The privileged status of story

From Patti Digh via the WorkingStories listserv comes Ask the Cognitive Scientist: The Privileged Status of Story:

Cognitive science research confirms that stories are indeed powerful. This research shows us where this power comes from and suggests how teachers might harness it. Stories have a particular format, and each of us has a representation of that format in memory. Teachers may use this power both by the judicious use of storytelling in the classroom, and by using the structure of stories to organize a lesson.