Today I’m going to talk about stories, and why they are a powerful tool for improving your English. First, here are a couple of comments from Effortless English members:
Manh writes:
I feel relaxed when I hear the Mini-story. Now, I feel more confident and energetic in my communication.
And Lena writes:
Hi AJ. How are you? I hope you are fine. Thank you for the lesson set. But I noticed a funny thing;) That you always say: “tell the story” and then you correct yourself and say: “ask the story”:) Why? Thanks again.
You are welcome!
Regarding the feeling of relaxation while listening to stories– this is one of the great benefits of using stories. Let’s be honest. Studying grammar books and taking tests is both stressful and boring. That’s very bad because research shows that stress blocks learning. That’s right- you learn much more slowly when you are feeling stressed.
On the other hand, when you feel relaxed your brain works better. Research shows that you learn more and remember more when you feel relaxed. Stories are a very relaxed (and fun) way to learn.
Of course, Effortless English stories are designed to make that learning very powerful which brings me to the second comment.
Why do I usually say that I “ask the story”?
This is a very important point– a very important technique that I use for teaching. “Telling a story” means that I just make statements… and you listen passively.
However, when I “ask the story” it means I use a huge amount of easy questions to create the story. This is a very important difference. Questions cause you to be an ACTIVE learner. Your brain must constantly respond to my questions.
Because of this, you learn much faster. Another value of “asking the story” is that I can repeat important phrases many times. You hear those phrases in both statements AND questions. This repetition helps you learn and remember effortlessly.
I always say that my Mini-Story Lessons are the most powerful lessons in each of my lesson sets. Some students don’t understand this– because these lessons seem so easy and funny. They feel easy because you learn unconsciously… and you are relaxed and laughing while you learn. It feels easy– but it’s super powerful.
So… whenever possible use stories to learn English. Of course, you can get my lessons and use my Mini-Stories. You can also use audiobooks and easy videos. Don’t study textbooks… use natural English stories instead! Enjoy your English learning,
PS: A friend of mine named Aaron is also using stories to teach English. His technique is different than mine, but he’s a very good teacher. Learn more about Aaron and his stories at his website: English Conversations
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