Digital Storytelling to Improve English Narrative Writing Skills

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of digital storytelling on narrative writing skills among less successful using a quasi-experimental design. Amidst the evolving educational landscape shaped by technology, digital storytelling emerges as a powerful method to address challenges faced by struggling learners. The study explored the foundational role of narrative writing in language development, recognizing the multifaceted challenges encountered by less successful young learners. These challenges, including vocabulary limitations, story structural issues, grammatical complexities, and motivation struggles, were addressed through a tailored solution-digital storytelling. The study involved two groups, one receiving a digital storytelling intervention and the other not. Pre and post-tests used standardized rubrics to identify significant differences between the two groups. Convenience sampling selected 30 participants from a Chinese primary school, focusing on less successful young learners with low to low-intermediate English proficiency. Results indicated significant improvements in mastery levels for both genders, supporting the positive impacts of digital storytelling on narrative writing skills. The study contributed insights such as recognising digital storytelling can effectively engage less successful young learners in the narrative writing process. It is beneficial for teachers to harness digital storytelling tools to improve narrative writing skills for less successful young learners.