The Effect of Storytelling Through Craft Activities on Reading, Writing and Reading Fluency in Students with Learning Difficulties

Abstract

In today's information-driven era, proficiency in literacy skills, notably reading and writing, is of utmost importance. These skills are integral to academic achievement and social interaction, particularly for students in their school years. The objective of this research is to investigate the effect of incorporating storytelling into craft activities on the improvement of reading, writing, and reading fluency among students who are academically challenged and face difficulties with these fundamental literacy skills. The study focused on five underperforming students in the lower grades of an elementary school who attend a C Local Children's Center in D county, Jeollanam-do. The study's purpose was communicated to the head of the center, and a notice was posted at the center to proceed with the activities, subject to the consent of the interested students and their parents. Ultimately, five students were selected based on the specified criteria and participated in the study. In order to ascertain the efficacy of the program, standardized assessments were employed, notably the Korea Test of Literacy Diagnosis, through which both pre-tests and post-tests were conducted. In addition, the homogeneity of the student cohort was evaluated using the Korean adaptation of the Korean-Colored Progressive Matrices, a standardized measure for assessing cognitive abilities. In the 'Storytelling in Craft Activity' program, a total of eight sessions of intervention were conducted for 80 minutes per week, excluding the initial and final assessments. As a result, all participating students demonstrated positive improvements in reading, writing and reading fluency. In the concluding phase of the program, these outcomes were observed. Participants engaged in narrative-based exercises, wherein they cataloged key terms associated with prompts such as bamboo, bicycle, and lighting. Moreover, they partook in a sequential word reading task and transcribed reflections onto 'wish notes'. Furthermore, the activity of examining and reflecting on the completed projects of both oneself and one's peers, and then expressing their observations through writing and drawing, was found to be effective. In subsequent studies, it is essential to expand both the participant pool and the number of intervention sessions, focusing on underperforming students in both lower and upper grades. Additionally, the research should include broader literacy skills as intervention goals, alongside investigating the impacts on reading, writing and reading fluency. In this study, Storytelling in craft activities increased the concentration and interest of underachiever students, which was shown to increase interest in learning. This suggests that it is effective in reading, writing, and reading fluency.