can l download the story??????
Yours,
Sasan
uh huh i just opened this subject how can i apply it.
Hi i really enjoy with interactive stoies.So just i want to say plz contineue ur efforts for us.