The Iraqi EFL Learners' Awareness of the Role of Reading Literature in their Creative Writing

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.24412

Keywords:

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.

Author Biographies

  • Batool Abdul-Mohsin Miri, College of Education in Qurna, University of Basrah, Basra, Iraq

    Batool Abdul-Mohsin Miri holds the position of an instructor at the English department, College of Education in Qurna, University of Basrah, Iraq. In addition to her instructional duties, she has also engaged in professional translation work. She is strongly inclined towards engaging in practical linguistic pursuits and staying abreast of current English Language Teaching (ELT) developments.

  • Mahdi Kadhim Kareem, Basrah Engineering Technical College, Southern Technical College, Basra, Iraq
    Mahdi Kadhim Kareem is an assistant lecturer at Engineering Technical College, Basra, Iraq. He is interested in dystopia, apocalypse, animal imagination, and post-colonial literature. He has been a professional translator in oil fields in Zubair, Basra, Iraq, for many years.
  • Mariam Naji Mazloum Al-Ghazawi , College of Education in Qurna, University of Basrah, Basra, Iraq
    Mariam Naji Mazloum Al-Ghazawi is an English student who has recently graduated from the English Department in Qurna, University of  Basrah, Iraq. She is very passionate about literature, modern literary theories, and current trends in literary studies.

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

16-01-2024

Issue

Section

Research Article

How to Cite

Miri, B. A. M., Kareem, M. K., & Al-Ghazawi , M. N. M. (2024). The Iraqi EFL Learners’ Awareness of the Role of Reading Literature in their Creative Writing. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 4(1), 18-32. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.24412

Similar Articles

71-80 of 152

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.