Skills for English Story-Telling Contests

1. Skills Necessary for English Story-Telling Contests Cheng-Ji (Paul) Lai, Ph.D.

2. 南投縣105年英語文競賽實施計畫 • （二）說故事、演說： • 1.語音（聲、韻、調、語調）占百分之40。 • 2.內容（思想、結構、詞彙）占百分之40。 • 3.儀態（儀容、態度、表情）占百分之20。

3. Intonation in Story-telling • Intonations should go up and down according to what the content reveals.

4. Tone of voice in Story telling • Each roles could have a different tone of voice to differentiate from the narrator and the roles a story teller portraits.

6. The Big, Wide-Mouth Frog • There once a slimy, green frog with a very big mouth. That frog drove everybody crazy. He was always going up to others and shouting, “Who are you? I’m the big, wide-mouth frog!” • One morning, he decided to find out what everybody else ate for breakfast. He hopped out of his frog pond, went straight to the zoo, and began to bother the animals.

7. The Big, Wide-Mouth Frog • First he met the giraffe. “Who are you? And what do you eat for breakfast?” • The giraffe looked down. “I’m a giraffe, of course. I eat leaves for breakfast.” • The big, wide-mouth frog shouted, “Well, I’m the big, wide-mouth frog! I eat flies for breakfast!”

8. The Big, Wide-Mouth Frog • Next he visited the elephant. “Who are you? And what do you eat for breakfast?” • “I’m an elephant, of course. I eat plants for breakfast.” • “Well, I’m the big, wide-mouth frog! I eat flies for breakfast!”

9. The Big, Wide-Mouth Frog • Next he went to visit the crocodile and shouted in his usual, loud way, “Who are you? And what do you eat for breakfast?” • With a sly, hungry look in her eyes, the crocodile answered, “I’m a crocodile, of course. And I just love to eat big, wide-mouth frogs for breakfast. Have you seen any big, wide-mouth frogs around?”

10. The Big, Wide-Mouth Frog • When the big, wide-mouth frog heard that, suddenly his wide mouth closed up and got very, very small. • Then he said with a squeak, “Nope, I’ve never heard of a creature called a big, wide-mouth frog. Hope you find one. Sorry, I’ve got to go now.”

11. The Big, Wide-Mouth Frog • The big, wide-mouth frog hopped all the way back to his pond as fast as he could. • And after that, he always remembered that sometimes it’s better to keep your big, wide-mouth shut.

12. Practice • It’s your turn to practice: The Big, Wide-Mouth Frog

13. 南投縣105年英語文競賽實施計畫 • （二）說故事、演說： • 1.語音（聲、韻、調、語調）占百分之40。 • 2.內容（思想、結構、詞彙）占百分之40。 • 3.儀態（儀容、態度、表情）占百分之20。

14. Contents of Stories • 1. Stories can be legends, fairytales, real-life stories about oneself or others, fantasy • 2. Stories need to be have spotlights(亮點) or bang (驚奇):background.. Bang，try to avoid stories without surprises • 3、Readers need to love the stories they read.

15. Contents of Stories • 4. Avoid stories everybody knows. No surprise, no enlightenments, no excitement for audience. • 5. Story telling can contain the structure of Introductory, body, and concluding parts.

16. Exercise • Let’s practice giving an introduction, and conclusion for the story you read!

17. Introduction • Attention Getters: Quote, dance, sing a song, role play, ask questions • Greetings • Introduce yourself • Introduce story title

18. Body • The story

19. Concluding Story • Answer the questions posed at the beginning • Address a powerful quote, remark, concept, and idea in a form of either questions or statements to warp up • Address what you’ve learned fromthe story you just told • Address suggestions, implications from the story you have just told

21. The Foolish Fish • In a huge pond, there lived many fish. They were arrogant and never listened to anyone. In this pond, there also lived a kind-hearted crocodile. • He advised the fish, “It does not pay to be arrogant and overconfident. It could be your downfall." But the fish never listened to him. “There is that crocodile, advising us again," they would say.

22. The Foolish Fish • One afternoon, the crocodile was resting beside a stone near the pond, when two fishermen stopped there to drink water. • The fishermen noticed that the pond had many fish. “Look! This pond is full of fish. Let’s come here tomorrow with our fishing net," said one of them. “I am surprised we have not seen this place before!" exclaimed the other.

23. The Foolish Fish • The fishermen noticed that the pond had many fish. “Look! This pond is full of fish. Let’s come here tomorrow with our fishing net," said one of them.

24. The Foolish Fish • The crocodile heard all this. When the fishermen left, he slowly slipped into the pond and went straight to the fish. “You all had better leave this pond before dawn. Early morning those two fishermen are going to come to this pond with their net," warned the crocodile.

25. The Foolish Fish • But the fish just laughed and said, “There have been many fishermen who have tried to catch us. These two are not going to catch us either. Do not you worry about us, Mr. Crocodile," they said in a mocking voice.

26. The Foolish Fish • The next morning, the fishermen came and threw their net in the pond. The nets were big and strong. Very soon all the fish were caught. • “If only we had listened to Mr. Crocodile. He had only wanted to help. For our arrogance we have to pay with our lives," said the fish.

27. The Foolish Fish • The fishermen took the foolish fish to the market and sold them for a good profit.

28. The Beautiful Dream • Fox always liked to plan something tricky, so one day he went walking with Pig and Skunk. He was thinking as he walked along.

29. The Beautiful Dream • Ahead of them a wagon was going down the road. They saw a piece of meat fall off. They all ran for it, and they all got there about the same time. But Fox did not want to share the meat so he said, “That’s not fair.” He suggested they all race down a hill and the winner would eat the meat by himself. So that is that they did.

30. The Beautiful Dream • The race started. Pig curled up and rolled down the hill. He won. “That’s not fair,” Fox said. Fox suggested another plan. He said, “The one who dreams the most beautiful dream will eat that meat.” So that is what they planned.

31. The Beautiful Dream • Fox and Skunk went to sleep but Pig stayed awake. (Pause) • He had a plan of his own.

32. The Beautiful Dream • Finally Fox and Skunk woke up and told their dreams. They were both good dreams. They were both beautiful dreams. Then they asked Pig what he had dreamed. Pig said, “I dreamed I ate the meat.”

33. The Beautiful Dream • They all jumped up and looked in the tree where they had left the meat. • The meat was gone and Pig was looking fat.

34. Harry—the Dirty Dog • Harry was a white dog with black spots who liked everything, except… getting a bath. So, one day, when he heard the water running in the tub, he took the brush…and buried it in the garden. Then he ran away from home.

35. Harry—the Dirty Dog • He played where they were fixing the street and got very dirty. He played tag with other dogs and became dirtier still. He lied down in the mud and got the dirtiest of all. In fact, he has changed from a white dog with black spots to a black dog with white spots. Then he felt tired and hungry too, so without stopping on the way he ran back home.

36. Harry—the Dirty Dog • Harry got to his house. One of the family looked out and said, “There’s a strange dog in the backyard…By the way, has anyone seen Harry?” When Harry heard this, he tried very hard to show them he was Harry. He started to do all his old, clever tricks. He rolled over and played dead. He danced and he sang. He did these tricks over and over again, but everyone shook their heads and said, “Oh no, it couldn’t be Harry.”

37. Harry—the Dirty Dog • Soon he went the hole where he buried the brush and found it! Carrying it in his mouth, he ran into the house and up the stairs with the family following close behind. He jumped into the bathtub and sat up begging, with the brush in his mouth.

38. Harry—the Dirty Dog • “This little doggy wants a bath!” cried the little girl, and her father said, “Why don’t you and your brother give him one?” Harry’s bath was the soapiest one he’d ever had. It worked like magic. As soon as the children started to clean, they began shouting, “Mummy! Daddy! Look, look! Come quick! It’s Harry! It’s… It’s Harry!” they cried.

39. Harry—the Dirty Dog • Harry wagged his tail and was very, very happy. His family combed and brushed him lovingly, and he became once again a white dog with black spots. It was wonderful to be home.

40. The Bunny and the Turtle • A Bunny one day laughed at the small feet and slow pace of the Turtle. The Turtle said, "you may be as fast as the wind, but I will beat you in a race." • “Impossible," laughed the Bunny and agreed to a race.

41. The Bunny and the Turtle • They agreed that the fox should choose the way and wait at the winning line. On the day of the race, the two started together. • The Turtle never stopped for a moment although he went on with a slow but steady pace to the end of the road.

42. The Bunny and the Turtle • The Bunny, lied down by the roadside and fell asleep fast. At last he woke up seeing the Turtle reaching the finish line. He moved as fast as he could but it was too late.

43. The Ant and the Grasshopper • Once there lived an ant and a grasshopper. The ant worked very hard. But the grasshopper doesn’t want to work. • The ant was busy looking for food. The grasshopper was busy dancing and singing.

44. The Ant and the Grasshopper • “Why do you work so hard？” asked the grasshopper. • “Just look at me. How free I am！How happy I am！I never work. I dance and sing and have a good time. You don’t know how to enjoy yourself. What a silly ant you are!”

45. The Ant and the Grasshopper • “I am storing up food for winter. I have to work hard,” said the ant. • “Winter is a long way off,” laughed the grasshopper and he danced away. • Summer was gone. And Fall was over.

46. The Ant and the Grasshopper • The ant had a warm home, and she had enough food to eat. The poor grasshopper was cold and hungry. • He looked for food, but he could not find any. At last, he was too hungry and died.

47. 南投縣105年英語文競賽實施計畫 • （二）說故事、演說： • 1.語音（聲、韻、調、語調）占百分之40。 • 2.內容（思想、結構、詞彙）占百分之40。 • 3.儀態（儀容、態度、表情）占百分之20。

48. Facial Expressions • Being facially expressive during story telling for elementary students could be challenging. • Facial expressions should be in accordance with the content of the story • Demonstrate the following stories for your students

49. Training Story Telling • Step 1: Find or compose script that interests or suits the story teller in terms of his or her age, maturity, content, capability, and the like. • Step 2: Read slowly and make sure the enunciation of each word is clear

50. Training Story Telling • Step 3: Read faster and more authentically concerning the intonation, tone of voice, linking of words, and the like. Teachers or parents could demonstrate the foregoing nonverbal language first for students to copy. • Step 4: Rehearse until story tellers feel comfortable and proficient