How could these theories be used in the library media world?

There are many ways that the library media center aids students in their perceptual processes. These ways can range from quiet reading, to movies, to group research activities, to storytelling. I’d like to focus on storytelling and examine how these theories on could be used in my future career as a library media specialist to develop and promote storytelling in schools.

Storytelling can be used to exercise listening skills, to improve language skills (comprehension and vocabulary), to develop oral speaking skills, and to enhance problem-solving skills. The storyteller Mary Kinsella's web site has an exhausive list of reasons to include storytelling in schools. Many cognitive processes are utilized by the teller and the listener: perception, working memory, semantic memory, problem solving, creativity, schemas -- just to name a few. The most basic influences in the success of storytelling, however, are perception, working memory, and semantic memory. A child must be able to perceive the story, store the facts in working memory, and relate the story progress back to information already in semantic memory. Storytelling is much like reading, but there are more senses involved, especially the auditory sense. Facial expressions and gestures are used by storytellers, and occasionally props are used, bringing a visual aspect to the storytelling experience.

The National Council of Teachers of English has a position statement on storytelling. The council encourages teachers to tell stories and to teach students the art of storytelling.

Teachers who tell personal stories or go through the process of learning to tell folk or literary tales make the most credible models. Visiting storytellers or professional tellers on audiotapes or videotapes offer students a variety of styles. Often a community historian or folklorist has a repertoire of local tales. Older students both learn and teach when they take their tales to younger audiences or community agencies.

Today's school library media specialist works with both students and teachers to develop, promote, and implement a program that will help prepare students to be effective users of ideas and information. And storytelling is unsurpassed as a tool for learning about ourselves, about the ever-increasing information available to us, and about the thoughts and feelings of others.

The theories regarding perception, working memory, and semantic memory help to explain common storytelling styles. The theory that younger children tend to process words based on sounds helps to explain why storytelling to younger children is more successful when it includes rhymes, songs, and music. The studies of implicit priming help explain why storytellers tend to break the ice, or "prime," their audience by using some kind of visual stimulus. For example, if the Indian story of Ganesha, the elephant god, was being told, a stuffed elephant could be shown and discussed with the audience prior to the story. The strength of the recency effect in the auditory modality works well with traditional story stuctures that have some verse, song, or moral told at the end to leave an impression on the audience.