Background: Research on the development of children’s narrative ability has paid full attention to the aspects of macro- and micro-structure, but the analyses of the six dimensions of the macro-structure story grammar and the development of children’s narrative ability are still limited.

Aim: This study used the corpus analysis method to examine the narrative ability of children aged 3–6 years by age and gender based on the perspective of macro- and micro-structure.

Method: A total of 137 oral corpus data were collected from children aged 3–6 years, which was divided into two stages: reading and evaluation. In the reading stage, the main tester first read the story of the picture book Guri and Gula, and then the children were asked to retell the story with the whole process being recorded. In the evaluation stage, the macro-structural dimension adopted the six-dimensional analytical structure: story background, triggering event, internal reaction, action plan/attempt, result, and response. The micro-structure adopted the two-dimensional analysis structure: contextual anaphora and correlative words or connective words.

Results: There were significant differences in the macro-structural level of children’s narrative ability among the age groups. Furthermore, there were age and gender differences in narrative length. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the macro- and micro-structure of children aged 3–6 years.

Conclusions: In the process of narration, children aged 3–6 years simultaneously develop the macro- and micro-structure. The macro- and micro-structure influenced each other in the construction of the story and showed a relatively fast developmental trajectory. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the dimensions within the macro- and micro-structure, indicating that the development of different dimensions is consistent and there are internal correlations between them.

Implications for families: When you are communicating with your child, it is beneficial to explicitly model or demonstrate the use of complete and coherent narratives.

Implications for practitioners: It is helpful to understand the developmental level and characteristics of narrative ability of children aged 3–6 years. It is recommended to use methods such as stories, discussion, and interactive questions to promote the development of children’s narrative ability when teaching reading.

Key words: children’s voices, early literacy, communication, narrative ability, macro- and micro-structure

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 4: Quality Education