TESOL France Conference in Paris - 2010

1. France
Uruguay Mercedes Viola
mercedesviola@4d.edu.uy

2. Video: global storytellers
* The narration of an event or series of events, either true or fictitious.
* A prose or verse narrative, usually fictional, intended to interest or
amuse the hearer or reader; tale.
* The plot of a narrative or dramatic work.
* A report, statement, or allegation of facts.
* An anecdote.
* A lie.
* Romantic legend or tradition (The American Heritage Dictionary)

6. TRUTH
PARABLE
STORY

8. There is a pertinent story about a man who was
working on an oil platform in the North Sea. He
woke up one night from a loud explosion, which
suddenly set his entire oil platform on fire. In
mere moments, he was surrounded by flames.
Through the smoke and heat, he barely made his
way out of the chaos to the platform's edge. When
he looked down over the edge, all he could see
were the dark, cold, foreboding Atlantic waters.
As the fire approached him, the man had mere
seconds to react. He could stand on the platform,
and inevitably be consumed by the burning
flames. Or, he could plunge 30 meters in to the
freezing waters. The man was standing upon a
"burning platform," and he needed to make a
choice.

9. He decided to jump. It was unexpected. In
ordinary circumstances, the man would never
consider plunging into icy waters. But these
were not ordinary times - his platform was on
fire. The man survived the fall and the
waters. After he was rescued, he noted that a
"burning platform" caused a radical change
in his behaviour.
We too, are standing on a "burning platform,"
and we must decide how we are going to
change our behaviour.
…………..
Stephen Elop, Nokia CEO – February 2011
Video: Ursula Burns, Xerox CEO

10. Video: Barack Obama – Victory Speech
"A big part of a CEO's job is to motivate
people to reach certain goals. To do that, he
or she must engage their emotions, and the
key to their hearts is story."
Robert McKee, Harvard Business Review, June 2003
Video: Steve Jobs – Commencement Speech

13. “Stories are fundamental to the way we
communicate, learn, and think.
They are the most efficient way of storing,
retrieving, and conveying information.
Because hearing stories requires active
participation on the part of the listener, stories are
the most profound social form of human
interaction, communication, and learning.”

14. learning
telling
being aware
behaving interpreting

15. HAVE A CLEAR PURPOSE
END ON A POSITIVE NOTE
INVITE YOUR AUDIENCE TO DREAM

17. Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.
- Warren Bennis
The ability to summon positive emotions during periods of
intense stress lies at the heart of effective leadership. - Jim Loehr
If I have the belief that I can do it, I will surely acquire the capacity
to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning . - Mahatma Gandhi
It takes tremendous discipline to control the influence, the power
you have over other people's lives. - Clint Eastwood
I used to think that running an organization was equivalent to
conducting a symphony orchestra. But I don't think that's quite it;
it's more like jazz. There is more improvisation. Warren Bennis

19. All human beings have an innate need to hear and
tell stories and to have a story to live by. Harvey Cox

20. REFERENCES:
•Writing Stories - Andrew Wright and David A. Hill. Helbling
Languages (2008)
•BBC Interview on ‘Stories in Language Teaching’ – Andrew Wright
•Living in a Story – Andrew Wright
•Teaching Grammar Creatively - Helbling Languages (2008
•The Coaching Manual – Julie Starr. Pearson Education (2003)
•Storytelling that Moves People: A Conversation with Screenwriting
Coach Robert McKee. Harvard Business Review. June 2003
•Once Upon a Time: Using Story-Based Activities to Develop
Breakthrough Communication Skills - Terrence L. Gargiulo. John
Wiley and Sons (2007)
•Stories at Work. Using Stories to Improve Communication and
Build Relationships. Terrence L. Gargiulo. Greenwood Publishing
Group. (2006)
•The Story Factor. Annette Simmons. Basic Books. (2002)
Video: Joe Strummer

21. Storytelling &
Business English clients
Thank you very much
Mercedes Viola
mercedesviola@4d.edu.uy