Benefits of Storytelling Methodologies in 4th and 5th Grade Historical Instruction.

This study examines the benefits of using stories to teach history to 4th and 5th grade students. In order to determine student attitude toward history, students completed a History Affinity scale prior to and after being exposed to one of 2 teaching methods. Students in the experimental group listened to and participated in oral narratives during their history lesson while students in the control group received conventional lecture and note-taking instruction. After collecting and analyzing the data, results indicate a significant increase in history affinity in the positive direction for the experimental group with no change in history affinity for the control group. Conducted amongst 228 students, all attending the same elementary school in Southern Indiana, this study speaks to the potential of improving teaching methods throughout the history curriculum through increased use of storytelling methods