The use of digital storytelling in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading
instruction has become increasingly important due to the integration of technology
in classroom learning to support students’ reading development. Reading is one of
the essential language skills; however, many EFL students still face difficulties in
understanding main ideas, vocabulary, and text structure. Although previous studies
have shown that digital storytelling can improve reading comprehension, limited
studies have explored students’ perceptions, particularly in cognitive and emotional
aspects during reading activities. This study aims to explore EFL students’
perceptions of using digital storytelling in promoting their reading skill and to
identify the most dominant cognitive and emotional perceptions. This research
employed a qualitative case study design and was conducted at a senior high school
involving 23 tenth-grade students. Data were collected through observation, close
ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, then analyzed using data
reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings show that students
generally perceive digital storytelling positively because it helps them understand
reading texts more easily through visual, audio, and narrative elements. The most
dominant cognitive perception is vocabulary understanding, while the most
dominant emotional perception is students’ interest. Students found reading
activities more engaging, enjoyable, and less monotonous, which encouraged active
participation. Emotional perception appeared slightly more dominant than
cognitive perception. In conclusion, digital storytelling is an effective instructional
approach that supports both cognitive and emotional aspects of students’ reading
development and creates a more meaningful and interactive learning experience in
EFL classrooms.

Keywords: Digital Storytelling, Students’ Perceptions, EFL Students’, Reading
Skill, Cognitive Perception, Emotional Perception.