LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 13 : 2 February 2013
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Storytelling and Reading Comprehension: A Case Study

Rahmatollah Soltani
Sama Technical and Vocational Training College, Islamic Azad University,
Mahshahr Branch, Mahshahr, Iran

Abstract

The current study aimed at investigating the effect of storytelling on the development of Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension. Accordingly, sixty out of one hundred and thirty EFL learners based on their scores in the proficiency test were selected as the subject of this study and randomly classified into experimental and control group. Each group in each level consisted of thirty learners. All the conditions especially teaching materials were kept equal and fixed at each level, except for the EG the subjects reading was thought through story telling. At the end of the experiment both groups, experimental and control, were given a reading comprehension posttest. The post scores of both groups in were compared using a t-test to discover if there was any significant difference in reading comprehension between two groups. The results of the study showed that due to story telling a significant difference was found in reading comprehension development between the experimental and control groups at the level of .05.

Introduction

One of the major problems of Iranian learners in learning a foreign language is their low reading comprehension. The main reason behind this shortcoming is that they have not been taught how they should read. When they are required to read a text they kill the time and stick to the word by word translation and they miss the comprehension of the whole text. Mostly, they focus on structure and the meaning of the words. When they are asked to answer comprehension question they have to return to the text, read it again and then answer the question. In paraphrasing the text, they just memorize a text or are unable to do the task. Story telling is one of the most studied formats for increasing reading comprehension ability among learners.. When a story is read, the primary reference for the communication event is the text, as fixed upon the page. In a storytelling event, the words are not memorized, but are recreated through spontaneous, energetic performance, assisted by audience participation and interaction. In the oral tradition, storytelling includes the teller and the audience. The storyteller creates the experience, while the audience perceives the message and creates personal mental images from the words heard and the gestures seen. Storytelling is increasingly recognized as having important theoretical and practical implications (Kim, 1999). Storytelling serves many purposes including increased vocabulary and concentration. Malo and Bullard (2000) said that storytelling might be more powerful than other mediums at developing skills that prepare children for reading.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Rahmatollah Soltani
Sama Technical and Vocational Training College, Islamic Azad University,
Mahshahr Branch, Mahshahr, Iran
Rahmatsoltani87@yahoo.com
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