The Narratives of EFL Lecturers at a Thai University about Storytelling as a Pedagogical Tool: A Multiple Case Study

AUTHOR(S)

KRISNA RIKA O. BARRON HENRY E. LEMANA II

ABSTRACT

—— The use of storytelling as an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) pedagogical tool in higher education remains relatively novel and underexamined. This qualitative multiple-case study explored the narratives of EFL lecturers at a Thai university on how they integrated storytelling into their teaching practices. Data were collected through interviews, classroom observations, post-teaching reflections, and teaching artifacts, and were subjected to within-case and cross-case thematic analysis. Findings reveal that storytelling functions as an adaptive, relational, and differentiated pedagogical practice. Lecturers used strategies such as simplifying narratives, scaffolding tasks, integrating cultural and ethical themes, and employing multimodal supports to engage students across varying proficiency levels and foster comprehension, learner participation, intercultural awareness, and moral reflection, while carefully aligning with curriculum objectives and institutional support. The study highlights the potential of storytelling to transform classrooms into engaging, culturally responsive, and learner-centered learning environments. Implications stressed the need for professional development, curriculum integration, and policy support to sustain storytelling as an effective EFL pedagogical tool in higher education. Keywords — Storytelling, narratives, English language learning, EFL pedagogy, multiple-case study, Thailand