Public Speaking and Storytelling

 

Apart from his work in the Colhoun Academic Center, Jonathan Heiles is an experienced storyteller with hundreds of tales in his repertoire and a particular interest in Celtic and Arthurian traditional folklore. Mr. Heiles recently visited Elaine Lifter’s Public Speaking class to share storytelling techniques and skills useful in connecting with listeners. 

 

A professional storyteller uses eye contact, deliberate gestures, posture, eye contact, and variations in tone to engage listeners and to also convey meaning beyond the spoken words. Public speakers can use similar concepts to connect with audiences and communicate effectively. Mr. Heiles told a few short stories to demonstrate some of his techniques and then asked students to partner up and re-tell the stories to each other employing his examples. 

 

Ms. Lifter has long admired Mr. Heiles’s wealth of stories and his ability to captivate listeners. Storytelling is itself a performing art and Mr. Heiles’ will also visit the Performance Portfolio class to help Millbrook’s performers hone their skills.