Apart from the development of different language skills, one major goal of a language arts programme is to help pupils gain knowledge and respect for other cultures and values, and to provide room for them to develop their creativity. Storytelling is a perfect tool to achieve these goals.

Well-written stories provide significant content and a "what happens next" sequence allows children and beginning readers of any age to attend to the continuous building of meaning in a story. Studies over the years indicate that most children, including the learning-handicapped, seem to learn to listen, read, and respond better to interesting narratives.

There is a bit of magic in every good story. Good stories, no matter how long or short, can enchant listeners/readers and stretch their imaginations. A short story, when used in the classroom, can serve many purposes, e.g. as a discussion starter, rounding off a special unit or topic, as an interesting practice in reading aloud and predicting, or just as pure entertainment. You can use short stories in the classroom as "stepping stones" to help them think critically, to increase their awareness of another culture, to offer opportunities for them to use the language in role plays, and eventually, to encourage them to develop their creativity by writing their own short stories.