A Case Study of a Storytelling Workshop: The Impact on Teachers' Classroom Practice and Perception Change

The central focus of this study concerns the impact of a storytelling teacher workshop course on after-school teachers' teaching practice and their perception change. A qualitative case study involving questionnaires, observations and interviews was carried out before and after the workshop. The four-week workshop course was observed. This was followed by a focus-group interview after the workshop to investigate general outcomes of the workshop, teachers' perception changes and difficulties in putting new ideas into practice. The study results suggested that most of the teachers' perceptions about using storytelling techniques obtained from the workshop had a positive effect on their teaching skills, giving them practical tips on storytelling techniques. The analysis also showed that the teachers' confidence and motivation increased, and this enhanced confidence affected their professional identity. The learner differences, lack of training for expertise in material development, and intervention of parents were identified as constraining factors. Some important implications of the study of a storytelling workshop are discussed to highlight how the potential impact of the workshop could be optimized: (i) ongoing mentoring support should be provided to promote developmental continuity for the teachers after the course; and (ii) the workshop should consider teaching contexts sensitively, especially with regards to diverse learner styles and limited materials.