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STORY TELLING AS A TOOL FOR TEACHING
An example from Nigeria
An excellent example of how traditional
forms of learning can bccome the basi5 f;)( .4:
health worker training comes from Lardin
Gabas, Nigeria. The Lardin Gaba3 Rural
Health Programme has ben'n dle~criIhed ai
follows: *i
A
"The unique feature of ,ne trainino
° *
program me is it extianve use of
parables,"'drama, sonigs, and riddles, thie
traditional methods of learning among tt
people who still depend heavily on the oral
traditions. Thlaw techniques are used both Thert IS' 5;j'ilnz in Lardin Gallas. Gno
in t teaching irl ahig the . 8c rse e ard a d in i teach e ch lgi in heea nt.r eed tocnrvry lift heavy2roof. iiiatchc.d It refrs iocois to onto tne
the villages. •the vull uf enh,,ts, Thl; requires the
Teahin. "Tahn in in the th village ilg-s isoften fe auahed age
at or simply ignored if it conlicts openly
with current belieis. For this reason, staries
are constructed to Include the traditiona!
knowledge or bglief and to move, through
effort of many r:Iacr!. liftiing together.
oc health workeri bui!o astory
araterid this saying 1t he Peoplo realize
the need for cooper.ive'a.i in
solving hc.1th problems.
the means of the story, to an action which will help solve the problem.
Customary ways of telling stories in thv village are imitated as much as possible.
The instructors must be sensitive to the di fferences in patterns and cu.stoms
among the various villages, as those diffrenco.s are rflected in the form and
content of the traditional "ores.."
In Lardin Gabas, even clinical teaching, wihich ihas a heavv emphasis orl
prevention through changing health prattlcf-s, is based on story teiling:
"The diagnostic method taught i b-zied or symptoms. Each .et of symptoms
suggests a disease about which he.ilti workcrs wih teach their fellow villagers
through story telling, irio taking account the traditional belifs, 'nd taboos,
"Use of simple medicines is tauqht i!n practicc! :iinics with real patie:'ts. Brief
history taking and a physical examinationi ate fohi,-,wiid by a story conveying
the knowledge of what factors contributfcd to these symptoms and what
actions could be taken to alter the devt-,:pmert ,tfihh& health problem.
Teaching through stories avoid. cortfronting the patient directly with his
inadequate knowledge, and allows him to identify with the story character who
finds the solution to the ame problem. Finally, the aporopriate madication is
given.
*The complete artict-which sexccieril-appe3r$ inCONTACT 41, Orc., 1077. ! i isavailat2le fram the
Christian Medical Carnimson, 150 Fou do Frrnay, 1211 OC.'ntva 20. SwitznrlanrJ. Also rc.p. 13.9.
*'Prae: A vez'ry that :,aches a Igsmo.
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