Stories are powerful, they are capable of conveying culture, history, and values with just spoken words. The best thing about them is they trigger our imagination and hence, they stick. And they work with everyone. So, if you thought that stories are just for children, you are wrong. Stories are equally magical for adults and that shows in the increasing number of podcast listeners across the globe.
Interactive storytelling is the modern method of telling stories with the help of technology. This method is a perfect collaboration of technology, art, and communication and has been proven to boost both imagination and memory in children.
Interactive storytelling is a wonderful way of teaching children all the important values with the help of modern gadgets and tools. So, it’s traditional, yet it’s modern in the outlook and definitely effective.
Let’s talk more about interactive storytelling, its benefits, and some of the most popular storytelling methods that pique the listener’s interest and teach lessons that will last a lifetime.
Benefits of Storytelling
First things, first. What are the benefits of storytelling? Why storytelling course?
- Storytelling fosters imagination
- It sharpens the memory
- It enhances communication skills
- It instills moral and cultural values
- It improves listening skills and comprehension
What Makes Storytelling So Effective?
Storytelling Creates Connections
Storytelling is capable of bringing a group of children together. It holds the collective imagination all the way up to the climax and gives children a point to identify with. Since everyone has a different perception, storytelling gives children a chance to think and imagine individually while creating a collective sense of joy or sorrow based on the character’s moods.
So, on the one hand, storytelling is individualistic because our minds are different and magical and on the other hand, it also offers an opportunity for building connections and a sense of belonging.
Storytelling Takes Care of All Types of Learners
Storytelling is one of the most powerful learning methods that cater to all types of learners. It takes care of visual learners, auditory learners, and even kinesthetic learners. Visual learners receive the mental pictures that are triggered by their imagination. For the auditory learners, there is a narration that builds up the flow and the kinesthetic learners enjoy the emotional connection and feelings built up by the story.
Stories Result in a Lifetime of Lessons
As already mentioned, well-narrated stories stick. So, if you want children to remember a lesson for life, it is best delivered through a story-telling session. This applies to adults also. A beautiful story always remains in the back of the mind and is brought to the forefront whenever needed or applicable. And that is why storytelling is such a profound way of teaching and learning.
Popular Methods of Storytelling
There are literally hundreds of different methods of storytelling. Most are focused on entertainment and learning and only differ in their format. Here are some of the popular storytelling methods that you will find at eTutorWorld.
Puppetry
Puppetry needs no introduction. It is an age-old form of theatre that uses puppets to tell a story and covers most genres. This method is much loved by all age groups and has been proven to be effective to get a point across. Puppetry is a theatre performance with the help of puppets instead of people. The puppets are handled by one or more puppeteers and the process may or may not be elevated with music, light, and special effects.
Interactive Storytelling
Interactive storytelling is one of the basic forms of storytelling that is popular for its use of modern methods, simple narration, and collaboration with the audience. In most cases, the storyline is not determined in this format and the narrators build the story as they go. This way, the audience is treated to alternative endings based on their choice. Interactive storytelling improves imagination, builds confidence, and enables easy collaborations.
Performative Storytelling
Performative storytelling is a beautiful method of storytelling that combines words and actions with imagination and is the basis of theatre activities. It gives stories an easygoing structure and flow that makes for fun storytelling sessions for both kids and adults. This method of storytelling is quite old and was once the only source of entertainment for people across the globe.
Kamishibai
Kamishibai comes from the streets of Japan. It is a beautiful art form that has its roots in street theatre, Buddhism, and picture card storytelling. In this format, the text is written at the back of the illustrated cards to help teachers read the text easily while the students look at the picture and imagine a scenario. Other than storytelling, Kamishibai is used to teach languages, academic lessons, team collaborations, recipes, and even communication.
Several Studies Vouch for the Importance and Benefits of Storytelling
Experts at Harvard Business believe that storytelling is all about influence, engagement, inspiration, and learning. They help us gain a new perspective of the world we live in and make sense of things and situations that surprise us. Science says the magic of storytelling rides on Cortisol, Oxytocin, and Dopamine.
Another study talks about how stories shape our brain, help us relate to others’ experiences and make us more empathetic and generous. Research by Paul J. Zak, an Author and a Ph.D. in the field of neuroscience, dives deep into how stories trigger our sense of belonging and make us into better, likable people who have a positive mindset.
Storytelling at eTutorWorld
eTutorWorld offers a premium storytelling course for 5–12-year-old children. This course is conducted by some of the best storytellers out there and brings some of the most popular storytelling techniques to your home. Register your child today to transform their minds through an age-old method of learning. This is a course spanning 8 story sessions
