Enhancing cognitive development in educational contexts: The impact of wordplay on english creative writing

This study explored the impact of integrating wordplay techniques in educational contexts on cognitive development and English creative writing skills using a pre- and post-test design. 160 students from diverse linguistic backgrounds participated, assigned to either an experimental or control group. The control group followed the Standard English Creative Writing Curriculum, while the experimental groups focused on puns, alliteration, or metaphors. Pre-tests and post-tests assessed students creative writing skills, with additional qualitative data gathered through interviews and surveys. Quantitative analysis using ANOVA revealed significant improvements in creative writing skills for all three experimental groups compared to the control group, with the group focused on puns showing the greatest improvement. Qualitative analysis identified themes of improved problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and engagement in creative writing among experimental groups. This study highlights the potential benefits of incorporating wordplay activities into English creative writing classes for English learners, emphasizing the importance of tailoring teaching methods to promote language proficiency and foster creativity. Wordplay can effectively stimulate learners' critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, enriching their overall English language use.