Designing an Integrated Curriculum Model Based on Storytelling and Creative Drama in Preschool Education
Keywords:
Integrated Curriculum Model, Storytelling, Creative Drama, PreschoolAbstract
Purpose: The present study aimed to design and validate an integrated curriculum model based on storytelling and creative drama to enhance active learning and multidimensional development in preschool children.
Methodology: This study employed a mixed exploratory design with qualitative and quantitative orientations. The research population consisted of university faculty members in educational sciences and curriculum planning as well as preschool education experts from the Ministry of Education, from whom 15 participants were purposively selected. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews conducted until theoretical saturation was achieved. Qualitative coding and thematic analysis were applied for data analysis, and the validity of the proposed curriculum model was confirmed using the Delphi technique and expert evaluation.
Findings: The findings indicated that the integrated curriculum model comprised four principal components: multidimensional educational objectives, integrated content organization, interactive learning strategies, and developmental evaluation. Results further demonstrated that integrating storytelling with creative drama significantly strengthened children’s executive functions, including working memory, attentional control, cognitive flexibility, and emotional self-regulation. Successful implementation of the model depended on trained educators, appropriate learning environments, culturally responsive content, parental involvement, and institutional support.
Conclusion: The integrated storytelling–creative drama curriculum provides a transformative framework for preschool education by emphasizing interaction, imagination, aesthetic experience, and social learning. Beyond knowledge transmission, the model promotes cognitive, linguistic, emotional, and cultural development and offers a practical foundation for curriculum innovation and early childhood educational policy development.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Somayeh Mohammadi (Author); Reza Vala; Sharareh Habibi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
