The Iraqi EFL Learners' Awareness of the Role of Reading Literature in their Creative Writing
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.24412Keywords:
Creative Writing, Reading literature, Language Proficiency, EFL Learners' Academic Abilities.Abstract
This study examines the extent of awareness among Iraqi English foreign language learners about the potential impact of reading literature on developing their creative writing abilities. Furthermore, this study investigates the relationship between those who partake in literature reading and their academic skills. It examines the participation of 120 Iraqi EFL learners currently enrolled in the faculties of Arts, Education, and Education in Qurna, affiliated with the University of Basrah. It employs a mixed methods approach, including a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The results demonstrate a significant correlation between reading literary texts and developing creative writing skills. Several literary elements enhance creative writing, including a comprehensive understanding of figures of speech, cultivating critical thinking skills, engaging in literature courses, practicing paraphrasing poetry, and exposure to various literary genres. The findings also demonstrate that EFL learners profoundly understand the impact of engaging with literary texts on their academic abilities.References
Adam, A. A. S., & Babiker, Y. O. (2015). The Role of Literature in Enhancing Creative Writing from Teachers' Perspectives. English Language and Literature Studies, 5(1), 109. https://doi.org/10.5539/ells.v5n1p109.
Austen, V. J. (2005). The value of creative writing assignments in English literature courses. New Writing. The international journal for the practice and theory of creative writing, 2(2), 138-150. https://doi.org/10.1080/14790720508668953.
Elley, W. B., & Mangubhai, F. (1983). The impact of reading on second language learning. Reading research quarterly, 19(1), 53-67. https://doi.org/10.2307/747337.
Huynh, D.P.(2022). Extensive Reading on Postgraduate Students' Perceptions and Its Effects on Reading Comprehension. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 2(4), 32-47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.22243.
Iida, A. (2013). Critical review of literary reading and writing in a second language. The Journal of Literature in Language Teaching, 2(1), 5-13. Retrieved from https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Critical-review-of-literary-reading-and-writing-in-Iida/f1dd6e2f44aca954cd0c22cdaa848f703d5a5949.
Kim, Y. K. (2010). Teaching English literature and critical thinking, beyond just language acquisition. 영어어문교육, 16(4), 71-90. Retrieved from https://koreascience.kr/article/JAKO201003939212584.page
Knoeller, C. (2003). Imaginative response: Teaching literature through creative writing. The English Journal, 92(5), 42-48. https://doi.org/10.2307/3650423.
Morris, G., & Sharplin, E. (2013). The assessment of creative writing in senior secondary English: A colloquy concerning criteria. English in Education, 47(1), 49-65. https://doi.org/10.1111/eie.12004.
Myers, D.G. (1994). The lessons of creative writing's history. AWP Chronicle, 26(1), 12–14. https://doi.org/10.2307/2709983.
Nguyen, T. T. H. (2022). The Effects of Reading Habits on Writing Performance: A Case Study at Van Lang University. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 2(4), 105-133. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.22247.
Noaman, N. N. (2013). Literature and language skill. AL-USTATH, Baghdad university, 204(2), 123-134. Retrieved from https://www.iasj.net/iasj/download/388d30dbb4a9d374 .
Ouhiba, N. M. (2022). The Role of Literature in Boosting EFL University Students' Critical Thinking: Case of First-Year Students in Algeria. Arab World English Journal, 13(1), 477-485. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4086131.
Paesani, K. (2016). Investigating connections among reading, writing, and language development: A multiliteracies perspective. Reading in a Foreign Language, 28(2), 266-289. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10125/66902.
Ramet, A. (2011). Creative writing. Hachette UK.
Urlaub, P. (2011). Developing literary reading skills through creative writing in German as a second language. Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German, 44(2), 98-105. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-1221.2011.00099.x
Widdowson, H (1990). Aspects of Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Batool Abdul-Mohsin Miri, Mahdi Kadhim Kareem, Mariam Naji Mazloum Al-Ghazawi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The copyright of all articles published in the International Journal of TESOL & Education (ijte) remains with the Authors, i.e. Authors retain full ownership of their article. Permitted third-party reuse of the open access articles is defined by the applicable Creative Commons (CC) end-user license which is accepted by the Authors upon submission of their paper. All articles in the ijte are published under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license, meaning that end users can freely share an article (i.e. copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt it (i.e. remix, transform and build upon the material) on the condition that proper attribution is given (i.e. appropriate credit, a link to the applicable license and an indication if any changes were made; all in such a way that does not suggest that the licensor endorses the user or the use) and the material is only used for non-commercial purposes.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository, in a journal or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
How to Cite
