* Scroll down for links to my 2025 storytelling sessions with Joe Voigts at the TESOL and IATEFL conferences, plus an article about the workshops by English with Jennifer.

*Breaking News *

As an English Language Specialist, with the U.S. Department of State’s English Language Programs, Richard led the development and authorship of Timor-Leste’s National English Curriculum for Grades 7–9, as well as the Grade 7 student textbook, audio companion, and teacher guide. Set for publication in summer 2025, these foundational materials will reach every school in the country and shape English education nationwide beginning January 2026.

Hi, welcome to my English language teaching through drama and storytelling site. I’m Richard and I have many decades of experience as an educator in a variety of settings: K-12 teaching in California, teacher trainings and materials creation in Cambodia, Timor-Leste and Uzbekistan, tutoring refugee families in Oakland, Ca., and teaching teenagers in China and Albania (Afghan students). I am currently working as a freelance consultant in the TESOL field and as a voice over performer, specializing in storytelling, e-learning and other narrative projects.

If you are interested in teacher trainings or voice over projects (I have a fully functional studio quality home studio) or some combination, I’d love to talk. Best way is to send me an email: Richardrjs1010@gmail.com or click on the contact button.

This site is devoted to sharing my work using drama and storytelling strategies for English language development with learners and in trainings with teachers. In addition, I have also added samples from various voice over projects, most notably from the audio companion to the Grade 7 English language textbook I recently completed for the country of Timor-Leste.

Click the buttons on the left (below on the mobile site) to navigate the site. You will see video examples as well as detailed instructions on almost 40 different activities; most of the videos are from my work as a grade 6-8 drama teacher and English language specialist in the Berkeley Unified School district in California, U.S.A., but some come from my work as a high school English through drama teacher in China and as teacher-trainer in Uzbekistan.

There are links to resources that have informed my teaching, as well as some materials I have created in my work as an English Language Fellow and Specialist with the U.S. Department of State’s English language programs. Most of the activities and resources shared are specific to drama and storytelling, but I do include a few that are just good teaching strategies, loosely related to the theme of this site, that I and my students have enjoyed. Thanks for visiting and I hope you will find at least one or two activities that you can do with your students.