Classroom-based Oral Storytelling: Reading, Writing, and Social Benefits

Many students struggle to acquire adequate reading comprehension and writing skills. Although word recognition and spelling are needed to fully actualize these skills, the oral language aspects of reading and writing can be taught and practiced without text. Oral storytelling is good for all students, but it may be essential for students with code-related disabilities and students with limited proficiency in the mainstream academic language of U.S. schools. The purpose of this article is to offer oral storytelling as a versatile classroom-based approach for advancing diverse students' reading and writing skills, as well as facilitating their social-emotional development. Based on an extensive theoretical and empirical literature, we propose seven strategies teachers can implement to infuse oral storytelling in their classrooms.