Fact from Fiction: The Learning Benefits of Listening to Historical Fiction

Abstract

Immersion into fiction is associated with many educational and social benefits. The current study compared read‐alouds of a historical fiction novel and a nonfiction textbook to determine whether differences were observed in student's transportation, content learning, and socio‐emotional development. In all, 41 students between the ages of 9 and 12 years old listened to either a fiction novel or nonfiction textbook as it was read‐aloud. The participants were then assessed on their content knowledge of the Great Depression, and their self‐reports of transportation, perspective taking, fantasy, empathic concern, and helping behaviors. Results showed that both fiction and nonfiction groups learned the same amount of content; however, positive correlations between transportation and several aspects of socio‐emotional development were unique to the group exposed to fiction. Thus, fiction novels can provide opportunities for the learning of historical information while enabling a child's growth in socio‐emotional development. Classroom‐based implications, strategies, and novel suggestions are discussed.