Short Story Writing Experiences and Perceptions for Female Saudi Preparatory-Year Students

Abstract

English-language academics worldwide are interested in novel approaches to teaching writing – the most complex among the four main language skills. This study investigates how writing short stories can be integrated into the curriculum of teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to consolidate students’ knowledge of the language and promote their creative writing skills. It aims to understand students’ experiences in writing fiction and non-fiction short stories. The participants were 20 preparatory-year female Saudi students enrolled in a science track at a public university in Saudi Arabia. Data were obtained from students’ short stories written during an English course and a post-task questionnaire. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential research approach was adopted. Qualitative and quantitative data were derived from the themes explored as well as descriptive statistics of the short stories written by the participants. Qualitative data were obtained from students’ perceptions gauged from their post-task questionnaire responses. Findings indicate that writing short stories effectively reinforced students’ prior English knowledge and encouraged creative and imaginative writing while breaking the monotony of typical classroom procedures. Based on the results and pedagogical implications, recommendations are proposed to minimize the challenges that Saudi writers face in EFL educational settings.