Using Folktales

Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers

by Eric K. Taylor

Using Folktales provides over 40 ready-to-use activities and dozens of stories which are suitable for all ages from beginner to advanced level. The paperback edition shows teachers how to take advantage of the unique literary characteristics of folk tales to facilitate language learning. It provides over forty ready-to-use activities and dozens of stories. Activities are suitable for all ages and range from beginning to advanced.

302 pages, Paperback

First published June 19, 2000

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess I'm finished with this. It's largely a list of activities and contains piles of example materials to get you started, and guide developing your own.
The portion of the book that is not a list is where I feel it shines, though. It contains advice on when to read vs. when to fly by the seat-of-your pants, with clear criteria, and a to-do list prior to telling a story.
It contains suggestions for sources of more stories, ranging from usenet groups to some of the author's favorite books.
I strongly recommend this not only for the English as Foreign Language classroom environment it discusses, but for oral tradition stories in the classroom broadly. Obviously, native speakers will need far less in the way of vocabulary instruction, but general discussion of a story for critical thinking and communication skills sounds like a valuable goal to me.