It helps improve their language proficiency. When they tell stories, they practice using grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation all at once. For example, if they want to describe a character in a story, they need to use adjectives and verbs correctly.
One way to teach ESL students to write a story is to start with simple prompts and build from there. Let them describe a familiar event or person first to get them comfortable expressing themselves.
Start with simple and engaging stories. Use visual aids like pictures or videos to help them understand. Make it interactive by asking questions and having discussions.
They can keep a vocabulary journal. Whenever they come across a new word in the story, they write it down along with its meaning. For instance, if they read the word 'gorgeous' and look it up to find it means beautiful, they write it in the journal.
Charlotte's Web is also great. It has a very engaging story about a pig and a spider. The language is not overly complicated, and it can teach Chinese ESL students a lot about friendship, loyalty, and rural life in English - speaking countries. There are also many vivid descriptions of the animals and the farm, which is good for vocabulary building.
First, introduce the basic elements of a story like characters, setting, and conflict. Then, give them guided exercises to put these elements together. Encourage them to read simple stories to understand plot development.
A story with simple language and clear plot would be good. For example, a story about a daily life event that uses common words and easy sentence structures.
They can start with their interests. For example, if they like adventure stories, they can look for novels like 'Treasure Island'. Interest will keep them motivated to read. Also, they can consider the level of difficulty. Novels with simpler sentence structures and common vocabulary are better for beginners.