The Art of Effective Storytelling: Techniques and Secrets

Once upon a time… Few words captivate us so completely.

Storytelling is central to every culture, connecting audiences through shared images, characters, and ideas.

This course highlights the art of oral (rather than written) storytelling, with an emphasis on story listening, construction, and effective delivery.

Drawing on fairy tales, myths, films, books, and recordings by professional storytellers, we will analyze how compelling stories are crafted for different contexts.

Students will prepare, practice, and deliver a variety of presentations using techniques introduced in class.

By the end of the course, you will understand what makes stories engaging and memorable, learn how to hold an audience’s attention, and gain practical tools for incorporating storytelling into presentations, interviews, and informal settings.

You will learn to shape concise yet complete stories, develop relatable characters, structure clear narrative arcs, choose evocative details, and use voice and body language to bring stories vividly to life.

Advanced-level proficiency in spoken English is required.