Digital storytelling has gained increasing attention in language education as an
innovative approach to support meaningful learning for young learners. However,
limited research has explored how pre-service teachers reflect on their experiences
when designing such materials. This study aims to investigate pre-service
teachers’ reflections on their experiences in designing digital storytelling
materials for teaching English to young learners. A qualitative case study design
was employed involving five pre-service teachers from an English Education
Department in Bogor, Indonesia, who had completed a Teaching English to
Young Learners (TEYL) course. Data were collected through guided reflective
writing based on Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (1988), semi-structured interviews, and
supplementary observation of participants’ digital storytelling projects to provide
contextual insights. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis following
Braun and Clarke (2006). The findings reveal that designing digital storytelling
materials is not merely a technical activity but a reflective pedagogical process.
Through reflection, participants developed awareness of learner characteristics,
language simplification, visual-text coherence, creativity, and engagement
strategies. The process also fostered critical decision-making, emotional
awareness, and adaptive problem-solving in addressing pedagogical and
technological challenges. Furthermore, the use of Storybird supported
participants’ professional development by integrating technological competence
with pedagogical reasoning. This study concludes that reflective digital material
design plays an important role in fostering pedagogical awareness and promoting
learner centered teaching practices. Therefore, integrating structured reflection
into digital storytelling design in teacher education is essential to prepare future
teachers who are both technologically competent and pedagogically responsive.

Keywords: digital storytelling, pre-service teachers, reflective practice, young
learners