Picture Book-Based Storytelling to Enhance Literacy Among 5–6-Year-Old Children at RA Nurul Islam

Marlis Simarni (1), Feerlie Mhonthana Indhra (2), Ani Pajrini (3)
(1) Yasni Bungo Islamic University JambiID Indonesia,
(2) Yasni Bungo Islamic University JambiID Indonesia,
(3) Yasni Bungo Islamic University JambiID Indonesia

Abstract

Early childhood literacy skills are an important foundation for learning readiness at the next level of education, but in practice, the literacy skills of children aged 5-6 years still require appropriate, interesting, and developmental stimulation. This research aims to improve the literacy skills of children aged 5-6 years through the application of storytelling based on picture books in the literacy corner of RA Nurul Islam. This study uses the Classroom Action Research approach with stages of planning, action implementation, observation, and reflection which are carried out in several cycles. The subject of the study was the children of group B RA Nurul Islam aged 5–6 years. Data is collected through observation, documentation, and assessment of children's performance based on literacy ability indicators which include listening, answering questions, retelling the content of stories, mentioning characters, getting to know new vocabulary, and recognizing simple letters or symbols. The results of the study show that the application of storytelling based on picture books in literacy corners is able to increase children's involvement in learning and gradually improve their literacy skills. Thus, storytelling based on picture books is effectively used as a learning strategy to improve early childhood literacy skills at RA Nurul Islam

Full text article

Generated from XML file

References

Asung, M. (2026). Literasi Dini sebagai Fondasi Berpikir Simbolik pada Anak Usia 4–6 Tahun. Muara Aksara: Jurnal Ilmiah Multidisipliner, 6(01), 1–9.

Aswita, D., Nurmawati, M. P., Salamia, M. S., Sarah, S., Si, S. P., Saputra, S., … Zulfikar, S. (2022). Pendidikan literasi: Memenuhi kecakapan abad 21. Penerbit K-Media.

Bati?, J. (2019). Reading Picture Books in Preschool and Lower Grades of Primary School. Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal. https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.554

Björk, O. (2025). Towards a multimodal dialogic understanding of early writing development in school. Language and Education, 40, 40–60. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500782.2025.2471506

Bunayyah, S., Setyowati, S., Malaikosa, Y. M. L., Adhe, K., Kristanto, A., & Fitri, R. (2025). Exploring the Influence of Storytelling Activities on the Development of Literacy of Children Aged 5-6 Ye. Journal of Innovation and Research in Primary Education. https://doi.org/10.56916/jirpe.v4i3.1721

Cheng, L. M. Y., Powell, S., & Davis, B. (2025). Critical Multimodal Literacy: An Analysis of Young Children’s Picture Books About Refugees. International Journal of Early Childhood, 57, 875–901. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-025-00423-7

Deliman, A. (2025). From Picturebooks to Play: Dialogic Pedagogy for Cultivating Agency and Social Awareness in Young Learners. Education Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060731

Duthois, T., Montero-Perez, M., Van Avermaet, P., & Vanderlinde, R. (2025). Early childhood education teachers’ professional vision of language-stimulating interactions: a mixed-method mobile eye-tracking study. Teaching and Teacher Education. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2025.105199

Fatimah, A., & Maryani, K. (2018). Visual literasi media pembelajaran buku cerita anak. Jurnal Inovasi Teknologi Pendidikan. https://doi.org/10.21831/jitp.v5i1.16212

Fauziah, K., & Ramadhan, C. S. (2023). Strengthening Early Childhood Literacy Through Storytelling Activities. In Proceeding International Conference of Community Service. https://doi.org/10.18196/iccs.v1i2.167

Fitrawati, H., Asnawati, A., & Pebriani, E. (2023). Improving Children’s Literacy Development Through Puppet Letter Media in Group B. Journal Of Dehasen Educational Review. https://doi.org/10.33258/joder.v4i02.4492

Gbadegesin, M. A., Abioye, J. A. I., Leye-Akinlabi, G., & Olatunji, S. O. (2025). Impact of Picture Books on Reading Comprehension Skills of Preschool Children. Porta Universorum. https://doi.org/10.69760/portuni.0107007

Harefa, S. M., Mustapa, N., Kurniati, E., & Wardhani, W. (2025). The Effect of Reading One Picture Storybook Each Day Children’s Language Skills and Character Growth. Paudia. https://doi.org/10.26877/paudia.v14i4.2268

Jago, L., Monaghan, P., Alcock, K., & Cain, K. (2025). The Effect of Preschool Vocabulary and Grammar on Early Reading Comprehension and Word Reading: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Educational Research Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100680

Kawar, K., Saiegh-Haddad, E., & Armon-Lotem, S. (2023). Text complexity and variety factors in narrative retelling and narrative comprehension among Arabic-speaking preschool children. First Language, 43, 355–379. https://doi.org/10.1177/01427237221149800

Khan, M., Inam, A., & Saif, J. (2022). Effect of Storytelling on Listening Skills and Vocabulary of Preschool Children. Journal of Early Childhood Care and Education (JECCE). https://doi.org/10.30971/jecce.v5i2.1297

Khomsiyatun, U., & Samiaji, M. H. (2022). Inovasi Media Pembelajaran Cerita Bergambar Berorientasi pada Literasi Dasar untuk Meningkatkan Prestasi Belajar Siswa. Jurnal Kependidikan. https://doi.org/10.24090/jk.v10i2.8187

Lenhart, J., Lenhard, W., Vaahtoranta, E., & Suggate, S. (2020). More than words: Narrator engagement during storytelling increases children’s word learning, story comprehension, and on-task behavior. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2019.12.009

Lepola, J., Kajamies, A., Laakkonen, E., & Collins, M. (2023). Opportunities to Talk Matter in Shared Reading: The Mediating Roles of Children’s Engagement and Verbal Participation in Narrative Listening Comprehension. Early Education and Development, 34, 1896–1918. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2023.2188865

Lero, M. V., Laksana, D. N. L., Ita, E., & Ngura, E. T. (2025). Penggunaan Media Buku Cerita Ramah Anak Untuk Meningkatkan Kemampuan Bahasa Lisan Pada Anak PAUD St. Paulus Terpadu Kotakadhe. JUPEIS?: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Ilmu Sosial. https://doi.org/10.57218/jupeis.vol4.iss2.1495

Lindgren, J. (2023). Age and task type effects on comprehension and production of narrative macrostructure: storytelling and retelling by Swedish-speaking children aged 6 and 8. Frontiers in Communication. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1252260

Maureen, I., Van Der Meij, H., & De Jong, T. (2020). Enhancing Storytelling Activities to Support Early (Digital) Literacy Development in Early Childhood Education. International Journal of Early Childhood, 52, 55–76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-020-00263-7

Meningkatkan, U., Membaca, K., Melalui, P., Usia, A., Di, T., An-Nida, R., & Yunita, Z. (2024). Upaya Meningkatkan Kemampuan Membaca Permulaan Melalui Media Audio Visual pada Anak Usia 5-6 Tahun di Ra An-Nida. Khirani: Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini. https://doi.org/10.47861/khirani.v2i3.1188

Nicolopoulou, A., Hale, E., Leech, K., Weinraub, M., & Maurer, G. (2023). Shared Picturebook Reading in a Preschool Class: Promoting Narrative Comprehension Through Inferential Talk and Text Difficulty. Early Childhood Education Journal, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01497-5

Phillips, B., Kim, Y., Lonigan, C., Connor, C., Clancy, J., & Otaiba, S. Al. (2021). Supporting language and literacy development with intensive small-group interventions: An early childhood efficacy study. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2021.05.004

Pinova, A., & Maulana, R. A. (2025). Improving Literacy Skills by Encouraging Children Aged 4-5 Years Old to Read Stories. Paudia. https://doi.org/10.26877/paudia.v14i4.2442

Prasasti, O., Formen, A., & Mulyani, P. K. (2025). Strategies and Approaches to Early Literacy Learning for Early Childhood. Advances In Social Humanities Research. https://doi.org/10.46799/adv.v3i12.527

Pujiati, I., & Suharto, A. W. B. (2022). Early Childhood Literacy Development Through The Baca Corner (Literacy Development at TK Tunas Rimba I Purwokerto). International Proceedings of Nusantara Raya. https://doi.org/10.24090/nuraicon.v1i1.135

Purba, H. H. (2022). Penerapan Metode Bermain Peran Untuk Meningkatkan Perkembangan Sosial Emosional Anak Usia 5-6 Tahun Di Ra Al-Mukhlisin Kec. Medan Denai. Jurnal Raudhah. https://doi.org/10.30829/raudhah.v10i1.1654

Puspitasari, D., Lim, B. V., Evelina, R., & Setia, Y. (2023). The Emergent Literacy Activities Through the Storytelling Method with Flashcard Media for Early Childhood Education. Journal of Digital Learning and Education. https://doi.org/10.52562/jdle.v3i1.599

Putri, Y., Nurhuda, A., & Huda, A. (2023). Konsep Dasar Penelitian Tindakan Kelas?: Sebuah Pengantar dalam Metode Penelitian Pendidikan. Jurnal BELAINDIKA (Pembelajaran Dan Inovasi Pendidikan). https://doi.org/10.52005/belaindika.v5i2.119

Rahiem, M. (2021). Storytelling in early childhood education: Time to go digital. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40723-021-00081-x

Rahimah, R., Mutmainnah, M., Rita, C. M., Adibah, K. T. W., Isdarianti, N. L., & Fauzi, I. (2023). Enhancing Early Childhood Literacy through Reading Corners: A Phenomenological Study at Thiflah Early Childhood Education, Aceh Besar. Golden Age: Jurnal Ilmiah Tumbuh Kembang Anak Usia Dini. https://doi.org/10.14421/jga.2023.84-02

Ratnasari, E. (2020). The Influence of Picture Book to the Storytelling skill of Preschool Children. Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education Studies, 9, 8–12. https://doi.org/10.15294/ijeces.v9i1.37805

Rosiani, Y., Budiani, F. A. N., ?Fauziah, ?Resti, Ahmad, L. K., Ramadhani, R., Nurfatya, R., … Jalil, M. (2025). Optimalisasi Pojok Baca dalam Meningkatkan Literasi Anak Usia Dini (Taman Kanak-kanak) di Desa Kibang Kecamatan Metro Kibang. Padma. https://doi.org/10.56689/padma.v5i2.2108

Shi, D. (2023). Intermodality and visual literacy: exploring visual-verbal instantiation in children’s picture books on coronavirus. Journal of Visual Literacy, 42, 183–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/1051144x.2023.2258741

Supriyono, S. (2020). Distribution of Pre and Post Test Score and the Level of Errors in Answering Questions in the Participants of Education and Nutrition Counseling Training in Non-communicable Diseases, 2, 27–38. https://doi.org/10.31258/ijesh.2.1.27-38

Taylor, S., & Leung, C. (2020). Multimodal Literacy and Social Interaction: Young Children’s Literacy Learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-00974-0

Wapiroh, W., Jannah, M., & Purwani, A. (2024). Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Ditempat Latihan Pramuka Usia Prasiaga Terhadap Perkembangan Sosial Anak Usia 5-6 Tahun (Penelitian Pre-Eksperimen di RA Al-Hidayah Pondoksalam Kabupaten Purwakarta). PIJAR: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pengajaran. https://doi.org/10.58540/pijar.v2i3.605

Widayawan, A. N., Budiman, M. A., & Fidrayani, F. (2024). Metode Bercerita Untuk Mengatasi Keterlambatan Bahasa Anak Usia Dini. Ihya Ulum: Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.59638/ihyaulum.v2i2.245

Wulan, Y. (2023). Pentingnya Pendidikan Literasi Untuk Anak Usia Dini Di Era Society 5.0. In Prosiding Dewantara Seminar Nasional Pendidikan (Vol. 1).

Xiao, M., Amzah, F., & Rong, W. (2023). Experience of Beauty: Valuing Emotional Engagement and Collaboration in Teacher-Child Storytelling Activities. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.2.10

Yang, N., Shi, J., Lu, J., & Huang, Y. (2021). Language Development in Early Childhood: Quality of Teacher-Child Interaction and Children’s Receptive Vocabulary Competency. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.649680

Authors

Marlis Simarni
marlissimarni2610@gmail.com (Primary Contact)
Feerlie Mhonthana Indhra
Ani Pajrini
Simarni, M., Indhra, F. M., & Pajrini, A. (2026). Picture Book-Based Storytelling to Enhance Literacy Among 5–6-Year-Old Children at RA Nurul Islam. Journal Emerging Technologies in Education, 4(3), 269–283. https://doi.org/10.70177/jete.v4i3.3906

Article Details

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.