Academic Use of English Short Stories
Trusted in academic literacy research
For Educators & Researchers
English Short Stories (ESS) is used by educators, researchers, and literacy programs around the world to support reading comprehension, emotional literacy, and English language learning. Our stories have been adapted and used in academic literacy interventions, including the BRAVELit Program, a literacy support initiative for senior high school students in the Philippines.
This page documents how our stories are used in research and education, and how institutions can request permission to use them.
Why Educators and Researchers Use ESS
English Short Stories publishes short-form emotional and moral fiction rooted in everyday life, written for readers aged 3 to 18, ESL learners, parents, and teachers. Each story is built to be read in a single sitting, paired with vocabulary, comprehension support, and a clear (but never preachy) takeaway — which is part of why the stories translate well into classroom and research settings that need short, complete, teachable texts.
Researchers and educators have used ESS stories for:
- Reading comprehension and literacy intervention programs
- English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction
- Localisation and cross-cultural adaptation research
- Values education and social-emotional learning curricula
- Classroom read-alouds and guided reading exercises
Academic Partnerships
BRAVELit Program — Philippines
The BRAVELit Program is a literacy intervention initiative supporting senior high school students in the Philippines. With permission from English Short Stories, the BRAVELit team localised eight ESS stories for Filipino readers — adapting character names, settings, and cultural references (for example, changing a chai stall to a sari-sari store, or a rangoli competition to a Sarimanok craft competition) while keeping each story’s original theme and emotional core intact.
Stories used:
- The Last Bench — Friendship
- Four Friends — Friendship
- The Rangoli That Went Wrong — Perseverance
- The Last Coin in My Pocket — Social Issues
- The Goalkeeper Who Never Smiled — Mental Health and Emotions
- The Thread That Saved the Tree — School Experiences
- The Boy Who Counted Stars — Self-Discovery
- The Painter Who Forgot to Smile — Dreams and Aspiration
How to Request Academic Use
We welcome researchers, educators, and literacy programs to use English Short Stories content for academic and educational purposes.
To request permission:
- Fill in the form below or write to us at contact.englishshortstories@gmail.com with the story titles or themes you’d like to use and a brief description of your project.
- Let us know if you plan to adapt, translate, or localise the stories.
- Credit English Short Stories (ESS Editorial) as the original source in your final materials, with a link to the original story where possible.
We typically respond within 7 business days and are glad to be listed as a source for genuine academic and educational work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has English Short Stories been used in academic research? Yes. English Short Stories has granted permission for its stories to be used in academic literacy research and education programs, including the BRAVELit Program, a literacy intervention initiative for senior high school students in the Philippines.
Can I use English Short Stories content for my research project or thesis? Yes, with permission. Contact us with your story selections and project details, and we will confirm permission in writing, provided ESS is credited as the source.
Can I localise or translate English Short Stories for a non-English-speaking audience? Yes, this is permitted with prior written approval. Several of our stories have already been localised for other regions and languages as part of approved academic projects.
Is there a fee to use English Short Stories in academic or nonprofit literacy programs? Usage is typically free for genuine academic and nonprofit literacy projects, provided ESS is credited as the source. For larger-scale or commercial use, we review requests case-by-case — contact us with your project details and we’ll confirm.
Send Us a Message
Offices
Kandivali, Mumbai - India
Phone Number
(+91) 9820254070
Email Address
contact.englishshortstories@gmail.com