The effect of using dijital storytelling on word teaching in Turkish language education as a foreign language

Words are the building blocks of a language. In foreign language instruction, learners can communicate, use the language effectively, and express their feelings through words. Without words, learners cannot convey their emotions, thoughts, or desires, nor can they comprehend what is being communicated to them. In this sense, vocabulary instruction holds great importance in foreign language instruction concerning communication and language usage. Effective foreign language instruction depends on the use of technology in the classroom. One of the most commonly used technological tools in foreign language instruction is digital storytelling. Digital stories are modernized versions of traditional stories equipped with technology to cater to the characteristics of 21st-century learners. In this regard, educators can enhance their communication with learners by incorporating digitally adapted traditional stories into their lessons. Digital stories, being visual and auditory, provide a multisensory learning experience. In this context, it can be argued that digitally created stories, in conjunction with contemporary technologies, may have positive effects on the development of learners' four basic language skills. The recognition of the positive impact of using digital storytelling in education has led to an increase in related studies. While these studies are mostly conducted in the field of elementary education, they are also extending to English language education. However, there is a scarcity of research on digital storytelling in Turkish as a foreign language and Turkish language education as a foreign language. The existing studies mainly focus on reading and writing skills, and there is a lack of research on vocabulary instruction using digital stories. Yet, digital stories offer opportunities to enhance vocabulary learning by incorporating visual elements and pronunciation practice through recorded audio. Therefore, it is believed that digital storytelling can be effective in vocabulary instruction. This study aims to determine the impact of using digital storytelling on vocabulary learning in Turkish as a foreign language, starting from the question: "What is the effect of using digital storytelling in Turkish language instruction as a foreign language on vocabulary learning and how does it occur?" For this purpose, a mixed research method was employed in the study. In the quantitative phase of the research, a controlled experimental study was conducted. A total of 40 learners at the A1 level of Turkish as a foreign language were selected to form the experimental and control groups. During the data collection process, learners in the experimental group created eight digital stories based on given vocabulary words, while learners in the control group wrote the stories on paper. Both groups were administered a pre-test and a post-test designed by the researcher. Wesche and Paribakht's "Vocabulary Knowledge Scale" adapted into Turkish as "Kelime Bilgisini Değerlendirme Ölçeği" was used in the preparation and scoring of the vocabulary test. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS program. In the second phase of the study, a qualitative research method, namely the case study design, was used to determine how digital stories affect vocabulary learning in Turkish as a foreign language. An open-ended questionnaire consisting of questions developed by the researcher was used as the data collection tool. The data obtained were analyzed through content analysis. As a result of the research, it was found that learners who created digital stories performed better in the post-test. However, when examining whether there was a significant difference between the post-test scores of the experimental and control groups, no significant difference was observed. Furthermore, when the learners' views on learning vocabulary through digital stories were examined, it emerged that learners learned words by seeing, speaking, reading, and writing them through digital stories. Learners also reported an increased interest in the language, feelings of happiness, enjoyment, and lasting learning experiences throughout the research.