Let’s face it: we can say a great deal without even opening our mouths. Use nonverbal skills to make your stories more interesting. Work on a new skill each week to improve your storytelling.
Whole Body
We’ve all seen stiff speakers and slouching speakers. We need to find a happy medium. Start by placing your feet firmly on the ground, parallel with your shoulders. Then stand up straight, staying relaxed and not stiff. Keep your arms at your side unless you are gesturing. As you tell the story, feel free to move around; this helps your audience remain alert.
Eye Contact
Some speakers like to focus on one place or look over the heads of the audience. But this doesn’t help you connect with your audience, and it won’t help you notice discipline problems. Keep your eyes moving, connecting with your audience, but refrain from darting your eyes here and there or focusing too long on one person (unless that student needs a nonverbal reminder to stay on track).
Facial Expressions
Next time you watch the news, try looking at the expressions on the newscasters’ faces. Many of them show emotion only from the nose down. Even when reporting a hurricane, a reporter usually keeps his face fairly stiff. This is effective for the evening news but not for storytelling. You’ve already noticed the emotions of the narration and characters when you studied the lesson. Now practice showing those emotions in front of a mirror.
Gestures
Gestures help the audiences stay tuned to the story. Gestures should always feel natural and be above the waist so the audience can see them. Never use a gesture that feels unnatural to you because it will probably look unnatural to the audience. If you are not used to gesturing when you speak, then start out slowly, gradually adding gestures to your stories. Three types of gestures are effective in storytelling.
- Descriptive: show size and shape; for example: The servants carried the heavy waterpots (pretend to lift and carry waterpots).
- Expressive: show feeling of mood; for example: The jailer pulled out his sword to kill himself (demonstrate despair and pulling out a sword).
- Directive: give directions; for example: “Look at the snake on Paul’s arm (point to “Paul’s” arm).
Pantomime
Pantomime is similar to gestures, but pantomime is dealing with objects not actually present. Your hands and arms pretend the object is present and act accordingly. A true object won’t change in size, weight, and placement unless you manipulate it to change. It’s the same with pretend objects. For example, if you pantomime carrying a heavy waterpot, your motions need to keep the waterpot the same weight the entire time you “carry” it.
You can be an awesome storyteller! Ask God to help you improve and polish your skills so you can communicate His Word effectively.
