Using the branching story approach to motivate students’ ınterest in reading
Keywords:
Branching Story, Narrative Reading, Multimedia Technology, Reading InstructionAbstract
This action research was to answer the pedagogical question: How effective can a branching
story approach be as a motivational tool for elementary reading instruction? A branching story
was created with hyperlinks built into a Powerpoint story. The young readers could interact with
options at different turning points of the story, which activated the readers’ curiosity, and
promoted their decision making and thinking skills. The study was carried out in an all girl
school, Saudi Arabia. A class of 20 fourth-graders participated in the study. For data collection
and analyses, the students were assigned into four groups based on their previous reading
achievements and interests. Students’ responses to comprehension questions were tabulated.
The unit-end survey results were analyzed. A majority of the participating students
overwhelmingly enjoyed the experience. They were motivated to achieve the project goals
sooner than planned. Kinesthetic learners demonstrated their academic potentials well beyond
their performance under the traditional reading instruction.
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References
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Aljefri, H. H. (2008). Islamic educating by the story and its applications in kindergarten level.
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Applegate, A. J. (2011). A study of thoughtful literacy and the motivation to read. The Reading
Teacher, 64(4), 226-234. doi:10.1598/RT.64.4.1
Austen, I. (2001, January 4). Rebooted any good books lately? New York Times, pp. 1.
Blyer, N., & Perkins, J. (1999). Culture and the power of narrative. Journal of Business and
Technical Communication, 13(3), 245-248.
Ciampa, K. (2012). Improving grade one students' reading motivation with online electronic
storybooks. Journal of Educational Multimedia & Hypermedia, 21(1), 5-28. Retrieved from
ebscohost.com
Cronon, W. (1992). A place for stories: Nature, history and narrative. The Journal of American
History, 87(4), 1347-1376.
Edgington, W. D. (1998). The use of children’s literature in middle school social studies: What
research does and does not show. The Clearing House, 72(2),121-134.
Gambrell, L. B. (2011a). Motivation in the school reading curriculum. Journal of Reading
Education, 37(1), 5-14. Retrieved from ebscohost.com
Gambrell, L. B. (2011b) Seven rules of engagement: What’s most important to know about
motivation to read?. The reading Teacher, 65(3), 172-178. doi:10.1002/TRTR01024
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Jones, A. M. (2003). The use and abuse of PowerPoint in teaching and learning in the life
science: A personal overview. Bee-j, 2. Retrieved from bio.itsn.ac.uk.
Kelly, C., & Zak, M. (1999). Narrativity and professional communication: Folktale and community
meaning. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 13(3), 297-317.
Lai, J. (2013, October 20). How to write a branching story. Ehow. Retrieved October 21, 2013
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Mar, R. A., Djikic, M., & Oatley, K. (2008). Effect of reading on knowledge, social abilities, and
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practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved
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Nathanson, S. (2006). Harnessing the power of story: Using narrative reading and writing
across content areas. Reading Horizons, 47(1), 1-26. Retrieved from
scholarworks.wmich.edu
Nouri, H., & Shahid, A. (2005). The effect of PowerPoint presentations on student learning and
attitudes. Global Perspectives on Accounting Education, 2, 53-73.
Oakley, G., & Jay, J. (2008). "Making time" for reading: Factors that influence the success of
multimedia reading in the home. Reading Teacher, 62(3), 246-255. Retrieved from
ebscohost.com
Petkov, M., & Rogers, G. E. (2011). Using gaming to motivate today's technology-dependent
students. Journal of STEM Teacher Education, 48(1), 7-12. Retrieved from ebscohost.com
Rettig, M. K., & Hendrick, C. G. (2000). Factors that influence the book selection process of
students with special needs. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 43(7), 608-618.
Reinking, D. & Watkins, J. (2000). A formative experiment investigating the use of multimedia
book reviews to increase elementary students’ independent reading. Reading Research
Quarterly,35(3), 384-419.
Riedl, M. O., & Young, R. M. (2006). From linear story generation to branching story graphs.
LEEE Computer Graphics and Applications. 26(3), 23-31. Retrieved from cc.gatech.edu
Rivera, M. N., & Reuney, K. (2010). Using digital storytelling to save our language and culture.
Presentation at 29th Annual International PIBBA Conference, Guam.
Sofsian, D. (2006). The importance of reading. Ezine Articles. Retrieved
from http://bit.ly/bo6GS5
Swartz, M. K., & Hendrick, C. G. (2000). Factors that influence the book selection process of
students with special needs. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 43(7), 608-618.
Ulper, H. (2011). The motivational factors for reading in terms of students. Educational
Sciences: Theory and Practice, 11(2), 954-960. Retrieved from ebscohost.com
Willingham, D. T. (2004). The privileged statues of story. American Educator, 28(2), 43-45; 51-
53.
Yusef, Z. (2011). Educational methods in Qur'an. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/17PPmQc
developmentally appropriate practice in Jordan. Early Childhood Educational Journal, 38, 65-
74. DOI 10.1007/s10643-010-0379-z
Afifi, A. (2012). Reading in the Arab world over the edge of danger. Dar Alkotob. Retrieved from
http://www.daralkotob.com/read/press-reports/691-
Alaga, A. (n.d.) The reality of reading in the Arab world. Yanabe’a 3, 49-51 Retrieved from
http://www.qou.edu/arabic/publicRelation/yanabi3/no_3/sub_20.pdf
Alhasan, F. (2010) Saudis do not read as other Arabs, but they are the best readers in fasting
reading. Aleqtisadiah. Retrieved from http://www.aleqt.com/2010/01/01/article_650746.html
Aljefri, H. H. (2008). Islamic educating by the story and its applications in kindergarten level.
retrieved from http://www.al5aatr.com/researches/13/130_tarbyah_ryaz.pdf
Alzubedi, E. (2012). Saudi Arabia has the biggest buyers in the world of smartphones. Tech
World. Retrieved from http://www.tech-wd.com/wd/2012/04/17/phones-share-ksa/
Applegate, A. J. (2011). A study of thoughtful literacy and the motivation to read. The Reading
Teacher, 64(4), 226-234. doi:10.1598/RT.64.4.1
Austen, I. (2001, January 4). Rebooted any good books lately? New York Times, pp. 1.
Blyer, N., & Perkins, J. (1999). Culture and the power of narrative. Journal of Business and
Technical Communication, 13(3), 245-248.
Ciampa, K. (2012). Improving grade one students' reading motivation with online electronic
storybooks. Journal of Educational Multimedia & Hypermedia, 21(1), 5-28. Retrieved from
ebscohost.com
Cronon, W. (1992). A place for stories: Nature, history and narrative. The Journal of American
History, 87(4), 1347-1376.
Edgington, W. D. (1998). The use of children’s literature in middle school social studies: What
research does and does not show. The Clearing House, 72(2),121-134.
Gambrell, L. B. (2011a). Motivation in the school reading curriculum. Journal of Reading
Education, 37(1), 5-14. Retrieved from ebscohost.com
Gambrell, L. B. (2011b) Seven rules of engagement: What’s most important to know about
motivation to read?. The reading Teacher, 65(3), 172-178. doi:10.1002/TRTR01024
Hakemulder, J. F. (2001). How to make alle menschen bruder: Literature in a multicultural and
multiform society. In D. Schram & G. Steen (Eds.), The Psychological and Sociology of
Literature: Inhonor of Erlund Ibsch (pp.225-242). Amsterdam: Benjamines.
Hutton, S. (2007). Helping kinesthetic learners succeed. Education. Retrieved from
http://www.education.com/magazine/article/kinesthetic_learner/
International Reading Association for the Education of Young Children. (2012). Learning to read
and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children. Retrieved from
http://bit.ly/92tiTj
Jones, A. M. (2003). The use and abuse of PowerPoint in teaching and learning in the life
science: A personal overview. Bee-j, 2. Retrieved from bio.itsn.ac.uk.
Kelly, C., & Zak, M. (1999). Narrativity and professional communication: Folktale and community
meaning. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 13(3), 297-317.
Lai, J. (2013, October 20). How to write a branching story. Ehow. Retrieved October 21, 2013
from http://bit.ly/ZcWwvK
Mar, R. A., Djikic, M., & Oatley, K. (2008). Effect of reading on knowledge, social abilities, and
selfhood. In S. Zyngier, M. Bortolussi, A. Chenkova, & J. Auracher (Eds.) Directions in Empirical Studies in Literature: In Honor of Willie Van Peer, pp. 127-137. Amsterdam:
Benjamins.
Moss, B., & Terrell, A. (2012). Independent reading is not an independent effort. The Reading
Teacher, 65(6), 378-380. doi:10.1002/TRTR01056
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009). Developmentally appropriate
practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved
from http://www.naeyc.org/ files/naeyc/file/positions/position%20statement%20Web.pdf
Nathanson, S. (2006). Harnessing the power of story: Using narrative reading and writing
across content areas. Reading Horizons, 47(1), 1-26. Retrieved from
scholarworks.wmich.edu
Nouri, H., & Shahid, A. (2005). The effect of PowerPoint presentations on student learning and
attitudes. Global Perspectives on Accounting Education, 2, 53-73.
Oakley, G., & Jay, J. (2008). "Making time" for reading: Factors that influence the success of
multimedia reading in the home. Reading Teacher, 62(3), 246-255. Retrieved from
ebscohost.com
Petkov, M., & Rogers, G. E. (2011). Using gaming to motivate today's technology-dependent
students. Journal of STEM Teacher Education, 48(1), 7-12. Retrieved from ebscohost.com
Rettig, M. K., & Hendrick, C. G. (2000). Factors that influence the book selection process of
students with special needs. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 43(7), 608-618.
Reinking, D. & Watkins, J. (2000). A formative experiment investigating the use of multimedia
book reviews to increase elementary students’ independent reading. Reading Research
Quarterly,35(3), 384-419.
Riedl, M. O., & Young, R. M. (2006). From linear story generation to branching story graphs.
LEEE Computer Graphics and Applications. 26(3), 23-31. Retrieved from cc.gatech.edu
Rivera, M. N., & Reuney, K. (2010). Using digital storytelling to save our language and culture.
Presentation at 29th Annual International PIBBA Conference, Guam.
Sofsian, D. (2006). The importance of reading. Ezine Articles. Retrieved
from http://bit.ly/bo6GS5
Swartz, M. K., & Hendrick, C. G. (2000). Factors that influence the book selection process of
students with special needs. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 43(7), 608-618.
Ulper, H. (2011). The motivational factors for reading in terms of students. Educational
Sciences: Theory and Practice, 11(2), 954-960. Retrieved from ebscohost.com
Willingham, D. T. (2004). The privileged statues of story. American Educator, 28(2), 43-45; 51-
53.
Yusef, Z. (2011). Educational methods in Qur'an. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/17PPmQc
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Published
2017-08-09
How to Cite
Liu, J., & Alduraby, H. (2017). Using the branching story approach to motivate students’ ınterest in reading. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 6(3), 463–478. Retrieved from https://iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/58
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