Effectiveness of Role-Playing in Enhancing Creative Writing of English Major Students at Al-Quds University

Abstract

Aim: The study aims to identify the impact of using the strategy of role-playing in enhancing the creative writing skills of English Majors at Al-Quds University. Methodology: In order to carry out this study, some educational material was prepared from the Drama course in accordance with the strategy of role -playing. The material was applied on the sample of the study which consists of 15 students (female and male) from the Department of English at Al-Quds University in Palestine. In addition to the creative writing test, an interview of 6 students (male and female) was conducted. The study used the quasi-experimental approach with one group pre-and post-test design to determine the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent one. Place and Duration of the Study: The study was carried out in the Department of English at Al-Quds University, West Bank, Palestine, between March 2016 and June 2016. Results: The results of the study showed a development in creative writing skills as a whole. After studying a selected play using the role-playing strategy, the results showed a development in students’ creative writing skills: originality, linguistic accuracy, and content organization. The study shows no development in both skills fluency and flexibility. It also showed no gender differences of statistical significance between the pre and post tests. The results of the interview showed positive impressions among the students regarding the use of role-playing strategy and its impact on developing their creative writing skills, as this strategy helped them in analyzing the text in a better way, organizing their writings and enhancing their imaginations of the events. Conclusion: Creative drama activities are an effective technique to enhance students’ creative writing skills. Role-playing helps students to understand, evaluate and appreciate the text in a better way. It also helps them enjoy the literary text, and thus look at the text from a beautiful perspective. Recommendations: In light of the results of the study, the researchers recommended the need for further similar studies but on other variables, as well as the necessity for the use of role-playing strategy in teaching.