The Effects of Applying Fairy Tales to Promote the Executive Functions (EF) of Early Childhood Children, Basic Cognitive Skills

This research applies to study the development of the Executive Function (EF), basic cognitive skills, of early childhood children by using fairy tales and to compare pre and post Executive Function development, basic cognitive skills, by using fairy tales together with the following up the daily routines and independent learning activities. The sample subjects were fifteen 1st kindergarten students (male and female between 3 years to 3 year 11 months 29 days of age) of Tessaban 4 Ban Phu Bo Bit School selected by using a purposive sampling method. Researchers tested the Executive Function (EF) of the sample and then, selected the ones who got a lower point than the standard to participate in this study.The research instruments were (1) the Big Book of fairy tales to promote the Executive Function (EF) including 3 stories titled; Dot; David goes to school; Furry one will be a big brother (2) the lesson plan of organizing Big Book storytelling activity (3) the pretest and posttest of the daily routines, independent learning activities, and 3 Executive Functions (EFs) which are; working memory; inhibitory control; cognitive flexibility (4) the record form of student practice which has the reliability at the level 0.07. This study applied One Group Pre-test Post-test Design. The statistics used were mean and t-test (Dependent Samples).The findings indicated that the early childhood children who have been developed by using storytelling activity and following up have a higher level of reception and Executive Function development, basic cognitive skills, including; working memory, listening and speaking skills; inhibitory control, self-confidence, and emotional control for expressing appropriate behaviors; cognitive flexibility, shift thinking and problem-solving. As a result, the early childhood children who have been developed by using storytelling activity and following up have a higher level of reception and Executive Function development than before significantly at .01 level.