Using digital stories during COVID-19 to enhance early-grade learners' language skills

Abstract

Language is something that a child learns from their environment. English, a global language, has become a popular demand in many countries, including Nepal. With a strong belief that children learn when actively engaged in the learning process, this study aims to enable early-grade learners to develop their language skills by emphasizing English speaking and listening skills. The question guides this research- how can digital storytelling pedagogy help to enhance early-grade learners' English language skills? Using action research, this study includes fifteen upper kindergarten learners and three parents as participants in two weeks’ virtual classroom settings. Data were collected through observation, field notes, interviews, and questionnaires. Significant findings show that digital storytelling pedagogy is effective in developing the language skills of early learners as it creates an environment where they can watch, listen, interact and communicate more. With exposure to new vocabularies through storytelling and in the meaning-making of the same, they became more acquainted with English and Nepali languages. Gestures and non-verbal communication were added advantages of digital stories.