Abstract:
The increasing integration of digital multimodal resources into English
language learning has transformed the way students engage with narrative texts by
combining written language with visual and auditory modes. However, limited
studies have explored students' experiences of learning narrative texts through
digital multimodal animated fable videos in rural educational contexts. This study
aimed to explore how junior high school students comprehended narrative texts
when engaged with digital multimodal animated fable videos and to identify the
multimodal elements that facilitated their emotional engagement and understanding
of story meaning. This study employed a qualitative case study design involving
twenty eighth-grade students at an Islamic junior high school in Cidolog, Ciamis.
Data were collected through classroom observations, document analysis, and semistructured interviews conducted across four instructional meetings. Classroom
observations examined students' participation, interactions, and meaning-making
processes, while document analysis identified the development of reading
comprehension, vocabulary understanding, multimodal interpretation, and
emotional engagement through students' worksheets. Semi-structured interviews
with six selected students explored their learning experiences and perceptions of
the multimodal elements. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The
findings revealed that students gradually developed their narrative comprehension
by integrating written texts, subtitles, images, character movements, narration,
background music, and sound effects to construct meaning. The study also found
that subtitles, facial expressions, character movements, background music, and
sound effects were the multimodal elements that most effectively supported
students' emotional engagement and understanding of story meaning. The study
concludes that digital multimodal animated fable videos provide meaningful
learning experiences that enhance students' narrative reading comprehension,
emotional engagement, and multimodal literacy while offering practical insights for
integrating multimodal resources into English reading instruction. However, the
findings are limited to one rural Islamic junior high school with a relatively small
number of participants and a short implementation period.
