The Effectiveness of a Story-Based Training Program in Developing Problem-Solving Skills Among Hard-of-Hearing Female Secondary School Students
Keywords:
Problem-solving; storytelling; hard of hearing; hearing impairment training programAbstract
Storytelling has emerged as a promising educational strategy for supporting the cognitive and social development of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Nevertheless, limited attention has been given to its role in enhancing higher-order thinking skills such as problem-solving in secondary school contexts. Addressing this gap, the present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a story-based training program in developing problem-solving skills among hard-of-hearing female secondary school students in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. A purposive sample of nine students was selected, and the study employed a quasi-experimental design (one-group design with two measurements before and after). Two researcher-developed tools were used: the problem-solving skills scale for data collection and a story-based training program for the intervention. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test and the Mann–Whitney test for independent samples. The findings revealed statistically significant improvements in students’ problem-solving skills in favor of the post-test, demonstrating the effectiveness of the training program. Importantly, no statistically significant differences were found between students based on their communication method (spoken language/bilingual), indicating that the program is inclusive and adaptable to diverse communication styles. Overall, the results highlight the potential of storytelling to enhance critical thinking, strengthen problem-solving abilities, and foster active engagement among hard-of-hearing students. Based on these findings, the study recommends integrating storytelling approaches into educational programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners, given their demonstrated positive cognitive and educational impact.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.11.27
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