A classroom activity for developing oral communication in English as a Second Language is described as it was used in a Czechoslovakian postsecondary technical institute. The four intermediate level courses in which the technique was used were based on a communicative model. During the first half of each course, students learned to adapt to more informal teaching styles, with less teacher domination. A highly successful activity involved switching discussion from "public" topics to stories deriving from personal experiences. Each student brought a photograph showing something of personal importance or drew their own "snapshots." The students then listed key vocabulary with which to tell a story about the picture. Because of what the pictures do not or can not show, an information gap is created that leads to efforts for more genuine communication. The incomplete information causes the students to become more motivated to find out about the situation and how it was resolved. Other exercises in lifewriting followed, using specific topics as assignments. Student abilities as artists and storytellers emerged in the classroom, which in turn developed their oral communication skills, self-confidence, and sense of identity. (MSE)