Elementary school students can substantially improve their ability to retell stories when local wisdom-based storytelling is combined with the 5W1H framework (What, Who, Where, When, Why, and How), according to a 2026 study by Nurnaningsih, Veronika Unun Pratiwi, and Arin Arianti from Veteran Bangun Nusantara University, Sukoharjo, Indonesia. Published in the International Journal of Applied Educational Research (IJAER), the research demonstrates that integrating culturally relevant stories with a structured comprehension strategy strengthens literacy, vocabulary, and critical thinking among fourth-grade students.
The findings are particularly significant as schools worldwide continue searching for effective literacy approaches that improve reading comprehension while preserving local culture. Rather than relying on memorization, the study shows that students develop deeper understanding by analyzing stories systematically and retelling them in their own words.
Literacy Challenges Require More Meaningful Learning Strategies
Reading literacy remains one of the most pressing educational challenges in Indonesia. Although schools have introduced reading programs, many elementary students still struggle to understand texts and communicate what they have read.
The researchers observed that nearly half of the participating fourth-grade students at SDN Jombor 02 Sukoharjo had difficulty retelling stories coherently before the intervention. Many omitted important information, relied on teacher prompts, used limited vocabulary, and focused on memorizing storylines instead of understanding relationships between events.
Previous studies have already demonstrated that storytelling enhances reading comprehension and vocabulary, while the 5W1H strategy helps students identify key information within a text. However, few studies had combined these two approaches into a single literacy model. The researchers addressed this gap by integrating local storytelling with the analytical structure of 5W1H.
A Simple Classroom Intervention with Measurable Results
The study involved 27 fourth-grade students from SDN Jombor 02 Sukoharjo.
Researchers used a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. Students first completed an initial assessment, followed by several weeks of classroom activities centered on the Sukoharjo origin story. Teachers introduced storytelling techniques, guided students through the 5W1H framework, encouraged pair and individual retelling exercises, and concluded the program with a posttest using a different story of similar difficulty.
Student performance was evaluated using retelling rubrics, 5W1H worksheets, classroom observations, and learning documentation before and after the intervention.
Students Showed Dramatic Improvement
The results revealed substantial improvements across nearly every measure of literacy.
Key findings include:
- Average retelling scores increased from 1.89 to 3.21.
- Students improved by 1.32 points, representing a 69.8% increase over their initial performance.
- Statistical analysis showed the improvement was highly significant (t = 10.43; p < .001).
- The intervention produced a very large educational effect with Cohen's d = 2.01, indicating a strong practical impact.
The distribution of student achievement also shifted considerably.
Before the program:
- 25.9% of students were classified as Poor.
- 48.1% were Fair.
- None reached the Excellent category.
After the intervention:
- Only 3.7% remained in the Poor category.
- 55.6% reached the Good level.
- 14.8% achieved the Excellent category.
- Overall, more than 70% of students performed at Good or Excellent levels after the intervention.
Local Stories Help Students Learn Vocabulary and Think More Deeply
One of the study's most important discoveries was that students made their greatest progress in local vocabulary mastery, which increased by 103.9% compared with pretest performance.
Story comprehension also improved dramatically, while gains in language use suggested that students would benefit from longer-term practice to achieve even greater fluency.
When researchers evaluated students' mastery of the six 5W1H elements, the "Why" component received the highest average score. This indicates that students became increasingly capable of identifying cause-and-effect relationships instead of simply recalling isolated facts.
Overall, students achieved an average score of 3.71 out of 4.0 across all six elements, demonstrating strong understanding of story structure and narrative analysis.
Cultural Context Makes Literacy More Meaningful
According to Nurnaningsih, Veronika Unun Pratiwi, and Arin Arianti of Veteran Bangun Nusantara University, combining local storytelling with the 5W1H framework helps students organize information logically while connecting learning with familiar cultural experiences. Rather than memorizing narratives, students learn to interpret events, understand motivations, and communicate stories using their own language.
The researchers also note that culturally responsive learning strengthens vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, student engagement, and appreciation of local heritage. Stories rooted in students' own communities make reading more relevant and memorable while simultaneously supporting literacy development.
Implications for Schools and Education Policy
The findings suggest that integrating local cultural narratives into literacy instruction could provide schools with an inexpensive and practical strategy for improving reading outcomes.
Teachers can adapt local folktales, legends, and community stories to strengthen literacy while preserving cultural identity. The 5W1H framework offers a simple classroom tool that encourages critical thinking, structured analysis, and coherent oral communication across various reading materials.
For curriculum developers and education policymakers, the research supports greater inclusion of culturally relevant learning resources that connect literacy instruction with students' everyday experiences.
The authors also acknowledge that the study involved only one elementary school and a relatively small sample. They recommend larger studies involving multiple schools and control groups to validate the effectiveness of this integrated approach across broader educational settings.
Author Profiles
Nurnaningsih, is a lecturer at Veteran Bangun Nusantara University, Sukoharjo, Indonesia, specializing in Indonesian language education, elementary literacy, local wisdom-based learning, and storytelling pedagogy.
Veronika Unun Pratiwi, is a lecturer at Veteran Bangun Nusantara University whose research focuses on elementary education, literacy development, and innovative language teaching.
Arin Arianti, is an academic at Veteran Bangun Nusantara University with expertise in educational innovation, elementary learning strategies, literacy education, and culturally responsive teaching.
Source
Article Title: Improving Retelling Abilities Through the Integration of Local Storytelling and The 5W1H Framework in Elementary School Students
Journal: International Journal of Applied Educational Research (IJAER)
Publication Year: 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijaer.v4i3.9
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