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INSTITUTE
FOR THE STUDY
OF HUMAN
KNOWLEDGE
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| Teaching-Storiestm develop mental skills in children and adults It's hard to imagine growing up in a world without stories. From the beginning of time, stories have filled a universal need for context and meaning. All cultures have their stories, many with universal themes, plots and imagery. Stories are fundamental to the psychological development of children. They help us shape our understanding of the world and make meaningful connections with each other. Stories give us a sense of shared history and destiny and help us see our common foibles and predicaments. They help us confront our fears and formulate our hopes and aspirations.The Teaching-Story, a special form of literature most common in Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Middle East, does all this and more. Its real psychological significance and developmental potential is just now being rediscovered, investigated and applied in the West. Bringing this literary form into the mainstream of contemporary education and culture is an important focus of ISHK's work. Power of the Teaching-Story:
“flexing” the mind In a Teaching-Story, the characters, plots and imagery
embody patterns and relationships to nurture a part of the mind not
reachable in more direct ways. Studies have shown that reading or
hearing a Teaching-Story activates the right side of the brain much
more than does reading other stories or material. The right side of
the brain provides ‘context,’ the essential function of
putting together different components of experience into a meaningful
pattern. The left side provides the ‘text,’ or the components
such as the words or elements of an illustration. Read a Teaching-Story: Further reading on
the Teaching-Story: Audiobooks with Teaching-Stories:
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