Classroom Activities: Storytelling

So this can work both ways. As a teacher, it is so important to use examples, or stories, when explaining concepts and lexis. Use physical things, facial expressions and body actions to show the meaning of what you are teaching. Allow students to ask questions, explain their understanding or discuss their own examples. You should include any stories/examples in your lesson plan ahead of time so you don't forget to use them and so you use them at the right part of the lesson.

It is also important to allow the students to tell stories. This helps the students in speaking and understanding and it also helps the other students with listening and understanding. Students really help each other in the classroom to explain things to each other and it also allows them to question each other and the teacher to improve understanding. 

Remember that TTT (teacher talking time) should not take over the lesson. Allow the students plenty of time for tasks and to give their own feedback. 

It is also important to allow students to give examples from their own lives or things that they think of and to frame any feedback you give them in a positive light: use positive reinforcement when students have used a term correctly or given a good example. Write down any mistakes you notice and correct them at the end of the lesson with a statement such as 'one thing I heard was (insert example), is this correct?' and see if the students can correct it. If they can't, show them the correct answer and explain.