Elementary and middle school teachers can employ storytelling techniques using selections such as episodes from children's novels to encourage even the most reluctant readers. The telling of complete episodes from novels causes reluctant readers to identify with a character and brings them into the plot. The Storytelling Episode Model (SEM) is a step-by-step procedure for learning to tell parts of a novel that can stand alone. The SEM serves as a guide for writing an episode script that the storyteller can refer to when the episode is being learned for telling. Memorizing an entire episode is not advisable--telling the events in the storyteller's own words permits revising the telling with each practice. Depending on the time allotted and the response of the audience, the story can be expanded or condensed. Through storytelling, students experience new genres and new worlds beyond their prior interests and habits in reading. (Contains a 24-item list of children's literature cited and 6 references.) (RS)