Below are links to articles, books, and theses on the Storyline strategy. Because many of them incorporate research and theory (and often examples of use) into the same work, these are not separated. Where available, abstracts or summaries are provided. This page has only English-language resources; for resources in languages other than English, please see the appropriate linked page.
Ahlquist, S. (2012). 'Storyline': A task-based approach for the young learner classroom. ELTJ 67(1), 41-51. doi: 10.1093/elt/ccs052
This article reports on a study in which I attempted to identify the features that particularly appealed to a class of Swedish 11–13 year olds, and how working in this way impacted on their learning of English. The data show that learners were strongly motivated by particular tasks and that the experience of taking part in a Storyline brought specific language benefits. (Abstract excerpted from journal website.)
Ahlquist, S. (2012). "When it's fun you learn more!" Storyline and the young language learner. In English for Young Learners - Forum 2012, Proceedings from the conference in Uppsala 19 June 2012. Uppsala: Uppsala University, Centre for Professional Development and Internationalisation in Schools, 28-37.
Beck, L.G., & Murphy, J.(1998). Site-based management and school success: Untangling the variables. Journal of Effectiveness and School Improvement, 9(4), 358 – 385. The first empirical study to mention the Scottish Storyline Approach as fruitful for teaching underachieving students in a Los Angeles school.
Cole, B., & McGuire, M. (2012). Real world Problems: Engaging young learners in critical thinking. Social Studies and the Young Learned, 24(4), 15-17.
Demir, S. (2013). The effect of teaching "let's travel and learn the world of living creatures" unit by storyline on academic achievement. European Journal of Educational Studies, 5(1), 177-185.
Grabbe, B. (2000). Using Storyline philosophy for counseling children. In E. Håkonsson (ed.), The International Storyline Conference. Aalborg: The Royal Danish School of Education, (pp. 111-124).
Hofmann, R., & Rainio, A.P. (2007). "It doesn't matter what part you play, it just matter that you're there": Shared agency in narrative play activity in school. In: R. Alanen & S. Poyhonen (Eds.), Language in action: Vygotsky and Leontievian legacy today. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
McNaughton, M.J. (2012). We know how they feel: Global Storylines as transformative, ecological learning. In A. Wals & P. Corcoran, (Eds.). Learning for sustainability in times of accelerating change (pp. 457-476). Wageningen, The Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publishers. ISBN: 978-90-8686-203-0
McGuire M. and Cole B. (2005) 'Using story path to give young learners a fair start.' Social Studies and the young learner, 18 20-23.
McGuire M. and Cole B. (2008) 'Classroom success stories: Using the storypath approach to make local government understandable', The Social Studies, 99(2), 85-90.
Schwanke, U. (2012). Key questions revisited. Available in both English and German at http://www.storyline-methode.de/mediapool/43/436167/data/Key_Questions_Textfassung_engl_und_dt.pdf
Schwanke, U. (2011). Storyline in adult education. Available at http://www.storyline-methode.de/mediapool/43/436167/data/Coping_with_Resistance_Storyline_in_der_Erwachsenenbildung.pdf
Smogorzewska, J. (2012). Storyline and Associations Pyramid as methods of creativity enhancement: Comparison of effectiveness in 5-year-old children. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 7, 28-37. This study compared the originality, length, and number of neologisms and syntactic complexity of fairy tales created with Storyline and with Associations Pyramid. (Abstract excerpted from journal website.)
Standish, L. & Emo, W. (2018). “What I wrote about was important:” Using Storyline to motivate students to write persuasive text. The Oklahoma Reader 54 (1): 29-28. https://issuu.com/oklahomareader/docs/oklahoma_reader_spring_take_5__i_th?e=31628510%2F61520571
Tench, P., & Binks, E. (2003). Bridging the gap: Intergenerational research using Storyline. Wallsend: North Tyneside Council.
Ahlquist, Sharon. (2013). Storyline: Developing Communicative Competence in English. Lund: Studentlitteratur.
Bell, S., Harkness, S., & White, G., (eds.). (2007). Storyline: Past, present and future. Glasgow: University of Strathclyde, Enterprising Careers. (out of print)
This volume contains the proceedings from the 2007 Storyline International conference, Glasgow, Scotland. Articles on research, theory, and practice are all included.
Letschert, J., Grabbe-Letschert, B., & Greven, J. (Eds.). (2007). Beyond Storyline. Features, principles and pedagogical profundity. Enschede, The Netherlands: SLO Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development. (out of print)
Articles on both theory and practice are included. A DVD of two Storyline workshops conducted in The Netherlands is also included.
Letschert, J. (2003). The line untwined. A critical reflection on the Storyline approach to learning and teaching. Enschede, the Netherlands: SLO Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development. (out of print)
This booklet was presented at the 2nd International Storyline Conference in Elsinore, Denmark. It contains a fresh view on the Storyline approach by a “critical friend” discussing issues like the problems of a constructivist approach in an educational reality still dominated by behaviourist theories, the role of the teacher, evaluation and assessment, and the need for further research on Storyline. (Description from Ulf Schwanke.)
Rendell, F. (1986). Topic studies: How & why? Glasgow: Jordanhill College Publications. (out of print)
Romano, R. M. (2000). Forging an educative community: The wisdom of love, the power of understanding and the terror of it all. New York: Peter Lang.
Drawing on critical pedagogy and Deweyan principles of experiential learning and educative, Forging an Educative Community tells the story of a public school heterogeneous class of students who develop a critical conscience about homelessness but in their focus on others become an educative community. (Description from Academia.edu; the class in the study used Storyline.)
Several researchers' theses are available online through university repositories. Among them are:
Ahlquist, S. (2011). The impact of the Storyline approach on the young language learner classroom: A case study in Sweden. Doctoral thesis, University of Leicester, UK. Available at http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hkr:diva-8733
Březinová, Jana. "Storyline Teaching English to Young Learners." Thesis. Masaryk University in Brno, 2007. Web. http://is.muni.cz/th/105084/pedf_b/Storyline.pdf
Corbett, Shane. (2015). Storyline with adult language learners. PowerPoint presentation at the Storyline International Conference, Glasgow, Scotland. Summary of master's thesis, University College Dublin. Available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7WWv0HdpfBJRU4taE95T05xRDA/view?usp=sharing
Eiríksdóttir, B. (1995). Qualities of the Storyline method for teaching in primary schools in Iceland. Master's thesis, University of Strathclyde, UK. Available at http://frontpage.simnet.is/storyline/Mastersritgerd.pdf
This case study was conducted in order to evaluate some of the aspects of Storyline when used in an Icelandic setting (the author's school). Data examined included the author's field notes, field notes from a second teacher, questionnaires answered by students and parents, and samples of student work (written and photographic evidence as well as formal assessments).
Emo, W. (2010). Teachers who initiate curriculum innovation: Motivations and benefits. Doctoral thesis, University of York, UK. Available at White Rose E-Theses http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/1136/ The focus group for the bulk of the study were teachers (kindergarten through college) new to Storyline.
Interviews were conducted both with teachers who identified themselves as current innovators and with teachers who learned about,planned, and implemented the Storyline approach to curriculum design.... Teachers did not predict the number and nature of the benefits resulting from their innovations (with Storyline), particularly in areas such as personal fun, student initiative, and parent involvement. (Abstract excerpted from the thesis.)
Mitchell-Barrett, R. (2010) An analysis of the Storyline method in primary school; its theoretical underpinnings and its impact on pupils' intrinsic motivation. Doctoral thesis, Durham University, UK. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/487/
This study explores the relationship between the Scottish Storyline teaching method and pupils’ levels of motivation when engaged in a Storyline topic. It also examines the theoretical underpinnings for Storyline drawn from constructivism, progressive education, drama methodology and intrinsic motivation. (Abstract excerpted from the thesis.)
International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL), Glasgow Online, British Council. (2012). Session Sharon Ahlquist: Young learner writing and the Storyline approach. Paper presentation at the 46th Annual International IATEFL Conference and Exhibition. Available at http://iatefl.britishcouncil.org/2012/media/video/session-sharon-ahlquist
Snoball Films. (2009). Storyline. Available at http://www.skoleipraksis.no/en/storyline/ (Also available on this site in Norwegian.)
Storyline International. http://www.storyline-scotland.com/
Global Storylines. http://www.globalstorylines.org.uk/
Storyline Design (USA). http://www.storyline.org/Storyline_Design/Welcome.html
Storyline England. http://www.storyline-england.co.uk/