Annotated bibliography of research on teaching learning stories in young learner classrooms

Teaching and Learning Through Using Stories in the Young Learner Classroom - Annotated Bibliography

In my research paper, I intend to analyse the methodologies and implications of using stories as a vital tool for young learners in a class room. To support my study, I have studied five papers that are either from a book or from a journal. The first and the fourth paper summarized here talks about how stories can help in increasing the vocabulary of children. Stories are described as a means to sustain brain activity in young people. The second paper by Husbands and Pearce talks about the need to have a multi-pronged teaching strategy to have an inclusive learning environment. Their article supports the need of story-telling as part of the strategy. The third paper ideates the need of creating a syllabus parallel to the contemporary one with main focus on story-telling. The final article analysed here, by Prace, studies the advantage of having stories as part of classroom activity, especially in foreign-language sessions. The paper studies the psychological reasons involved in helping young children actively learn via stories the other methods. All the five articles discussed here were found to be of great use in consideration for the detailed dissertation study and the same has been mentioned under each of the topics.

ii. Tarakcioglu, A. O. & Tuncarslan, H. K., 2014. The effect of short stories on teaching vocabulary to very young learners (aged 3-4-year): A suggested common syllabus. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, pp. 67-84.

This research work concentrates on examining whether pre-schoolers are able to successfully learn English through short stories. Authors formulated and administered pre-tests and post-examinations, with permanence observations conducted following research completion to ascertain students' recall rates. Outcomes revealed that experimental group students were able to recall more vocabulary terms compared to others, as they were taught through an entertaining, meaningful approach that utilized short stories.

As kids are intrinsically inquisitive and enjoy applying their imagination and discovering new things, they display high involvement in puzzles, physical activities, songs, games and building things. Stories, tongue-twisters, and riddles effectively draw kids' attention as well as make learning a fun experience. While the significance of English language learning for pre-schoolers has been established, the Republic of Turkey has no definite syllabus/curriculum in this regard. Thus, the authors designed a sample curriculum, aiming to ascertain if short stories could be used to effectively teach pre-schoolers English. Their curriculum has been based primarily on short stories, as this medium has been widely accepted and implemented across the globe as a key learning instrument for English-as-Second-Language students. Second language teachers should utilize short stories to encourage their students to apply their prior learning and experiences; in doing so, the process of learning will include more meaning and be a more productive activity for students.

With regard to language acquisition, short stories help children acquire language skills as well as expand their vocabulary, as they are able to hear a number of new words upon listening to the stories' vocabulary items. Consequently, one may safely state that short story usage in second language classrooms contributes greatly to the process of learning. This research work's findings indicate that, since pre-schoolers are inquisitive, egocentric and spirited, their preferences and requirements must be considered when ascertaining, planning and implementing teaching materials and schoolroom activities. Short stories may be meaningful as well as enjoyable for pre-schoolers and will prove highly valuable for inquisitive as well as self-absorbed children. Moreover, according to this research, short stories in the form of a schoolroom teaching material proves easy for foreign-language kids to follow plotlines. Educators may make use of short stories in language practice, improvement of aesthetic appreciation and reading skills comprehension in second language classrooms. Such tales and associated activities are a highly valuable and efficient means to teach vocabulary to pre-schoolers.

On the whole, this article will aid the dissertation as it claims short story-centred syllabi and activities endeavour to deal with students' needs, interests and grades in the process of second language learning. Because of such a curriculum, students will be more inspired, committed and engaged in learning English, and actively participate in the learning environment. Thus, it constitutes a great means to teach pre-schoolers English.

iii. Husbands, C. & Pearce, J., 2012. What makes great pedagogy?. National College of School Leadership.

Literature, on the whole, does not focus much on the subject of what effective teaching entails; that is, how an effective educator must behave and act and how he/she must facilitate good learning. This article's author uses research literature for presenting sound arguments regarding highly effective instruction's characteristics, including using 'stories' as a tool to help learners with new fields of study. Sound proof exists of effective instruction resulting from seriously considering students' voice. The journal has been cited in (Grigg, 2016).

Educators must not only hear students out, but also "consult" them regarding the teaching-learning process. Recent researches have increasingly focused on student consultation related benefits and problems. Student involvement in academic decision-making, as well as paying serious attention to their learning experiences are important preliminary steps in advancing the educational field. Not many teachers see that envisioned outcomes are limited to students' examination success. Although success in exams is salient and must not be overlooked, it should also not be considered the core of education. The authors of this study raise the questions of whether exams adequately indicate continuous understanding and capacity in key academic areas, whether they result in personal wellbeing and fulfilment, and whether they play a part in the country's economic prosperity, and improved inclusion and social justice. These questions reflect the more general and key outcomes of good instruction.

Montgomery stresses the significance of a holistic strategic student learning approach for ensuring students concentrate on the learning activities (e.g. learning through stories) that they will engage in and the way to go about them. Much educator efficiency connected literature emphasizes individual lesson planning and teaching, reflected by the nation's literacy strategy and other policy interventions as well as by Ofsted inspection and assumptions. Lesson quality is certainly of import; however, this doesn't essentially imply that sound instruction develops from a series of independently good lessons. Research highlights a central issue of considerable progression and result linked issues between understanding and other short-run cognitive outcomes and the longer term academic objectives. This sort of thinking offers a basis to choose and position individual lessons within the overall context of students' learning progress. Effective instruction offers a way to consider longer-run perceptions of learning, idea re-examination and reinforcement, linking novel content's presentation to that in which comprehension is already fairly guaranteed and linking information acquisition and grasp to relevant skills. This approach will more likely offer coherence to educators and students, and guarantee enduring learner progress.

According to Husbands and Pearce's article, learning-teaching interdependence and its impact on student success make it difficult to foresee a student's learning ability beforehand. Rather, students learn because of community relationships, expressed via the values of trust, co-agency, etc. Hence, the research will contribute to the dissertation.

iv. Loukia, N., 2006. Teaching Young Leaders through Stories - The Development of a Handy Parallel Syllabus. The Reading Matrix, pp. 25-40.

Loukia's paper is founded on the belief that stories are not just for children's bedtime, but can be made their treasure during school hours as well. A story-centred syllabus is created, aiming to address potential issues. The underlying theory is provided for explaining content and framework choice. Further, this essay methodically offers seven teaching sessions in the framework, together with an alternate evaluation for one of them. The journal has been referenced in (Handoyo Puji, 2016).

Language isn't graded or chosen for the author's syllabi or stories, but is used from that typically seen in a majority of beginner syllabi. Individual stories achieve distinct objectives in the parallel program based on language features, subject matter, and activities. It is necessary for the parallel and main syllabi to run together, as the former supplements the latter. Thus, stories are fairly fixed in the main curriculum, with their position defined by language, strategy and skill development during the time individual stories are taught. As pupils are new to the story-based teaching program (young learners are new to the learning process in general), they were not required to exert extensive efforts towards new structure and language acquisition. Concentrating on more 'original' language components via the stories would be more beneficial. The author's story-centred system of teaching shows pupils how an already learnt language is applied in an alternate context. The aim is development of a productive learning atmosphere which contributes to overall student personality development.

According to the author, young learners must develop more positive attitudes towards learning their second language because stories are unforgettable, language repetition occurs, and this mode of study encourages pupil participation. Pattern recycling facilitates student prediction of what follows in the tale, simultaneously exercising their imagination. Further, illustrations are linked closely to the tale's text, enhancing learner understanding. Illustrations also help infer word meanings, and their simple shapes, colours and figures act as guides to key text points, whilst being easy to copy; thus, numerous creative activities may be fitted into the framework. Lastly, stories motivate students, making them curious about the language and the culture of its native speakers. Spot's tales' popularity in Greece suggests some kids may have heard or read those tales in Greek, which was why they were chosen for the framework: it is welcoming to make such linkages, and young students discover the similarities between their own culture and that of native English speakers. From the above points, clearly, this article will assist dissertation writing.

v. Panteiva, K., 2015. Adapting Stories for Teaching English to Young Learners: A Brain-Friendly Learning Perspective. International Journal of Education and Social Science, pp. 28-34.

This research work aims at explaining how stories must be adapted to teach young students English; particular emphasis is given to brain-friendly teaching/learning. Study findings reveal that experimental group pupils exhibited better knowledge of the language compared to control group pupils. Thus, adapted stories positively affect student proficiency. It is an established fact that young children are quicker at learning languages, compared to adults. They acquire, rather than simply learn, foreign languages. Their focus is not grammar structures and vocabulary for later use. Hence, this learner group requires a unique teaching approach. Reading passages of content isn't exactly the right way to go about teaching young kids; reading stories is.

This journal article will definitely help with the dissertation. A number of educators are now including reading adapted or authentic versions of tales to their pupils. But, the latter won't always be comprehensible to young children and they may fail to fully understand the original text. Simplified, adapted stories have great teaching effectiveness in foreign language classes based on how they are adapted.

vi. Prace, B., 2006. Using Stories in Teaching English. University of Berne.

Through this paper, Prace addresses the need to listen to, read and create stories in foreign language classrooms. Stories guide people throughout life: as kids, we hear fairy tales and bedtime stories. With age, stories are seen unfolding on TV or heard on the radio. School students are required to create stories as part of learning. In adulthood, we listen to songs that have powerful stories inherent in them, read real-life magazine stories or fiction books, and watch movies or TV soaps. Stories are central to learning native as well as foreign languages. Hence, they must be included in English language instruction at the earliest possible opportunity. The journals has found reference in (Nia, Ghaemi, & Afraz, 2013).

Primary school-goers enjoy repeatedly hearing stories and such repetition aids specific language component acquisition and overt reinforcement. Writers also tend to naturally repeat structures and important vocabulary terms, which assists children in remembering details and anticipating the next event in the tale. Further, repetition promotes student participation in class. Stories motivate, challenge and bring great fun to the learning process. They facilitate the development of positive attitudes toward language learning, foreign languages and their cultures. Through stories, educators can revise already-learned sentence structures and vocabulary with kids, and teach them new ones by exposing them to the language in diverse, impressive and known contexts, enriching children's thinking and slowly entering their speech. Story-telling/hearing is a shared social experience, stimulating collective anticipation, excitement, laughter, and sadness, which makes for an enjoyable experience, boosts children's confidence and encourages emotional and social growth. Stories form a valuable instrument in connecting imagination and fantasy to the real world of children, and enable them to understand their usual life and link their school life to life at home.

The paper's author states that according to psychologists, kids need to grow up with stories, fairy tales and legends. These form a central part of their intellectual growth, eliciting fantasy and answering key questions in the child's life. They form effective and meaningful socialization items. Legends and myths help children develop ideals and their own idea of the world's purpose and origin. Meanwhile, fairy tales, with their "happy ever after" endings, are an expression of their inner intensity, unconsciously comprehended and offering diverse problem solving possibilities. Ultimately, good people are awarded for their valour, good character, determination, etc., while the bad ones are punished. Overt polarization between the "bad" and the "good" makes diverse scenarios clear and comprehensible. Fairy tales use typical characters rather than unique ones, making identification easier. Children identify with storybook heroes because of how they reward children rather than because of their "goodness." Further, if heroes are "good," child readers wish to become "good" too. Youngsters have the greatest language acquisition potential, owing to the sound memory and time at their disposal, in addition to their ability to converse about abstract subjects with their peers. However, student experiences and thoughts differ from those of adults. Thus, educators have to relate the language teaching process much closer to the everyday interests of students and urge them to react to scenarios and texts using their personal experiences and thoughts, instead of engaging in abstract learning and answering questions. To some extent, youngsters directly tackle learning issues and demand for constructive feedback with regard to everything they do.

Teaching them is rather tricky and, at times, hopeless too. They get bored easily and do not find much motivation from schoolwork, making the task of motivating them hard. They also pose discipline issues and are sensitive when it comes to personal identity, which must be created and maintained before peers. Moreover, youngsters value friendship and love, and dislike losing face before peers. Approval from peer is much more vital to students than their teachers' praise and attention.

This paper by Prace will contribute to the dissertation topic as it indicates that stories form the ideal language learning tool, by guiding people, especially young children, through life. Therefore, the acquisition of native as well as foreign languages by means of short stories may make the efforts of students more unforgettable, interesting, and fun. Young children possess the amazing capacity of absorbing languages if they are exposed to them via activities that are fun and familiar. Foreign language instruction based on storytelling is precisely the activity that may be characterized as both fun and familiar. Stories aren't only for kids, but all age groups. They draw children to them, owing to the fact that they offer challenging topics that are grounded in the everyday interests of children. Moreover, they offer vast scope for inventiveness and imagination. Short stories can link the English subject to the remaining curricular subjects. They also teach kids to think. Every structure, skill, and function can be taught to children through short stories. Lastly, short stories also help develop young learners' creativity, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

References

Grigg, R. (2016). Big Ideas in Education. Crown House Publishing.

Handoyo Puji, W. (2016). Engaging young learners of English in a genre-based digital storytelling project.

Nia, Y., Ghaemi, H., & Afraz, S. (2013). The Effect of Mixed-Up Stories on Vocabulary Learning and Retention of EFL Learners. Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, 111.