'Unfold the story ... touch and feel' : the use of big books for storytelling to enhance the comprehension of English in Year 2

Abstract

The study looked into the implementation of Big Books to enhance English comprehension in Year 2, since this area is of great importance to little children. The study was conducted by giving three storytelling sessions by using no book, using a book with black and white pictures and by using a touch-and-feel Big Book. The study was carried out in state, church and private schools, both in Malta and Gozo. A written activity followed each of the storytelling session. During these storytelling sessions the pupils were observed and the class teachers were interviewed to get their perceptions about the use of storytelling in the classroom. The findings of this study show that the Big Book, being a colourful and attractive resource to young children, enhanced their English comprehension as well as motivated them more during the sessions. Additionally, all the teachers interviewed considered storytelling as an important element in their teaching. The implications of the above findings are discussed with reference to storytelling techniques.