The Effect of Picture Stories on Developing Reading Prediction Skills among Fifth-Grade Primary School Female Pupils

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of picture stories on developing reading prediction skills among fifth-grade primary school female pupils. This stems from the importance of reading comprehension skills in enhancing thinking and understanding, particularly reading prediction skills, which help learners anticipate events and ideas and construct meaning based on prior knowledge as well as linguistic and visual cues. The research problem was represented by the low level of this skill among pupils and the need to employ modern instructional strategies to address it. Among these strategies is the picture story, which integrates text and images within an engaging educational context.The researcher adopted a partially controlled experimental design. The sample consisted of (57) fifth-grade female pupils from Al-Rif Al-Zahir Primary School for Girls in Al-Husseiniya District, Karbala Governorate, during the academic year (2025–2026). The participants were divided into an experimental group of (29) pupils taught using picture stories and a control group of (28) pupils taught by the conventional method. To achieve the study objective, the researcher developed a Reading Prediction Skills Test consisting of (20) items. The validity, reliability, and psychometric properties of the instrument were verified. The findings revealed a statistically significant difference at the (0.05) level between the mean scores of the two groups on the post-reading prediction test in favor of the experimental group. This result confirms the effectiveness of picture stories in developing reading prediction skills among fifth-grade primary school female pupils. Accordingly, the researcher recommended adopting picture stories in teaching reading topics and training Arabic language teachers to employ modern strategies based on visual activities and active learning.