Abstract

Teachers use several methods to teach children in Early childhood Education classes. Storytelling and play-way methods are employed to teach initial concepts in a conducive and stimulating learning environment. The purpose of this study was to identify the mindfulness, utilization, and challenges faced by ECE teachers while teaching through these methods. The phenomenological design was employed by using a qualitative research approach. The ten ECE schoolteachers were selected as participants, who were teaching to grade one student through the purposive sampling technique.  Self-developed semi-structured interviews were carried out, and the data were transcribed into codes and themes. The research revealed that teachers were more aware of the storytelling method than the play way method. They were facing different challenges while using the storytelling and play-way method at the ECE level. It is recommended that resource rooms should be established for the provision of the best opportunities for training to ECE teachers.

Key Words

Teaching Methods, Storytelling, Play-Way, ECE

Introduction

The importance of ECE education is universally recognized because of the overall quality of education based on teaching and learning at this level. Instructional methods are considered a more crucial element at this phase.  Teachers use numerous methods to teach children at the ECE level. Storytelling and play-way are the teaching methods to embed teaching concepts within learning events so that they could generate an attractive and stimulating learning environment for students. According to Gage (1962), “Teaching is a form of interpersonal influence aimed at changing the behavior potential of another person." Basically, teaching is a social activity because, along with having a substantial impact on the learning of the individuals, it influences their overall personality. In today’s changing world of science and technology, the teacher is not only considered as a facilitator to facilitate learning, but he/she is expected to be a philosopher, psychologist, guide and friend to help the cognitive development of individuals. 

The term “teaching method” refers to the general principles of teaching; it includes teaching and managing tactics used for classroom instruction. Generally, the methods that can be used for teaching nowadays are not limited to lecturing, memorization, demonstration, questioning, discussion or combinations of these. selection of a teaching method or methods in a particular setting not only depends on the knowledge or skill to be taught, but it may also be affected by the interest and behavior of the learners.

Teaching is more challenging at the ECE level as compared to the higher level, where the majority of schoolteachers focus on the methods to impart knowledge. The teaching methods have a profound effect on students at the ECE level; therefore, effective and meaningful full methods should be used at an early age. According to Oladipo and Ayeni (2000) that standard teaching at the ECE level requires the teachers to ignore their personal experience and look into the world of inexperienced learners. A competent and skilful teacher utilize as many different techniques/ methods as they can because no single method can be considered as best for every teaching situation (Brown, 1982). Effective learning depends on the teaching method, which can maintain students’ interest in the classroom (Erickson, 1978).

To maintain students’ interest in a classroom, a teacher must identify the individual differences and complexities prevailing in the form of ethnicity, gender, culture, language, interests and abilities. They must recognize diversity among their students and adjust teaching method/s that best suit the learners. Therefore, teachers are responsible for knowing about the teaching methods they should use during class for effective learning. The oral communication methods, conversational methods, exploratory learning methods, demonstration through pictures, extensively methods can be used based on the developmental level of pupils and the nature of the subject. Game is one of the major models for children at the ECE level to activate the mental and physical capacity of the children and to help them to gain a formal education. It depends on the learning style of the students that what teaching strategy is best for them at an early level. 

There is an array of effective teaching methods that a teacher may use to teach children at the ECE level. Storytelling is one of the powerful tools to make learning environments more attractive and stimulating for children by integrating instructional objectives with learning activities. This process is built on novel principles of teaching and learning to create a constructive learning environment based on knowledge and skills of presenting stories and tales by writing, telling, or reading a story in a meaningful way. Thus, this method can produce better learning outcomes by enhancing student engagement in the learning process. This method has the potential to develop the communication skills of children by using appropriate language to describe their emotions and appreciating that of others (Peterson, 2001; Tayler, 2015; Whorrall, 2016). According to Berkowitz (2011), language development is essential to living a better life in the community. 

Montessori (1936-2009) stated, “The baby absorbs speech it hears spoken around it and with it says a word because it has learned it by hearing it, and holds it present in the memory. It uses it according to its need of the moment,” (p.66). Children can describe themselves accurately and precisely by using the language of stories. They can get the ability to express their emotions and needs independently as a result of adult reaction; they can get the ability to navigate social situations. Due to its effectiveness, storytelling is beneficial to develop a curriculum based on integrated approaches that can involve learners in deep learning and higher-order thinking (Dakich, 2008). Due to its imaginative nature, storytelling is a potent model for generating productive e-learning situations by enhancing learners’ motivation and building constructivist learning environments. 

Maria Montessori also gave the concept of students’ learning by playing meaningful material. Montessori presented her theory of teaching at the ECE level in the early 1900s (Montessori, 1912, 1964).  In her classroom setting, the material was kept on shelves to play with according to different categories of children created on the basis of age groups, i.e., children up to three years of age; between three to six; six to nine and nine to twelve years. It provided children with the opportunity to identify and correct their mistakes without the strict supervision or intervention of a teacher. 

Children get a zone of proximal development in a playing environment. While playing, children acquire confidence and tend to behave maturely. According to Berk (1994), play improves every developmental aspect of a child.  

Within an educational setting, play foster the cognitive and social development of children. Especially it should be a critical element of the early childhood curriculum due to having significant influences on the physical, emotional and personality development of growing children. While playing, children gain communication skills that enable them to communicate their emotions and needs. They can share their prior experiences and understanding of the world around them to construct new knowledge (Malik, Rafiq, Qayyum, & Fatima, 2020). Children feel free and autonomous, which keep them motivated. 

One important type of play is make-believe plays. There are extensive benefits of make-belief plays, including improved cognitive capabilities, strengthened memory, language acquisition and storytelling skills by expanding their vocabulary. By getting the opportunity to go through situations that otherwise look impossible, children get problem-solving skills and gain confidence in making a decision. According to Berk (1994), children who participated in make-believe plays scored higher in the test as compared to those who had not participated in such experiences. 

Although play-way is an effective method of teaching and learning at the ECE level, there is no specified pattern of applying this method in a classroom setting.  Teachers who wish to use this method of learning in the ECE curriculum need to focus on its minute details and prepare the learning environment accordingly (Lillard, 2013). The play-way method is a practical approach to provide freedom to children in order to make the environment conducive for learning. 

On the basis of the above discussion, it is inferred that many teaching methods are effective and beneficial for students learning but storytelling and play way methods are more effective and important for the learning of students at the ECE level. Therefore, the present study was an attempt to identify awareness and challenges faced by teachers while teaching through storytelling and play-way teaching methods at the ECE level in the context of Pakistan. 

This study was designed to know teachers’ views about ground realities for the implementation of the storytelling and play-way method in a structured ECE context. Qualitative research gives concentration on arguments rather than figures which provides in-depth information rather than broad range data. It is an exploratory method that seeks to excavate the feelings, opinions, and thoughts of participants. Although most commonly, it is used to highlight new concepts, develop new theories and launch new products. In the field of social sciences, qualitative research is widely used to gain unique insight from participants regarding the contextualization of developed theories. Because the unique, in-depth understanding gains through qualitative techniques are not possible by closed-ended questions. While having freedom of expression, respondents can freely disclose their feelings, experiences and thoughts. It is a dynamic research approach which provides an opportunity to beep through the respondents’ mind to generate valuable conversation about the phenomena. ECE is an important and critical phase of human life. So, a qualitative approach is more suitable to develop an authentic, in-depth understanding regarding the implementation of the developed theories. 

Research Objectives

The objectives of the research were to: 

• Identify the teaching methods mostly used by teachers at ECE level.

• Determine the effectiveness of storytelling and play-way teaching methods used by teachers at ECE level.

• Explore the challenges faced by teachers during teaching through storytelling and play-way method at the ECE level.




Research Questions

Following questions were raised to conduct the study:

1. Which teaching methods teachers are mostly using at the ECE level?

2. Are our ECE teachers aware of storytelling and play-way method? 

3. Are storytelling and play-way method of teaching used by teachers are effective at the ECE level? 

4. What type of challenges teachers are facing during teaching through storytelling and play-way method at the ECE level?

Methodology

Qualitative research allows achieving insight into people’s behaviors, attitudes, motivations, aspirations,

ability, experiences, lifestyles and even knowledge. In this respect, phenomenological research is commonly used to define structures of experiences gained in order to reach a deeper understanding of any given phenomena. Phenomenological research design is most suitable for the present study because the purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of ECE teachers.

 

Data Collection Source

On the basis of the review of the related literature, semi-structured interview protocol was developed to get ECE teachers’ responses regarding teaching through storytelling and play-way method at the ECE level. According to Creswell (2007), selecting individuals who fulfil certain criteria as participants is the most suitable method of selection for a phenomenological study. A semi-structured interview consisted of ten statements regarding both teaching methods (storytelling and play-way method).  The validity of the instrument was ensured by three experts in the relevant field. 

 

Data Collection and Analysis Procedure

Data were collected through personal visit to public and private schools of Lahore city. After informed consent, researchers conducted interviews with ECE teachers and made audio recordings of interviews, each interview lasts for 35-45 minutes.

The interview schedule and guide were explained for the understanding of all participants during the data collection process. Afterwards, the responses provided by the respondents were read to them to verify or authenticate that, indeed, these were the responses they gave us. Where necessary, additional inputs were made. To ensure that reached where no new concepts appeared from further coding of data. Next, initially coded data were collated with a list of different codes identified across the data set developed. Relevant coded data were sorted and assembled into themes. Fourth, the researcher reviewed the coded data extracts theme-by-theme to find out whether they formed a coherent pattern or not. Each theme was then named and defined. Categories and sub-categories both the themes have been presented as narratives while ensuring that the responses given by the respondents are maintained. Verbatim quotations from interview transcripts were used to illustrate relevant or suitable themes were necessary for a written form. Table one below illustrates the demographics characteristics of the participants:

 

Table 1. Demographics of ECE Teachers

Participants	Designation	Gender	Age	Qualification	Experience
T1	PST	Female	52	FA/CT	22 years
T2	PST	Female	40	M.Ed	15
T3	PST	Female	25	MA Urdu	8
T4	PST	Female	38	BA/ B.Ed.	12
T5	PST	Female	44	MA Education	17
T6	PST	Male	39	MA Pakistan Studies	10
T7	PST	Male	35	M.A. Islamiat	8
T8 T9 T10	PST PST PST	Male Male Male	38 30 35	M.Ed. BA/B.Ed BA/B.Ed.	12 11 6

Results

Theme: Use of Teaching Methods to Teach Children at ECE Level

Figure 1

Teaching methods (Sources: NVivo 12)




The teaching method refers to the general principles, pedagogy, and management strategies used for classroom instruction.  When did the researcher ask the participants which teaching method teachers’  were used in the ECE classroom? The majority of the participants said (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) were using the play way method to teach the children at the ECE level. On the other hand, (3 out of 10 teachers) stated that they were applying the storytelling method. On the other hand majority of the teachers were of the view that they were using the “jolly phonics, rhyming and flashcards method” while teaching the children at the ECE level. (Two out of ten teachers) said that “it is not possible to teach each topic by making stories, especially teachers of private schools expressed that they have to manage students record files, report cards, checking home tasks and homework, arranging and managing parent-teacher meetings etc., so it is difficult to create newer stories”. Teacher of public sector schools said that they have to keep students busy due to large class size, so they mostly assign them reading and writing tasks and drill method so most of the students can remain engaged in this way. 




Theme: Awareness of Teachers Regarding the Play-Way Method

Figure 2

Play-way method (Sources: NVivo 12)




The play-way method is mostly activity-based learning. Children step out of their home and familiar surroundings to learn among different people, who include their peers and teachers. When the interviews were conducted (nine out of ten participants) stated that “they were aware of the play-way method and one participant was of the view that he/she was not aware of it”. Most of the teachers said that “they used to play way method for better students learning”. It shows that they were aware of it. Most of them were using different colourful and attractive toys. 

Theme: Play-Way Method to check their Understanding 

Figure 3

Activities Designed for Play-Way Methods (Sources: NVivo 12)




The play-way method of learning is a complete package that enables the overall development of the child by developing in terms of feelings, intellect and skills parameters. It helps children develop social skills, motivation to learn, and even language and numeracy skills. Taking the initiative, focused attention, and curiosity about the world are all a part of the play. 

T1 said, “I do not know about the play-way method”.  Whereas T2 was a female who had15 years of teaching experience,   according to her, “play-way method is a play with different things to elaborate syllabus or content”. T3 explained that the “play way method develops skills among students”. T4 told us that the “play way method is teaching through different games”. According to T5 and T7, the “play way method builds creative ideas and personal experience among students”. Whereas T6 had a view that the “Play way method is a numeracy skill of early years of the child”.  On the other hand, T8 said confidently that “it is a learning process to be conducted through play full activities because they are soothing, purifying and interesting”. T9 and T10,  “In a play-way method students use their motor skills and learn new things. They can perform group activity with manners”.




Theme: Facing Difficulties during the use of the Play-Way method. 

Figure 4

Hurdles’ while using the play-way method (Sources: NVivo 12)



It consumes a lot of time and very tedious for the teacher, especially when the class size is large. It is expensive because it requires the usage of teaching aids and equipment. There were some problems of controlling the students because students fall sometimes, and they get injured during play activities which is a big challenge in the use of the play way method. After conducting all of the interviews, the following responses were gathered. (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) were of the view that they have not faced any difficulty during the use of the play way method, while the other five participants have faced difficulties during the play way method. The major difficulty was the provision of a safe playing environment. Especially in private schools, big playgrounds are not available, and they were using indoor activities. In public schools (one out of ten participants) stated that “they have faced difficulties with developing moral values among students”. Three out of ten participants were of the view that “it is difficult to engage all children at the same time because each child has a different choice in play”. Whereas T9 has faced difficulty with maintaining discipline, and another respondent has faced difficulty controlling the students. T6 simply said, “I have faced a problem regarding the children falling down where sometimes they got injured during playing activities; according to her, there should be a helper to assist ECE teacher while children are playing”.  (T7 & T8) were of the view that they have not had an environment feasible for playing. 




Theme: Usage of Activities during the Play-Way Method for Students, learning at ECE Level

Figure 5

Activities designed for Play-Way method (Sources: NVivo 12)



Different activities of the play-way method are circle time, group games, race, jumping and ball catching etc. It helps children develop social skills, motivation to learn, and even language and numeracy skills. Taking the initiative, focused attention, and curiosity about the world are all a part of the play. Regarding the usage of activities, two out of ten participants were not using the play way method, while eight out of ten participants were of the view that they use different activities during class to engage children with the play way method of learning at the ECE level. One participant stated that he used “race and jumping activities” while teaching the students through the play-way method. T6 had a view that “I keep students busy by using of “ball catching, rabbit race and circle time”.  (T7 & T9), stated that they were using “colouring stones and dice game” moreover he was using the “colourful prom counting puzzles”. Three out of ten participants used “group games and magic square” which they thought were helpful activities while teaching through the play-way method.   T3 and T5 were of the view that “they were using “magic squares, building blocks, checkers, songs, gardening and mathematical games”. According to T10, “Puzzles, role play and colourful toys” are the main activities that they were using in the play way method.”




Theme: Awareness of Storytelling Method

Figure 6

Awareness of Storytelling Method (Sources: NVivo 12)



Storytelling can be used as a method to teach ethics, values and cultural norms and differences. Learning is most effective when it takes place in social environments that provide authentic social cues about how knowledge is to be applied. Storytelling also helps with learning because stories are easy to remember. After conducting the interviews, it was found that (seven out of ten participants) were aware of the storytelling method, whereas three out of ten participants were not aware of this method. Teachers were more aware of the storytelling method than the play way method. The majority of teachers were using the storytelling method in their classes with actions.




Theme: Defining Storytelling Method

Figure 7

Storytelling method (Sources: NVivo 12

Storytelling is one of the powerful tools to make learning environments more attractive and stimulating for children by integrating instructional objectives with learning activities. This process is built on novel principles of teaching and learning to create a constructive learning environment based on knowledge and skills of presenting stories and tales by writing, telling, or reading a story in a meaningful way. Three out of ten participants (T1, T2, and T3) did not know about the storytelling method. On the other hand, seven out of ten participants knew about it. They explained the storytelling method according to their views. According to T1, “if we give any concept to kids about numbers, we can make a story which will be more interesting for them”. Whereas according to T2, “through hearing story students learn more and increase their concentration”. T3 precisely said, “values and culture can be transferred to the students through storytelling method”. T6 and T7 said, “storytelling is a process where a teacher uses vocalization, narrative structure and mental imagery and communicates with students”. T8 and T10 lucidly said, “storytelling method is helpful to teach children ethics, values, and cultural norms”.




Theme: Facing Difficulties during the Use of Story-Telling Method at ECE Level 

Figure 8

Critical thinking (Sources: NVivo 12)



Children are less judgmental of others and are more likely to accept cultural differences. Through storytelling, educators can engage and possibly even prevent students from viewing other cultures negatively by exposing them to foreign traditions, practices, artworks and writings. While enhancing reading and critical thinking skills, stories let students mentally visit places that they would not have the opportunity to travel too otherwise. Storytelling let students become more engaged with other languages and enhance their creative use of their known language. Changing pitch and tone of voice is problematic while narrating the examples, which is one of the challenges faced by teachers during the storytelling method. Students cannot repeat words and learn vocabulary. They required a lot of time for practice. According to (seven out of ten participants) “they have not faced any difficulty about storytelling method; however, most of them find it difficult to tell new and interesting stories daily. According to T5, “students do not pay full attention to teacher during storytelling method.” One other hand T7 was of the view that “changing pitch and tone of voice is problematic while narrating the examples.” T8 stated that “sometimes students cannot repeat words and learn vocabulary; they required a lot of time for practice.” 




Theme: Effective Teaching Method for ECE Students 

Figure 9

Effective teaching method (Sources: NVivo 12)



There are many effective teaching methods like storytelling, play-way method, visualization, cooperative learning, professional development etc. While conducting the interviews, different views were gathered in which five out of ten participants (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) were of the view that the “play way method is more effective for ECE students”. On the other hand, according to the other half of the participants, “storytelling is more effective for ECE students”. Storytelling and play way both teaching methods are beneficial for students learning at ECE level. Students can learn new concepts through these methods.




Theme: Use of AV-aids 

Figure 10

Use of AV-aids (Sources: NVivo 12)

Teaching aids are an integral component of any classroom. There are a number of benefits for teaching aids as they are helpful for learners in improving their reading comprehension skills, illustrating or reinforcing a skill or concept, differentiating instruction and relieving anxiety or boredom by presenting information in a new and exciting way. According to (eight out of ten), participants were using pupates, and two out of ten participants were of the view that they were using puzzle books while teaching at the ECE level. T1 was using “pupates”. The second participant was using chart papers, toys and colouring sticks. T4 said, “I use flashcards, storybooks and pupates is helpful in teaching at ECE level”. Whereas T4 and T6 stated that “they were using toys, jumping game, Cash a Ball and colourful picture are important aids in teaching at ECE level”. T5 said, “I use aids like full-colour blocks, puzzle activity books are necessary. the Sixth participant was using different puppets, blocks, picture book and colourful candies during teaching”.  The majority of the participants were of the view that they were using Flashcards, toys, storybooks and puzzle books while teaching through storytelling and the play-way method.

Discussion and Conclusion

The purpose of this study was to find out the use and effectiveness of storytelling and play-way method of teaching at the ECE level. This study also explored the challenges faced by teachers while teaching through these methods. Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that play way and storytelling methods are effective and beneficial for ECE students. They learn different things in an easy way with interest. They built their confidence level during storytelling and the play-way method. These conclusions are consistent with Yamin (2010), who described that storytelling not only developed the listening, speaking, and vocabulary of children but also developed expression, which culminated in the courage and confidence of children to appear in public. Satriani (2019) found storytelling effectively in arousing students’ imagination, increasing students’ vocabulary, developing interest, and enhancing reading awareness. Teachers were more aware of the storytelling method than the play way method. The majority of teachers were using the storytelling method in their classes with actions. Some teachers were using the jolly phonics, rhyming and flashcards method while teaching the children at the ECE level. According to Yulsyofriend (2017), “the world of a child is a world of play”. To grow properly, children need substantial time to play. Moreover, storytelling is a form of play because it is also done by playing strategies and activities.

Some of the teachers were facing challenges during the teaching through the play-way method. Teachers were facing challenges to develop moral values among students and difficulty maintaining discipline and non-cooperative behaviour. According to Tasai (2017), with adequate interaction with children during play, a teacher can enhance their social skills and manage their non-cooperative behaviour with other children. There were some problems of controlling the students because students fall sometime in injury during play activities which is a big challenge in the use of the play-way method. According to the California Childcare Health Program (2006), and ECE environment should be safe because injury prevention is an essential part of quality ECE programs. So, the environment should be modified to decrease the risk of falling and injury and understanding and eliminating how an incident happens.

The play-way method is an effective method of learning at the ECE level. Teachers can manage the complexities of teaching at this sensitive level. It is difficult to customize it according to the child’s needs and interests. In order to make it effective, there is a need to adjust this method up to the individual level. By developing flexible learning activities to maintain children interest and creating a joyful environment. These activities may range from simple to complex. According to Bodrova and Leong (2007), teachers should effectively participate in children to provide suggestions, resolve conflicts, encourage cooperative behaviour, changing team formation, and accepting others’ points of view. The teacher should participate in assisting children and ensuring smooth playing with the passage of time; children more adept at play and do not need teacher participation. According to Chou (2013), there is a need to use a variety of scaffolds during play according to the situation, for example, verbal cues, illustrations, and partnership etc. But Ebbeck and Waniganayake (2017) were not in favor of the play-way method. They argued that play is a recognizable activity and has its impact over their lifespan. They associated it with childhood experiences, middle and later age, and across various cultures.

Plays should be planned to encourage freedom of expression in order to develop confidence and personality. Still, there are many teachers who are not aware of the benefits underlying this method. Especially in the Pakistani context, where teachers have to handle large class size, many of their problems may be resolved by utilizing this method. No doubt, children need appropriate playgrounds to play freely, which is essential for their physical development. In private schools where proper playgrounds are not available public parks may be utilized for the plays that need ample space, i.e., racing, tug of war, jumping and catching each other. It was revealed in a study conducted by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville that the children who play on playgrounds that include natural components like woods and flowers were more active than those who play on traditional playgrounds with metal and brightly coloured equipment (Natural playgrounds, 2012). Teachers may assess children in a better way during their performance while playing as compared to traditional methods of assessment. With the help of the play-way method, teachers can better assess students’ aptitudes and skills at regular intervals as a formative assessment to track students’ learning in the affective domain and to keep their parents informed. According to Lopez (2018), traditional assessment only focuses on the tests to identify preschool children’s specific knowledge of literacy and mathematics etc. but miss the broad range of school readiness skills, including basic life skills, social and emotional skills, that may better predict long-term success than sole academic knowledge. So, teachers should use observational methods that capture children’s learning through play and interactions with others. It may help to avoid the error in assessment and to improve their learning. 

Storytelling is one of the powerful tools to boost children content imagination and to develop their understanding of the world around them. Results are consistent with Satriani (2019), who claimed that storytelling aroused children imagination. No doubt, storytelling is an effective teaching method at the ECE level. Especially make-belief stories can strengthen students’ mental faculties by providing seemingly impossible imaginary experiences.  Many teachers are facing problem in storytelling, which may be the result of their own lack of imagination ability. Changing pitch and tone of voice is problematic while narrating the examples, which is one of the challenges faced by teachers during the storytelling method. Students can’t repeat words and learn vocabulary. They required a lot of time for practice. Moreover, it is difficult to create new interesting stories that may grasp students’ attention and help their learning. Satriani (2019) argued that it is challenging to teach lengthy text through storytelling. But teachers may modify and twist a story by entering into the world of children. According to Isil (2016), teachers can engage students in class activities by including elements in storytelling from their daily life experiences and interests to make a concept close to their real-life experiences.   Students’ curiosity and discussion can help a teacher to understand their knowledge and understanding of the concept. Octavyani (2011) has suggested many strategies make a story interesting, like language should be age-appropriate and interesting; the story should be told in parts; own opinions should be added to the story; children must be provided with the chance to intervene in a story; moral massages and advice should be given through a story; children should be asked their understanding of the moral lesson of the story, and a song may be created related to the story and should be sing occasionally.

In our cultural context, storytelling is considered an effective way of communicating messages from adults to young children. Lawrence & Paige (2016) is also saying in this favour that storytelling is one of the powerful tools to boost children imagination and to develop their understanding of the world around them.  According to Isil (2016), young age children are fond of stories and the stories they have been hearing from their parents at a young age they enjoy in later age. So, most of the students have developed imaginations by listening to stories from their parents and grandparents. ECE teachers may add the students’ imagination to enhance their understanding and overcome problems. Research has proven storytelling as an effective method of successful communication to understand others’ emotions and convey their own to others; similarly, it is equally effective for sharing information and knowledge (Lawrence & Paige, 2016).  

Summing up the above-mentioned thing, according to Sharda (2007), it can be stated that storytelling is not only effective pedagogical approach to attain the objectives of general education, but it is equally effective to obtain the learning objectives for technical and scientific education. It is also a powerful tool to transmit traditions, cultural heritage and history to the next generations. Behmer (2005) stated, “Storytelling is a process where students personalize what they learn and construct their own meaning and knowledge from the stories they hear and tell”.  Nowadays, social and digital media is being used to tell stories due to increased use and effectiveness (Norman, 2011).

Recommendations

Based on the results of the current study, the following recommendations were made:

• ECE teachers training programs should include content regarding storytelling and play-way methods of teaching.

• Resource rooms should be established to boost prospective teachers’ imagination to enable them to create stories.

• Teachers should be encouraged to raise discussion among students to gain their attention and to support the learning process. 

• The aspect of fun should be included in stories to keep students relaxed while learning. 

• Public parks may be used to implement the play-way method, where ample space is required. 

• Assistant teachers may be appointed to make the environment safe for playing.  

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