Story Telling

This technique is useful for introducing new language items in the context of a story.

1. Write the target language on the board. Just leave them there; don't teach or explain them.
2. Introduce the characters of a story using photos or drawings.
3. Tell an anecdote though keep it short so students don't get distracted or bored.
4. When you get to a word just before one of the language items you want to present, pause and wait for students to call out the right item from the list on the board.
5. When they get it right, repeat that section of the story yourself with the correct item. Then continue with the rest of the story, pausing before each new item.
6. When you get to the end, start the story again and see if the students can say the right collocation faster. You may want to tell the story three or four times to give repeated practice. If you keep speeding up, students are unlikely to find this boring and may appreciate the challenge.