Enhancing Primary Pupils’ Reading Interest through Illustrated Science Storybooks: A Sequential Explanatory Study

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of illustrated science storybooks in enhancing primary pupils’ reading interest within the Indonesian educational context. Recognizing the global and national challenges of declining reading motivation among young learners, the research explores how multimodal storybooks—integrating visual, narrative, and scientific elements—can foster both cognitive engagement and emotional enjoyment in reading. Employing a Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Design, the study first conducted a one-group pretest–posttest experiment with 17 third-grade pupils at SD Negeri 5 Mas, Gianyar, Bali, followed by semi-structured interviews and classroom observations to interpret the quantitative findings. Quantitative results revealed a significant improvement in pupils’ reading interest, with mean scores rising from 51.10 to 78.40 (p < .001), indicating substantial gains across all aspects of reading motivation. Qualitative findings supported these results, revealing three key themes: enhanced curiosity through contextualized visuals, emotional and cognitive engagement during reading, and increased persistence leading to self-initiated reading behavior. The integration of findings demonstrated that the illustrated storybooks not only increased motivation but also deepened pupils’ comprehension and sustained their enjoyment of science-related reading. The study contributes theoretically by linking Multimodal Learning Theory and Self-Determination Theory to explain how visual-narrative integration supports intrinsic motivation. Practically, it offers guidance for teachers and curriculum developers in designing engaging multimodal reading materials. Overall, the study concludes that illustrated science storybooks represent an effective pedagogical tool for promoting literacy, scientific curiosity, and lifelong reading habits among primary school learners.This study examined the effectiveness of illustrated science storybooks in enhancing primary pupils’ reading interest within the Indonesian educational context. Responding to global concerns regarding declining reading motivation among young learners, the research explored how multimodal storybooks that integrate visual, narrative, and scientific elements may foster both cognitive engagement and emotional enjoyment. A Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods approach was applied with 17 third-grade pupils in Bali. The quantitative results demonstrated a substantial and statistically significant improvement in reading interest, with the mean score increasing from 51.10 to 78.40 (p < .001), indicating consistent gains across all motivational dimensions. Qualitative findings supported these results, revealing heightened curiosity, sustained emotional and cognitive engagement, and increased persistence in independent reading. Collectively, the findings suggest that illustrated science storybooks not only enhance motivation but also stimulate deeper engagement with science-related texts. The study contributes to theoretical understandings of Multimodal Learning and Self-Determination Theory and offers practical guidance for integrating illustrated storybooks into literacy and science instruction to promote scientific curiosity and sustained reading habits among primary pupils.