Reading stories, listening to stories and finishing stories – pilot research focusing on children with learning difficulties

Abstract

The research examines the differences between listening to stories and watching them on screen. In presenting the theoretical background, we focused primarily on the importance of internal image formation, the decisive roles of parents and teachers in the development of imagination, and methods that promote imagination.
The research focuses on examining the story listening and viewing habits of the students surveyed. Based on the student questionnaire and the free ending of the story, we sought to find out what differences there are in the ending of the story among those who listen to the story, those who watch the story, and those who process the content. We used a mixed methodology, with the questionnaires being processed using quantitative methods and descriptive statistical analysis. The ending of the story was qualitative, but the focus was not on text analysis, but on the quantitative unit and content classification of the responses. Our sample size was n=38 among students with learning difficulties and n=40 among typical students.
The results of the research reflect that differences can be observed mainly in terms of school type and development, while there are no significant differences in terms of story listening habits. However, among students who discuss the content of the story, the highest values are found in the comparison of the number of words and the train of thought.
In conclusion, it can be said that reading habits have changed significantly in recent years, partly due to the use of television and other IT devices. However, we must not forget that live, personal interaction is essential for the development and improvement of verbal expression skills.
Keywords: story listening, story viewing, story completion