SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVIST APPROACH: (RE) TRANSFORMATION OF “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD” FOR WRITING COURSE

Year 2011, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 1732 - 1746, 01.03.2011

Dilek Tüfekçi Can

Abstract

There has been limited study on creative writing courses in the literature, where social constructivist approach is applied to students of English as a Foreign Language at advanced level. Thus, the current study aims at investigating the creative writing skills of the English Language Teaching (ELT) students by referring to “Little Red Riding Hood”. The sample group of the study consisted of 36 learners in ELT department at Balikesir University. They are the 4th year students who take the selective course “Teaching English through Literature”. The data collection instruments consisted of a background questionnaire, interviews, oral presentations, classroom discussions, and essays which are parts of students’ portfolio, and keeping a journal in which the students’ perspectives on the writing were registered. The results indicate that advanced EFL learners’ attitudes are changing positively on creative writing; and thus caused them to write more creative literary texts. It was concluded that English language teachers should adapt and use literary texts in order to enhance not only writing but also reading, listening and speaking skills.

Keywords

, Writing, Constructivism, English as a Foreign Language, Advanced Learner