The telling of stories has had a long and universal tradition. It is the oldest and the original form of teaching, one in which most teachers today who are so caught up with the latest methodologies and techniques have forgotten, In the study of language development, however, the uses and power of narrative in both forming oral and listening skills have largely been ignored and discredited as being old-fashioned and out-dated. The writer argues that storytelling is central to the study and teaching of language skills and that this tradition must be revived and brought back into the classroom. Both the teacher and students can profit from this form of communication in the classroom. By demonstrating not only ways to select, prepare and present stories but also some activities that can be used in the classroom, the author would like to present some important and challenging evidence for the role of storytelling.
