Badge Program larajla.

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The Enrichment Project
Storyteller
Steps
1. Listen to storytellers.
Find a storytelling group or event in your area and listen to others tell stories. Keep note
of what you like / dont like about their presentations. This will help you craft your own
presentation.
2. Keep a list.
As you hear or read stories, keep a list of those you think would be good to create your
own unique voice. Do not limit your story list to those you hear live. You can also check out
audio books, YouTube videos and more.
3. Stories of the past.
Before stories were written down, they were kept orally. Look through stories of the past
tales, legends or even mythology. Explore beyond your own culture. If you nd any that t
your tastes, add them to your story list.
4. Why tell a story?
To engage your audience, you want to capture their attention, inspire them or even move
them to action. Stories can be used for a variety of reasons to inform, teach, entertain
or just to keep a story alive. In addition, the types of stories you tell may fall under one of
these types:
Personal journey
Overcome obstacles
Fable
Inspirational story
As you collect stories, keep notes as to the type of story it is and how you want your
audience to engage with each story.
5. Review your list.
Make sure your list includes a variety of stories. A mix of genres will give you more
opportunities to tell your stories. Expand your list into additional areas if you feel you
need to add other types of stories.
6. Working within a theme.
You may be asked to tell a story as part of a themed event. Make sure your list has more
than just a list of names. Add in genres / types of each story as well as a brief description.
Are you limiting yourself to one theme? If so, look to expand your list even further.
7. Know your audience.
The story you tell is greatly dependent on your audience. You dont want graphic details
for kids, but most adults are ne with them. Keep notes on how to adjust your story for a
younger audience or how to add more depth for an older audience.
Storyteller
When you are telling
stories to others,
you need many
skills. Telling stories
has a long tradition
of passing
information orally to
listeners. Lets learn
about becoming a
storyteller.

Enrichment
Project
larajla.com
8. How to tell a story.
Learn how to orally tell a story. Read a book, follow a blog, etc. to see how others do it.
Look at your list from Step 1 showing what you liked / didnt like about the presentations
you saw. See how others deal with these issues.
9. Join a storytelling group.
Join or start a storytelling group. Review the things you learned, notes you have, stories
youve enjoyed, etc. How can your storytelling group help you or others?
10. Find a mentor.
If youre uncomfortable with a group, nd a mentor to help you with your storytelling skills.
11. Props.
Props allow you to have your story told by others or to help set an atmosphere. It also
helps your audience if you have multiple characters in your story. Younger audiences love
props they can help with such as puppets. Look through your stories and determine which
can utilize props.
12. Adding actions and sounds.
Adding repeatable actions, sounds or phrases allows your audience to participate in your
story. It grabs their attention. It gets them motivated. Find a story with these elements or
create these in your own story.
13. Participate in a storytelling event.
Participate in a storytelling event. Discuss with others how they prepare to minimize stress
and stage fright.
14. Create a storytelling event.
Create your own event and invite others to tell stories as well. Perhaps start with a small
group and invite creative criticism.
15. Track of the past.
Keep track of your past storytelling activities including location, event name, date and
ways to improve your performance / story. You may choose to archive your stories as well
via audio or video recordings.
Sites to Explore
www.storyteller.net
createyourlifestory.com/podcast/diference-life-story-oral-history
www.eldrbarry.net/roos/eest.htm
www.ehow.com/search.html?s=storytelling&skin=corporate&t=article
www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/echo07.lan.stories.lporaltrad/storytelling-oral-traditions
www.storytellingday.net/oral-traditions-storytelling-explored.html
www.aaronshep.com/storytelling/index.html
www.loc.gov/folklife/source/index.php
www.storytelling-nyc.org/tips.html
youtube.com
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