The impact of storytelling activities on listening comprehension in primary EFL education

Abstract

This article presents a multimodal framework integrating Online Puppets into Digital Storytelling (DST) to enhance listening comprehension in young EFL learners. Listening is often difficult for children due to unfamiliar sounds, fast speech, and anxiety. DST provides narrative support, while animated puppetry lowers affective barriers and increases engagement. Grounded in multimedia learning, multimodality, and affective filter theory, the paper outlines three task-based listening activities: listening for gist, listening for details, and collaborative storytelling. Real-time puppet animation synchronises visual cues with spoken input, making language more accessible. The approach’s cognitive and affective benefits are discussed, and the need for classroom-based research is highlighted.