An Application of Egan's Theory: Teaching As storytelling

Format

Individual Presentation

Presenters

Changaa Mweti, University of Minnesota, DuluthFollow

First Presenter's Institution

University of Minnesota

First Presenter’s Email Address

cmweti@d.umn.edu

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Known for his dynamic and humorous presentations, Kenyan native Chang’aa Mweti has a B.S in English and drama, and M.S in the teaching of English in Secondary Schools, all from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. His area of concentration was “The Power of Narratives in Education.” He taught elementary schools in Kenya for over 13 years. He is currently an associate Professor and “Director, African and African-American Studies Program” at the University of Minnesota, Duluth campus.

Location

Session Seven Breakouts

Strand #1

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Strand #2

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

Certain pedagogical principles guide classroom practice. For kids to succeed academically, the classroom environment should be non-threatening and conducive for learning. The teacher’s effectiveness will depend on the aspect of pedagogy/methodology that he/she applies. Teaching as storytelling addresses both the head and the heart of the learner.

Brief Program Description

Every teacher is a storyteller! Learn storytelling tips and techniques for motivating underachieving students. Motivating teaching stories enkindle longing hearts and thaw out frozen brains. Employ storytelling to appeal to students’ emotions and build bridges across cultures. Learn teaching tips and techniques on storytelling in the classroom including how to sneak it through the back door to make learning fun!

Summary

“People did not wait until there was writing before they told stories and sang songs” Albert Bates Lord”

In order to improve oral language, reading comprehension, and writing, teachers can use storytelling in classroom as an effective pedagogical strategy that can be woven into instruction to increase students’ competences in all areas of learning. Storytelling in classrooms break abstract concepts into concrete. When a concept is taught in a story-form, it is easier to conceptualize. Even the most reluctant reader or writer will be motivated when engaged in storytelling activities that enhance the use of creativity and imagination. Learn storytelling tips and techniques for motivating underachieving students. Examine ways in which stories can illustrate and reinforce concepts - and through listening and re-telling – improve students’ oral skills and comprehension. Groe (2004) found that storytelling was an effective tool for motivating students to listen and engage in science lessons, improve reading and imagination skills in science. Attention is one of the key educational concept teachers struggle to attain. The art of the storyteller (teacher) is the most fluid of all arts. (Dixon, 1945, “Once Upon A Time”, as cited in Macdonald, 1993, p.37). A teacher should know that capturing the students’ attention requires variety of teaching methods and strategies which are both abundant in storytelling. Finally, it is fair to say that learning takes place if the learner attends to what is being taught.

Evidence

Growing up in Kenya, storytelling was and has been my culture. My educational research has been about the power of storytelling in classrooms. I will site my dissertation below and other writings I have done in the field of storytelling in education.

Mweti, C (1999). The use of stories and their power in the secondary school curriculum among the Akamba of Kenya- University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Wright, M. & Mweti, C. (2009). Round and round we go Re-inventing storytelling in thecircle of knowledge. Presented at 2009 AERA (American Education Research Association) Annual Meeting, April 12-18, 2009, Santiago, CA. 50% attribution

Wright, M. & Mweti, C. (2009). Living Literature: The Art of Digital Storytelling. Dragon Lode: Multicultural Children’s Literature Journal. 50% attribution

Mweti, C. (2008). Judeo-Western tether on Kenyan education: A neo-Marxist discourse. International Journal of African & African American Studies, 7(2), 73-82. 100% attribution

Mweti, C. (2008). The typology and power of storytelling in Kenyan education: Towards an applicative pedagogy. In Multiculturalism in the Age of the Mosaic: Essays in Honor of Rudolph G. Wilson (Ed. Afolayan, M). Nova Science Publishers, NY. (Chapter 4).100% attribution

Mweti, C. (2006). Colonial heritage and the dimensions of Kenyan education: The Case of kikamba schools. In Current Discourse on Education in Developing Nations: Essays in Honor of B. Robert Tabachnick and Robert Koehl (Eds. Afolayan, M. Jules, D. & Browne, D.) Nova Science Publishers, Inc. (Chapter 5). 100% attribution

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to observe the storytelling techniques/strategies

Learning Objective 2

Participants will be able to appreciate the use of stories as a teaching tool

Learning Objective 3

Participants will be able to apply in their own settings what they will have learned from the session

Keyword Descriptors

Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education

Presentation Year

2022

Start Date

3-8-2022 2:45 PM

End Date

3-8-2022 4:00 PM

Recommended Citation

Mweti, Changaa, "An Application of Egan's Theory: Teaching As storytelling" (2022). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 68.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2022/2022/68