"Long Ago, as Old Chronicles Tell"

Storytelling, Uses, and Re-Significations of Medieval Myths in History Teaching

Abstract

This paper aims to outline the uses and possibilities of applying storytelling practices in the classroom as an active methodology that fosters the development of critical awareness among the participants in the educational environment. Storytelling allows for broad applications, making it possible to devise a planned method where narratives can continue long-term, exploring characters and settings that accompany students throughout their educational journey.

We conducted an experiment with students using a historical-cultural approach and literary analysis to discuss the allegories and representations found in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales (14th century). The practical outcomes included students' acquisition of knowledge through a playful and engaging tool that promotes critical historical understanding of a time far removed from our present but still connects us through cultural representations embedded in our collective imagination, often shaped by a re-signified media “heritage” across various forms of cultural production.

By using literature as a source and the active methodology of storytelling, we provided students with a framework to encourage their awareness and creativity. This culminated in the production of a cultural "artifact" presented at the end of the semester during our Cultural Fair. This approach sought to challenge students to reinterpret and re-signify the recently acquired cultural content by creating a theatrical performance based on the medieval myths Chaucer depicted in his time.