Published: 11:57 PM, 19 July 2026
Spark & Story: Storytelling for Schools
Muhammad Moheuddin
Nowadays, we spend most of our free time glued to mobile phones, tablets, and other devices. We rely on gadgets not only for convenience but also to meet emotional needs. Yet despite technological advances, devices lack a true human touch. One sad consequence is that storytelling for children has declined. Face-to-face conversations with loved ones are special and uplifting, and children need them too. They enjoy talking, listening to stories, or inventing tales to share. After all, our everyday conversations are really just a patchwork of stories.
We often give stories to our students to read from the book in syllabus, but in most cases we do not tell them a story or let them tell stories of their own or teach them how to write a story.
Children have an innate love of stories. Stories create magic and a sense of wonder at the world. Stories teach us about life, about ourselves and about others. Storytelling is a unique way for students to develop their inherent creativity, an understanding, respect and appreciation for other cultures, and can promote a positive attitude to people from different lands, races and religions.
By becoming storytellers, students not only enhanced their creativity but also developed ownership of their learning. They learned to think critically, to express themselves confidently, and to appreciate the power of both factual and fictional narratives. Storytelling can help students consider new ideas, to explore their own cultural roots, to increase student’s willingness to communicate thoughts and feelings, encourage active participation, increase verbal proficiency, encourage use of imagination and creativity, enhance listening skill and encourage cooperation between students.
Storytelling sparks a child’s curiosity and imagination. Fantasy opens the door to exploration and creative thinking, and vivid mental images encourage children to play with ideas and invent experiences without fear of judgment. It also boosts vocabulary. Hearing new words helps a child express ideas and feelings more clearly, support social and emotional development. It’s easier for children to understand feelings like sadness, anger, jealousy, or frustration when those emotions are shown through characters. Seeing how characters scope gives children safe, concrete models for recognizing and managing their own feelings and teach them values gently and memorably. A well-told tale with a clear moral often sticks with a child longer than direct lectures or advice.
GOLPOKAR, a movement of stories and voices, is a monthly literary magazine—circulated nationally and internationally—devoted entirely to fiction. We have organized 12 extempore storytelling events at schools, colleges, and universities across different districts of Bangladesh. These programs gave students a chance to practice storytelling, reflect on meaning, and connect literature to their own lives.
Initially, an acclaimed writer would begin a story and stop at a cliffhanger. Competitors then continued the tale for three minutes each, following the writer’s instructions. Three judges evaluated the students’ performances. Audiences loved the suspense, climaxes, and lively narration.
After hearing thoughtful student feedback, we changed the format to encourage participants to create and share their own original stories. Many students said the experience gave them a stronger sense of identity and confidence. Storytelling thus evolved from an exercise into a tool for empowerment.
This is a high time for the government of Bangladesh to introduce a national storytelling program in schools to nurture creativity, language skills, and emotional resilience among children. By embedding regular storytelling sessions into the school day, students will gain opportunities to explore diverse cultures, moral values, and local heritage, reinforcing national identity while fostering empathy and social understanding.
A government-backed program can train teachers, produce age-appropriate story resources in Bangla and regional languages, and support community storytellers to bring intergenerational voices into classrooms. Special emphasis should be given to inclusive practices for children with disabilities and to rural schools that often lack access to cultural resources. Monitoring and simple assessment can track improvements in literacy, oral expression, and socio-emotional learning.
In a rapidly digitizing world, storytelling reconnects children with human creativity and shared experience. Investing in storytelling is investing in confident, articulate, and compassionate future citizens. I respectfully request the Ministry of Education to pilot this program in selected districts within the next academic year and scale it nationally based on evidence and community feedback.
Muhammad Moheuddin is
Editor, Golpokar.
