A pedagogy of storytelling: perspectives of primary school teachers in Malta

Abstract

This small scale study investigates how primary school teachers in Malta perceive and make use of storytelling as a pedagogical tool within early primary education. It examines teachers’ understandings of storytelling’s educational value, the extent to which it is integrated in classroom practice and the benefits and challenges associated with its implementation. The research also considers how storytelling aligns with the National Curriculum Framework and Learning Outcomes Framework, and explores the factors that influence teachers’ adoption or resistance to this approach. A small-scale qualitative design was employed, involving five semi-structured interviews with educators from varying school contexts. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that teachers view storytelling as an engaging and meaningful method that enhances language development, creativity, emotional expression and student participation. However, practical constraints, such as limited time, curriculum rigidity and a lack of formal training, restrict its consistent use. The educators also emphasised the cultural and linguistic relevance of storytelling in Malta’s bilingual and increasingly diverse classrooms. This small scale study concludes that storytelling has significant potential to enrich learning experiences, but greater institutional support is needed to strengthen teacher confidence and implementation.