Classroom techniques are suggested for teaching English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students cognitive and academic skills needed for academic success, using the reading and analysis of folk tales. Skills targeted include comparing and contrasting, evaluating ideas, supporting claims with facts and evidence, organizing and grouping ideas, and using inference appropriately. A comparison and contrasting exercise using two variations of a folk tale is described. An activity focusing on techniques for supporting and evaluating ideas is intended for use after students have read a number of unrelated folk tales. An exercise in evaluating and summarizing ideas uses a single tale. In each case, preparatory activities for the teacher, detailed in-class procedures, and suggested variations for more advanced students are described. Some suggestions are also made for following story reading with questions that promote inferencing. (MSE)