The Use of Children’s Short Stories to Enhance Reading Comprehension of KG Two(2) Learners in Korle-Gonno Cluster of Schools
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is to investigate how the use of children’s short stories can enhance the reading comprehension skills of KG2 learners in the Korle-Gonno cluster of schools. Specifically, the study seeks to:
- Assess the current level of reading comprehension among KG2 learners in the Korle-Gonno cluster of schools.
- Explore the effectiveness of using children’s short stories in teaching reading comprehension in KG2 classrooms.
- Examine the challenges teachers face in implementing story-based reading strategies in early childhood classrooms.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Conceptual Framework
Concept of Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension refers to a reader’s ability to derive meaning from written text, involving not only decoding symbols but also connecting them with prior knowledge and contextual understanding. It is not a passive reception of information but an active, cognitive engagement with content. Fundamentally, it requires the reader to understand, interpret, and reflect upon text in a coherent manner. As Grabe and Stoller (2023) emphasise, comprehension entails constructing meaning by integrating text with one’s knowledge, experiences, and interpretive strategies.
Scholars have provided varied definitions of reading comprehension. Bojovic (2022) describes it as the dynamic interaction between the reader and the text, underpinned by both linguistic competence and strategic thinking. Similarly, Pearson and Johnson (2020) assert that reading comprehension is a complex cognitive process requiring decoding and inference-making to extract meaning. Cline, Johnstone, and King (2022) extend this definition by stating that comprehension must be flexible and responsive to different text types, genres, and purposes, especially in early education where foundational skills are formed.
Key skills associated with reading comprehension include vocabulary acquisition, identifying main ideas, summarising, making inferences, and recognising text structure. According to Hasbaini and Manan (2021), comprehension improves significantly when learners are guided to use strategies such as predicting, questioning, and clarifying. Sundari (2020) also notes that short stories can effectively reinforce these skills in young learners due to their narrative structure and moral clarity, which aid interpretation. The development of such skills in early learners sets the stage for long-term academic success.
Despite its strengths, reading comprehension as a concept has notable limitations. One critique is its heavy reliance on prior knowledge and cultural context, which can lead to disparities among learners from diverse backgrounds (Ansyari, 2021). Additionally, comprehension is difficult to measure accurately, as standardised assessments may not capture individual reasoning or interpretive nuances (Creswell, 2022). As such, the effectiveness of reading instruction may be limited by how well teaching methods accommodate diverse learners’ experiences and thinking patterns.
Nonetheless, reading comprehension remains central to early childhood literacy. Using age-appropriate short stories fosters a positive reading environment and enhances cognitive and emotional engagement with texts. Handayani (2023) found that short stories improve comprehension by offering relatable themes and clear narrative flow. Palletier and Beatty (2023) further argue that storytelling nurtures empathy and theory of mind, essential for deeper comprehension. Thus, integrating short stories into instruction not only builds literacy but also promotes holistic development in young readers.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
In this study, a cross-sectional and quantitative survey research design was adopted to explore the use of children’s short stories to enhance the reading comprehension of KG 2 learners in the Korle-Gonno Cluster of Schools. According to Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill (2019), a quantitative research design is appropriate when the goal is to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or other defined variables. This design allows researchers to collect numerical data that can be transformed into usable statistics, enabling the identification of relationships between the independent variable (use of children’s short stories) and the dependent variable (reading comprehension skills of KG 2 learners).
A quantitative design was chosen for this study because it aligns with the research objectives of measuring the effectiveness of children’s short stories in improving reading comprehension. By utilizing a survey design, the study aimed to collect data from a large sample of KG 2 learners, providing a broad and representative view of how short stories influence their comprehension skills. The results could then be generalized to the larger population of KG 2 learners in the Korle-Gonno Cluster of Schools.
Study Settings
The study was conducted within the Korle-Gonno Cluster of Schools, located in the central region of Accra, Ghana. This geographical setting was chosen for its educational diversity, with both urban and peri-urban schools included in the cluster. The Korle-Gonno Cluster offers a wide range of educational environments, from schools with abundant resources to those with more limited access, making it an ideal setting to investigate how short stories can be used to enhance reading comprehension across different educational contexts.
The diverse setting allowed the study to explore the potential influence of children’s short stories in varied school environments. Additionally, the selection of the Korle-Gonno Cluster enabled the study to focus on the specific context of KG 2 learners, which is the target age group for the research, ensuring that the findings would be directly applicable to this age group in the cluster.
Population of the Study
The population for this study consisted of KG 2 learners (children aged 5-6 years) attending schools within the Korle-Gonno Cluster. The total population of KG 2 learners in the selected schools was estimated to be around 2,000 students. The justification for selecting this population stems from the fact that the study seeks to investigate the impact of short stories on the reading comprehension of children within this specific age group.
KG 2 learners are at a crucial stage in their literacy development, where exposure to reading materials such as short stories can significantly impact their reading comprehension abilities. By focusing on this population, the study aimed to provide relevant insights into how early exposure to literature can influence the reading skills of young learners, particularly in a Ghanaian context.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Data Presentation
Demographic Information of Respondents
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of Findings
This study sought to investigate the effects of using children’s short stories on the reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition of KG2 learners, as well as to examine the challenges faced by teachers in implementing story-based instructional strategies in early childhood classrooms. The study generated significant insights into the influence of short stories on learner outcomes and highlighted critical issues confronting educators in this domain.
First and foremost, the findings demonstrate that exposure to children’s short stories significantly improves the reading comprehension levels of KG2 learners. The data analysis clearly showed a meaningful difference in comprehension performance between learners who were engaged with short stories and the baseline or expected levels without such exposure. This improvement suggests that short stories serve as effective instructional materials that support young learners in understanding text meaning, narrative structures, and language use in context. The stories’ engaging and relatable content helps learners connect with the reading material, making comprehension a more accessible and enjoyable task.
Additionally, the improvement in reading comprehension reflects the multifaceted nature of short stories, which combine narrative elements, vocabulary, and context to scaffold learner understanding. This scaffolding effect is particularly valuable for young children who are still developing foundational literacy skills. By encountering language within a meaningful story framework, learners can better infer meaning, predict outcomes, and integrate new information, all of which are critical components of comprehension development. The findings indicate that short stories not only serve as reading texts but also as cognitive tools that promote higher-order thinking skills necessary for comprehension.
Secondly, the study revealed that the use of children’s short stories significantly enhances vocabulary acquisition among KG2 learners. Vocabulary growth is a crucial aspect of early literacy development, as a rich vocabulary enables learners to decode new words, understand meanings, and engage more deeply with texts. The findings suggest that short stories provide a natural and contextualized environment for vocabulary learning. Unlike isolated word lists or decontextualized drills, short stories offer repeated exposure to new words embedded within meaningful sentences and narratives. This contextualization supports deeper semantic processing and facilitates retention.
The learners’ interaction with new vocabulary within stories also aids in understanding nuances such as word connotations, multiple meanings, and usage in different contexts. This exposure contributes to expanding learners’ active and passive vocabulary, which in turn supports overall reading fluency and comprehension. The study’s results affirm that vocabulary instruction embedded within story-based reading is more effective in building language proficiency than traditional isolated methods. The storytelling format creates an engaging, memorable experience that motivates learners to pay attention and internalize new words, accelerating vocabulary development.
In addition to the positive effects on learners, the study identified significant challenges that teachers face in implementing story-based instructional strategies. The data showed that teachers encounter several obstacles, including difficulties in selecting age-appropriate and culturally relevant short stories, managing limited instructional time, and maintaining learners’ attention during reading sessions. These challenges present substantial barriers to the successful use of short stories in KG2 classrooms.
The selection of appropriate stories emerged as a major challenge because stories must balance engagement and educational value while matching the learners’ language levels and interests. Teachers struggle to find stories that are both accessible and sufficiently rich in content to promote comprehension and vocabulary growth. Moreover, the diversity in learners’ language proficiency and attention spans complicates the teacher’s task, requiring careful adaptation of materials and teaching techniques.
Another notable challenge highlighted is the constraint of instructional time. Teachers reported insufficient time to conduct thorough reading and comprehension activities, limiting opportunities for learners to fully explore and engage with stories. This constraint affects not only comprehension outcomes but also the depth of vocabulary learning, as time pressure reduces chances for repetition, discussion, and reinforcement.
Maintaining the attention of young learners, especially KG2 pupils, during story sessions is also a reported difficulty. Teachers find it challenging to keep learners focused on the text and actively involved in comprehension activities. This challenge is exacerbated by varying learner motivation levels, classroom distractions, and developmental factors such as limited attention spans typical of early childhood.
Furthermore, inadequate teaching materials and resources to support story-based instruction were identified as significant hurdles. Limited access to suitable storybooks, audio-visual aids, and supplementary materials reduces teachers’ ability to implement diverse and engaging story activities. This shortage negatively impacts instructional quality and learner outcomes.
Taken together, these challenges underscore the complexity of integrating story-based strategies into early literacy instruction. They highlight the need for teacher training, curriculum adjustments, and resource provision to maximize the benefits of children’s short stories in KG2 classrooms.
In summary, the study’s findings clearly affirm the positive impact of children’s short stories on enhancing both reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition among KG2 learners. These results underscore the effectiveness of short stories as instructional tools that provide meaningful, contextualized language input, facilitating foundational literacy skills development in early childhood education.
However, the benefits of using short stories are tempered by significant challenges faced by teachers in their practical implementation. These challenges include difficulties in story selection, limited instructional time, learner attention management, and resource inadequacies. Addressing these challenges is critical to ensure that the instructional potential of short stories is fully realized.
Ultimately, the findings suggest a dual approach: promoting the use of children’s short stories as a valuable pedagogical resource for developing reading comprehension and vocabulary while simultaneously enhancing teacher support systems to overcome implementation barriers. This approach will contribute to more effective literacy instruction and better learning outcomes for young learners at the KG2 level.
The study highlights the importance of continued research and policy attention to both instructional strategies and teacher empowerment in early childhood literacy education. It encourages educational stakeholders to prioritize story-based methods within curricula and to invest in teacher development and classroom resources. By doing so, the potential of children’s short stories to improve early reading skills can be harnessed more fully, laying a strong foundation for lifelong literacy and academic success.
Conclusion
The findings from this study clearly indicate that children’s short stories play a significant role in enhancing reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition among KG2 learners. The one-sample t-test results showed a statistically significant improvement in reading comprehension levels when learners were exposed to short stories, rejecting the null hypothesis of no difference. Similarly, vocabulary acquisition was positively impacted by the use of short stories, with results confirming a meaningful enhancement in learners’ word knowledge.
Furthermore, the study revealed that teachers face notable challenges in implementing story-based instructional strategies. These challenges—ranging from difficulties in selecting appropriate stories to limited instructional time and managing learner attention—significantly affect the effective integration of short stories in the classroom. The rejection of the hypothesis that teachers face no significant challenges underscores the need for targeted support and resources for educators.
Recommendations
Based on the findings, the following recommendations were proposed:
- Integrate More Short Stories into KG2 Curriculum: Schools should systematically incorporate children’s short stories into early literacy programs to improve reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition among KG2 learners.
- Provide Professional Development for Teachers: Organize training sessions and workshops to equip teachers with effective strategies for selecting, using, and adapting short stories to suit the learning needs and interests of KG2 learners.
- Increase Availability of Teaching Resources: Educational authorities should ensure that classrooms are well-equipped with a variety of age-appropriate short storybooks and related materials to support effective story-based learning.
- Allocate Adequate Instructional Time: School timetables should allow sufficient time for reading and comprehension activities involving short stories to enable learners to fully engage with and benefit from these texts.
- Develop Learner Engagement Techniques: Teachers should be supported with techniques and tools to maintain KG2 learners’ attention and motivation during story sessions, such as using interactive reading, dramatization, and multimedia aids.
Limitations of the Study
This study faced several limitations that may have influenced its findings. Firstly, the research was confined to KG2 learners and teachers within a specific cluster of schools, which limits the generalizability of the results to other regions or educational levels. Additionally, the reliance on self-reported data from teachers and learners may have introduced response bias, as participants might have overestimated or underestimated their experiences and challenges. Time constraints also restricted the depth of classroom observations and follow-up interviews, which could have provided richer qualitative insights. Furthermore, external factors such as varying teaching methods, learner backgrounds, and resource availability were not controlled, potentially affecting the consistency of the outcomes. Despite these limitations, the study provides valuable insights into the role of short stories in improving reading comprehension among KG2 learners.
Suggestions for Further Studies
For future research, it is suggested that studies expand beyond the KG2 level to include a broader range of early childhood and primary school learners to better understand how short stories influence reading comprehension across different age groups. Further investigations could also incorporate a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data with in-depth qualitative methods such as classroom observations, interviews, and focus groups to capture richer contextual information on teaching practices and learner experiences. Additionally, exploring the impact of various types of short stories, including culturally relevant and multimedia formats, on vocabulary development and comprehension could provide more nuanced insights. Researchers might also consider longitudinal studies to assess the long-term effects of story-based reading interventions on literacy skills. Lastly, future studies could examine the role of teacher training and resource availability in effectively implementing short story strategies, addressing some of the challenges identified in this study.
References
- Ansyari, K. (2021). Teaching English as a foreign language. Alaf Riau Graha Unri Press.
- Bojovic, M. (2022). Reading skills and reading comprehension in English for specific purposes.
- Collie, J., & Slater, S. (2023). Literature in the language classroom (5th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- Cohen, L. (2021). Research methods in education. The Taylor & Francis e-Library.
- Creswell, J. W. (2022). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Pearson.
- Dari, Y. W. (2020). Psychological analysis in John Updike’s Separating. Journal of English Education, Literature and Linguistics, 3(1), 56–65.
- Handayani, M. P. (2023). Using children short stories to enhance students’ reading comprehension. UPI Journal of English and Education, 1(1), 133–141.
- Hasbaini, & Manan, A. (2021). Teaching reading comprehension by using short stories. Journal Name, 8(3), 404–423. (Note: Journal name missing—please add it.)
