Members-only Session: Story Time

There are few greater human experiences than connecting with someone through the power of a good story. We tell our friends and loved ones stories all the time. We laugh, we joke, we cry. Telling stories is what makes us human.

But telling stories in a foreign language can seem scary and difficult.

What if you make a mistake? What if you forget the right word? What if you get stuck?

I wanted to address this problem head-on, so for our members-only session in February the theme was storytelling.

Before the event, everyone was asked to prepare three different stories:

One true story from your life
One true story from your life with one detail changed
One invented story

We then split up into small groups. Everyone told one of their stories, and everyone else needed to guess whether it was 100% true, partially true, or completely invented.

For many people, it was the first time that they had really told a story in English. It's not exactly something that people are asked to do in an English class, but it's such a fundamental part of being a good communicator in any language.

It was amazing to see the results of this. I joined all of the groups and listened to some wonderful stories. I heard tales of escapes from fires, snakes in ponds, traditional Czech dances, Polish road adventures, and near-death experiences on bicycles.

I also told plenty of my own stories (why does nobody believe I can play the bagpipes? I can!), including incidents with an elderly lady in Lille and a discussion with the Italian ambassador about Brexit.

It was a lot of fun, but most importantly it was brilliant to see how people grew in confidence as the event went on. Being in a group of friendly and similar-minded English learners is really important, and is very helpful with building up confidence.

It's certainly a format that we will repeat!

If you're a member of Leonardo English, keep a lookout for the next session.

And if you're not yet a member but you'd like to join in the fun, I'd love for you to check out our membership options.