EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF FREE VOLUNTARY READING IN UPGRADING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' CREATIVE WRITING AT AL BAHA UNIVERSITY
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of free voluntary reading in upgrading university students' creative writing at Al-Baha University. It introduces the types of free voluntary reading that can be employed by the students. In order to achieve this, thirty students at Al-Baha University enrolling in the BA program in English department were chosen randomly. The descriptive analytic method then applied in this study. Pre-test and post-test designed for the students and a questionnaire directed to the teachers were used as tools of collecting data. Finally, the results revealed that free voluntary reading plays critical roles in upgrading the students’ creative writing. Also, the teachers highly appreciate the contributions of free voluntary reading materials in pushing forward the students' achievement.
Keywords: free voluntary reading, university students, BA program, creative writing
References
Al-Jarf, R. (2007). Developing reading and literacy skills in Saudi Arabia. Retrieved from: ksu.edu.sa/jspui/handle/123456789/7709.
Bader, L., Veatch, J., & Eldridge, J. (1987). Trade books or basal readers? Reading Improvement, 24, 62-67.
Bastrukmen, H., & Lewis, M. (2002). Learner perspectives of success in an EAP writing Course. Assessing Writing, 8(1), 31-46. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1075-2935(02)00032-6
Blomer, Y. (2011). Assessment in creative writing. Wascana Review, 43, 61-73.
Brown, H. D. (1994). Principles of language learning and teaching (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall Regents.
Butler, A. & Turbill, J. (1987). Towards a reading-writing classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Day, R., & Bamford, J. (2002). Top ten principles of teaching extensive reading. Reading in a Foreign Language, 14, 136-141.
Elley, W. (1991). Acquiring literacy in a second language: The effect of book-based programs. Language Learning, 41, 375-411.
Jenkins, M. (1957). Self-selection in reading. Reading Teacher, 10, 84-90.
Kantor, K. (1972). Evaluating creative writing: A different ball game. The English Journal, 64, 72-74.
Krashen, S. (1988). Do we learn to read by reading? The relationship between free reading and reading ability (pp. 269- 298). In D. Tannen (Ed.) Linguistics in context: Connecting observation and understanding. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Mackey, A. & Gass, S. (2005). Second language research. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
May, S. (2007). Doing creative writing. New York: Routledge.
Newman, J. (2007). The evaluation of creative writing at M.A. level (UK). In S. Earnshaw (ed.), The handbook of teaching creative writing. Edinburg: Edinburg University Press.
Oxford, R. L., & Leaver, B. L (1996). A synthesis of strategy instruction for language learners. In R. L. Oxford (ed.), Language learning strategies around the world: Cross cultural perspectives. Manoa: University of Hawaii Press.
Shanahan, T. (1980). The impact of writing instruction on learn¬ing to read. Reading World, 19(4), 357–368.
Van den Broek, P., & Espin, C. A. (2012). Connecting cognitive theory and assessment: Measuring individual differences in reading comprehension. School Psychology Review, 41(3), 315-325.
Webster's New World College Dictionary (4th Ed). (2009). Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English for Advanced Learners.
All articles published in English Review: Journal of English Education (ERJEE) are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Copyright Ownership
Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant ERJEE the right of first publication. The journal is granted a non-exclusive license to publish, reproduce, and distribute the article in any format, medium, or platform, provided that proper credit is given to the original authors.
License Terms – CC BY 4.0
Under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, others are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially
As long as they:
- Provide appropriate credit to the original author(s) and source
- Provide a link to the license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
- Indicate if any changes were made
There are no restrictions on the reuse, reproduction, or adaptation of published articles as long as attribution is properly given.
Author Warranties
By submitting a manuscript to ERJEE, authors confirm that:
- The work is original and does not infringe any existing copyright.
- The manuscript has not been previously published and is not under consideration elsewhere.
- All sources and references are appropriately acknowledged.
- Necessary permissions have been obtained for any copyrighted materials used.
