The Use of Short Stories to improve English proficiency in Sixth Graders

Abstract

Existing research suggests that short stories are an engaging and immersive experience that actively stimulates foreign language students' imagination and promotes their interest in language acquisition; they can also foster empathy, critical thinking, and creativity, all of which are essential tools for language development. By bringing short stories into the language classroom, a variety of narratives, characters, and cross-cultural experiences might be met. This research examines English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ improvement and perceptions of the implementation of short stories into their English classes after a six-week period of exposure to it as a teaching-learning strategy. The findings of the investigation showed a slight difference in students’ language improvement after comparing the pre- and post-test results; however, students’ perceptions of the implementation of short stories could bring insights into the English classrooms to enhance students’ language skills, promoting passion for reading, and encouraging critical thinking.