Storytelling

A short description of the method

“The shortest distance between two people is a story” (Terrence Gargiulo)

               The tree main elements that make up a storytelling session are: the Story, the Storyteller and the Audience. When talking about the Story, one can notice that we have more types of stories: personal stories, well-known stories and unwritten stories, the ones that are created on the spot. Storytelling has no age limit, in what regards both the Storyteller and the Audience. When we speak about a good Storyteller, we do not refer only to his artistry, to the skills that can be developed in time, but also to the relationship created with the Audience. Storytelling represents a safe environment for those who take part where they can  reflect,  discover, communicate,  find solutions, get involved - all of this depending on how open they are. The communication between these three elements is what maintains a storytelling session alive by giving power to both people and messages involved.

What does the audience gain from storytelling?

 Ability of active listening

Capacity of concentration

Attention to details

Capacity of acceptance – learn to accept and let go of your own prejudices

Reflection on your own experiences

Problem solving

Planning the storytelling activity

              When planning a storytelling session, you have to think of the message, the values transmitted and the target audience. Be there! The involvement of the storyteller is crucial to the act of communication, the attachment of the storyteller to the story giving authenticity to the process.

               Regarding the setting: Be creative! Listeners should seat comfortable, but in the same time enter a space meant for stories to happen. You can add value to the setting by using a special carpet, music, scarves, flowers or different objects that appear in the story and help create a vivid atmosphere.

The stages of the storytelling activity

 1. Entering the story

                Before the actual act of telling the story, make sure everybody involved is present.  Here and now! This means preparing short theme related activity in which participants exchange ideas ,  communicate about themselves and get used to the elements of the story. You can use: group activities, interviews, IT media, self expression activities, improvising activities, multisensory activities, etc

 2.  Telling the story

              When telling the story you should take into consideration the fact that there are elements like tone, volume, pauses, gestures, stress, sounds, which help the narrator better transmit the story. These are personal elements that every storyteller can prepare and perfect in time. You can also use outer elements like, audio and visual elements, movement, touching, which will make the audience more attentive and caught in following the plot of the story. It is vital to maintain the contact with the audience , create suspense, raise interest through questions, in a nutshell, communicating and actively listening to the audience in the same time.

 3.  Leaving the story

              At this stage the story belongs to the audience. They added their own imagination and feelings and experienced the story in a very personal way. It is time for them to take initiative and be involved in follow-up activities such as: debates, shadow theater plays, theater plays, creative writing sessions , drawing, etc.