Engaging children in writing activities : working with paintings to make course book writing tasks more effective

Abstract

This descriptive study aimed to improve the writing skills of young EFL learners by incorporating works of art, especially paintings, as a visual aid to supplement writing activities in coursebooks. We, as teachers, found that students were having difficulty completing the writing tasks and lacked engagement in the activity. Therefore, we implemented a strategy that involved presenting and discussing a painting to encourage students to express their own ideas and thoughts in their writing. The study analyzed the texts created by our learners before and after the presentation and discussion about the painting. The results revealed that the use of paintings as a visual input and the exchange of ideas through discussion allowed students to improve their writing skills and express their own ideas more effectively. This study highlights the importance of incorporating visual aids and discussion in language learning activities to enhance students’ engagement and learning outcomes. It also suggests that the use of works of art, such as paintings, can be an effective way to supplement language learning activities and improve students' writing skills.