Everyone has a story to tell. Storytelling is a skill that can be developed and a tool that can be used effectively in the ESOL classroom. When developed and used purposefully, storytelling can contribute to inclusion, connection, and language skill development. It can also increase learner engagement, speaking confidence, motivation, and agency, all of which are important for adult English learners.

In this three-session workshop series, English language teachers will first learn the elements of a compelling story and then apply these elements to craft a personal story of their own. In the final session, participants will be invited to share their stories with one another. The sessions will be facilitated by Cheryl Hamilton, creator and director of the intercultural storytelling organization Stellar Stories and curator and coach for the national media program Stories from the Stage. Laura Porter, the program coordinator of the SABES ESOL PD Center, an emerging storyteller, and an ESOL teacher who has integrated storytelling into her ESOL instruction, will co-facilitate. This first workshop series is a prerequisite for attending Part 2 of the storytelling series, “Teaching the Craft of Storytelling to Adult English Learners,” which will provide effective tools and strategies for guiding ESOL students in crafting and sharing their stories.