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STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF THE LEARNING OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE

THROUGH CONVENTIONAL AND DIGITAL STORYTELLING

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This section discusses the background of study followed by the rationale, problem
statement, and purpose of the study. Research details including objectives of the study,
research questions and term definitions are also clarified. Additionally, this section
presents the significance of the study as well as the limitations.

1.1 Background of the study

Conventional storytelling is one of the most significant practices in education.

According to Choo (2003), this approach is widely known as one of the most popular
tools used by educators in teaching and learning. Dedi Firmansyah (2007) also posited
that in learning a code, conventional story telling was one of the earliest learning
techniques to be introduced. The effectiveness of this technique to efficiently teach a
second language is undeniable thus naming it a beneficial approach that can be used by
teaches (Choo, 2003). Wilkinson (2006) and Herman (2007) also highly recommended
this approach to be implemented continuously in education, not only in learning
languages, but also other subjects.

Along with that, language arts module was also deemed important as it was
incorporated in the revised Malaysian curriculum which is Kurikulum Standard
Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) by the Ministry of Education (2012). One of the elements in
the language arts module that was emphasized contains stories. Teachers are highly
encouraged to use storytelling and incorporate stories in their alternatives to teach the
English language. From Year 4 up to Year 6, short stories as well as graphic novels are
compiled in two different textbooks for each student to use in their learning session.
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This integration aims to promote the conduct of interesting and effective language
teaching and learning among teachers (Ministry of Education, 2012).

Progressing with fast development of technology, integration of the digital

instrument into storytelling approach is no surprise. It is known as digital storytelling.
Digital storytelling is an integration of traditional storytelling and technological
advances (Smeda et al, 2014) in allowing teachers to tell a story with the aid of
multimedia as digital audios, videos and images (Robin, 2016). Teachers are now able
to have more interesting and enjoyable storytelling session with real coloured images
and live videos, as contrast to conventional storytelling where images and audios are
limited to those in the textbooks.

1.2 Rationale of conducting the study

Conventional storytelling has been a widely implemented approach in teaching and

learning. This is because of it is proven worthy as a teaching tool in encouraging
students to learn English. Furthermore, students have been introduced to technology
since young, making it more relevant to incorporate digital elements into their
learning process. As the young generation is labelled as “Digital natives” (Prensky,
2001), the application of technology in teaching and learning may give larger impacts
to them. As Tamim et al (2011) posited, the impacts of implementing technology in
the 21st century classroom are not questionable and give dramatic effects.

Thus, teachers should want to consider the use of digital storytelling rather than
the conventional method as an alternative in teaching language. This is very beneficial
as it could be a way for teachers to identify students’ different learning preferences. In
regards to that, this could also be an approach to introduce to the students about
different learning styles and makes them conscious of various media to be
incorporated in their preferred learning method. Hence, this study is conducted to
explore students’ perception on the use of digital and conventional storytelling when
these two approaches are implemented in their classrooms upon learning the English
language.
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1.3 Statement of problem

Digital storytelling is a rare practice by teachers in their teaching and learning of the
English language. Teachers have been claiming that digital storytelling is difficult to
be implemented in their teaching as they are not familiar with the software. The
software is a digital application that helps teachers to create digital materials for
storytelling. This new medium has caused them to spend their time to explore the
application and learn before practising it in their classroom. In regards to the teachers’
challenge, they decided to refuse using the method even though they had been
exposed to the practice of digital storytelling.

In addition, teachers reported that they could not afford to spend much time on
producing materials for digital storytelling. They often took so much time to produce
even one digital storytelling. Teachers are always burdened with loads of clerical
work which makes it impossible for them to spend so much time to learn the skills
and create stories. Furthermore, digital storytelling has no point in being implemented
if it is not efficiently produced. Thus, these reasons forces teachers to refuse digital
storytelling in teaching the English language. Besides, the teachers also reported that
they lack time.

1.4 Purpose of the study

This study aims to explore students’ perception on the use of digital and conventional
storytelling when these two approaches are implemented in their classrooms upon
learning the English language.

1.5 Objective of the study

Based on the purpose above, the objective of the study is to explore students’
perception on the use of digital and conventional storytelling when these two
approaches are implemented in their classrooms upon learning the English language.
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1.6 Research questions

Related to the objectives above, the research questions are as followed:

1. What are students’ perceptions of the conventional storytelling method when it

is implemented in their classrooms upon learning the English language?
2. What are students’ perceptions of the digital storytelling method when it is
implemented in their classrooms upon learning the English language?

1.7 Significance of the study

This study aims to explore students’ perception on the use of digital and conventional
storytelling thus enabling students to compare both approaches and explore the
methods that suits their learning preference the most. Hence, this study will also help
teachers and students aware of the digital storytelling approach in teaching and
learning the English language and help them become better learners.

1.8 Limitation of the study

This study only observes the perception of a group of students in a particular school.
Therefore, the responses might not resonate with other students, if this study applied
on another group. This could happen depending on the factor of different teachers’
teaching skills and students’ English proficiency. Furthermore, this study is also
limited as teaching facilities in school are lacking in terms of LCD, PC or laptop and
electricity which affects the conduct of digital storytelling.

Other than that, the results gained later are not comparable with the other studies
conducted using the digital storytelling. This is because the actual digital storytelling
involves the students in creating their personal stories using the digital instruments.
They will get the opportunity to experience using the media to produce the stories. As
compared to this study, the teachers are taking control of the digital instruments to
show the stories to the students. This is due to limited computers provided in the
computer laboratory. If the teachers want the students to create their own digital
storytelling, it will consume more time since the students have to take turn to use the
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computers. In addition, if they are recommended to do it using their own computers at

home, it will be unfair seems not all of the students have it.

CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

In this literature review, the focus is on explaining why language learning approaches
need to be introduced, what are the benefits of using storytelling and digital
storytelling as well as what are the characteristics of a good story. These previous
scholars’ thoughts and previous studies’ results are useful as they guide the researcher
in synthesizing the ideas with the outcomes that they will receive later from the study.
It is also useful in informing the teachers of the advantages that they can get when
applying conventional storytelling and digital storytelling in their teaching and
learning.

2.1 Language learning approaches

Language learning approach is defined as actions and / or plans taken by the learners
to enhance their language learning (Mohamed Amin Embi & Mohd Zaki Mohd
Amin, 2010). Meanwhile, Oxford (2003) explains language
learning approach as specific behaviour or thought process applied by
the learners to improve their learning of another language. It is also
described as an alternative that the learners take to cater their problems
while learning the target language (Rubin, 2013). These learning
approaches are important to be introduced as they help the pupils to
develop their competence of the target language. This is because
when the learners are aware of the approaches used, they become
useful tools for the language learners to use efficaciously.
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Different students prefer different learning approaches (Wong & Nunan, 20l3. As
they go through the learning process, they choose the approaches
that they think suit them the best. Sometimes, they are not even
conscious that those approaches help them to learn. When they keep on
practicing the approaches, they become natural and automatic. In some occurrence,
students themselves are unaware that the approaches they have been implementing are
appropriate or not (Wong & Nunan, 2013).

Therefore, at some point it is crucial for teachers to introduce students with dif
ferent learning approaches in order to expose them to the pupils. The application of
learning approaches by teacher in class should depend if they meet the students’
needs: if it does, then only teachers could apply them in teaching and learning
(Gibbons, 2002). This will also benefit the teachers as they got to know the students’
preferences based on the feedbacks given by the students (Moon, 2005).

2.2 The effects of using conventional storytelling

Conventional storytelling is one of the widespread approaches to teaching English as

a second language due to its advantages. Takumi Uchiyama came up with two modes
of conventional storytelling commonly used; Character Imagery (CI) and Simple
Reading (SR). Both story modes showed a significant increase in pre-to-post test
results from the approaches used. It showed that both SR and CI helped the students
initially learn the vocabulary. CI has been found to help students improve their
understanding and vocabulary, while SR has been found to help students develop their
English skills. Ellisavet Chlapana and Eufimia Tafa (2014) also derived similar results
in their study. Even though they applied different instruction techniques to tell the
stories which were ‘interactive instruction’ and ‘direct instruction’, the results still
showed positive improvement in the participants’ vocabulary learning when tested.

Positive effect of applying storytelling was also discovered by Hilal Inal

and Abdulkadir Cakir (2014). In addition, storytelling was also found to enable
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students through appropriate stories to learn about other cultures, people, places and
universal life.

Johnson (2005) also emphasized about the efficiency of applying conventional

storytelling especially in language learning. Tan Kok Eng & Parimala
Chandrasekaran (2014) supported the findings as it enables students to listen to the
words and make sense of the meaning through the stimulus provided by the teacher,
thus encouraging active listening. This happens as the students are able to predict
them through the plot of the story as well as other stimulus such as pictures, gestures
and intonation used while the storytelling takes place. This is also supported by
Hassan Soleimani and Mahkamah Akbari (2013) as they stated that the students are
able to comprehend the story even though the meanings of the words are not known.

In addition, choosing the right kind of stories can also influence the vocabul
ary learning of the pupils. The stories used during the storytelling session must be
short and simple in order to achieve the goal, which is definitely not a long novel, a
complex drama or even a complicated poetry. This was highlighted by Lau (2002)
where short and simple stories make it easy for the pupils to stay focus as it was
understandable. Loukina (2006) also underlined this idea from the perspective of the
pupils’ cognitive abilities. Appropriate stories selected make it attractive for pupils
and can be an effective tool for learning vocabulary.

In the previous research, it was found that conventional storytelling helps stay
focused in the lesson. As the students are concentrating, they are also allowing more
language uptake to happen (Walker, 2001). Moreover, conventional storytelling
allows students to engage in the process of learning. This is the most critical learning
criterion that the other approaches may have difficulty to earn (Rossiter, 2002). It
enables students to listen for information delivered through the stories and be
immersed in the content (Abrahamson, 1998; Morgn & Dennehy, 1997).
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It is also believed that storytelling helps pupils increase their imaginations.

This is because it involves some creative works that allow the pupils to discover new
experience (Harmer, 2007). At the same time, this approach indirectly contributes to
the pupils’s greater motivation to keep on learning the language that is unfamiliar to
them (Tarakçıoğlu & Tunçarslan, 2014) and thus makes the lesson an enjoyable
learning process (Damar, 2009). This is also found in the study conducted by Nguyen,
Stanley & Stanley (2014) when they stated that the use of storytelling helps to
increase the participants’ learning interest which later allowed them to get engaged to
use the target language.

Meanwhile, the study by Elaf S. Abdulla (2012) showed that there no

obvious results showing significant difference between the two groups that he tested
in using storytelling as a mean of vocabulary learning. As suggested by Tan and
Parimala Chandrasekaran (2014), contextualized storytelling would be meaningful to
the pupils as it assists their comprehension of the unfamiliar words as they could
search for contextual clues to aid in understanding.

Not just that, Thou and Wenli (2012) also emphasized the benefits of using
storytelling in studying second languages. The results showed from their research that
the students were able to develop their language skills as they interacted in the target
language. It helped indirectly improve the interaction in the classroom between the
students and the students as well as the students and teachers because they shared
their views and experiences. Storytelling enables two-way communication between
the teacher and students as it allows the listeners to respond to what they had listened
to in the face-to-face process (Heathfield, 2015). In addition, when the
communication takes place, it provides room for the students to gradually improve
their comprehension of the stories told (Thou & Wenli, 2012).

Storytelling has also been shown to enable teachers to create a stress-free e

nvironment in the classroom. This was mentioned by Hemenover (2003) in the study
he conducted that the students’ psychological stress were reduced when the students
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started to share their personal stories that were related. They started building their
trust and believed they were safe in the environment. Heathfield (2015) also pointed
out that for the beginning learners, the teachers may allow the students to code-switch
or code-mix in their storytelling as to make sure that this stress-free environment can
be maintained.

The students are also exposed to various cultures and environments by

listening to the stories. This happened as the authors of the storybooks presented to
the readers with cultural information through the settings of the stories told (Ellis &
Brewster, 2014). It was also revealed sometimes through the pictures provided by the
authors in the storybooks. Through this sharing of information regarding different
cultures, it allows the students to be aware of the cultural diversity and identity
(Baldasaro, Maldonado & Baltes, 2014).

Conventional storytelling can also be used throughout the curriculum if it

gives teachers the opportunity to integrate the stories with different topics learned in
school. This is suggested by Ellis and Brewster (2014) when they explained that the
stories told by the teachers may involve other subjects like science and geography,
thus expanding students’ knowledge about other aspects. As the example given, the
students may be able to learn about the different places in different countries. This
would make it easier for them to learn the world map if the teachers used it to explain
the various places learned from the stories. Ellis and Brewster (2014) proposed that
this cross-curricular link also can be an effective medium for the students to learn new
terms, for instance in science subject, in the target language as they listened to the
stories and acquire more vocabulary in the process of learning.

2.3 The characteristics of a good story

There is some guidance given by the previous scholars for the teachers to choose the
stories to be used. Fog et al (2010) claimed that four features which are messages,
conflicts, characters and plot are important in determining whether a story is good or
not. It must be clear and understandable the message the author is trying to convey to
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the readers or listeners. This is to ensure that the moral value highlighted in the story
can be delivered to the end well. On the other hand, conflicts are essential to describe
the motion of the story as said by Fog et al (2010). The motion plays a role in
addressing the readers or listeners’ emotions and feelings that are involved.
Characters in the story should also have determining features that will clearly
accentuate who they are (Fog et al, 2010). In which characters can easily be identified
throughout the stories, it should be clearly stated. Also, plot plays a vital role in
making sure of the story arrangements and coherence (Fog et al, 2010).
The conveyed story can not be understood without a good plot, and some part of the
storyline may be missing or left out.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the details of the research are discussed which include the research
design, the participants, the instrument used to collect the data as well as the
procedure of how the data are collected.

3.1 Research design

This study was carried out using a survey design. Fink (2009) proposed that it started
to aid the researcher in discovering the target responses which are the students'
perceptions on the use of digital storytelling as well as the conventional storytelling
approaches in learning the English language.
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3.2 Participants

The participants involved in this research were taken from one of the Chinese
National-Type Schools in Sentul – Sentul Zone, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala
Lumpur. They were selected by a systematic random sampling. This method was
chosen because Fink (2009) stated that it could serve as a guidance for the researcher
to pick a number of students from different classes in participate in the research.
Students from number 1 to 10 were selected to join this research from the name list
provided by the class teachers. Since there are four Year 4 classes, there have been a
total of 50 participating students.

Year 4 was selected instead of choosing the students from other years because the
students were already exposed to short stories that were introduced in their syllabus.
The short stories are one of the language art elements that was included in the new
curriculum after the previous curriculum, which was Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah
Rendah (KBSR), was restructured and improved by the Ministry of Education in
2012. In the revised curriculum introduced which is Kurikulum Standard Sekolah
Rendah (KSSR), the element of arts was integrated which allow the students to learn
languages from variety of resources such as poems, songs, graphic novels and short
stories.

3.3 Instrument

The instrument used to collect the data from the students was questionnaire. The items
of the questionnaire were inspired from a study conducted by Nguyen, Stanley &
Stanley in 2014. This study was selected because it focused on the same area that the
researcher was about to conduct in this research, which is implementing storytelling
in teaching a second language.
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3.4 Story selection

In this research, there were two different stories were used. The stories were selected
based on a few criteria. First, the stories should convey the moral values listed in the
syllabus of the curriculum. Second, to ensure that they are not too difficult to
understand, the language used in the stories must be compatible with the knowledge
and skill level of the students. Hard stories can cause students to lose their attention as
they listen to the stories. Third, the stories used are not familiar to the students. They
have to be something different and stimulating to make sure students are able to give
their concentrations as they are not familiar with the stories.

3.5 Data collection procedure

This study will be conducted within two weeks. First of all, the teacher will carry out
the lessons with the use of the conventional storytelling. One story will be told to the
students. At the end of the week, the questionnaires will be distributed to the students
for the students to give their responses. Later in the second week, the teacher will tell
the students another story but in the digital form. Towards the end of the week, the
questionnaires will be distributed again for the students to give responses.

For conventional and digital storytelling, the questionnaires will distribute

separately to prevent the students from becoming confused.
In addition, collecting responses as soon as one approach has been implemented helps
the researcher to obtain meaningful data as the ideas are still fresh in the minds of the
students.