Linguistic Creativity in Japanese High School Students' Haikus: A Qualitative Analysis

Although haiku has gained attention as a pedagogical tool in second language (L2) instruction, its use in junior high school EFL classrooms remains underexplored. This study examines how Japanese junior high school students navigate the limitations of haiku to create meaningful and imaginative expressions of language. A qualitative descriptive analysis was conducted on 52 student-written haikus from a classroom-based writing activity. Findings reveal students demonstrate lexical creativity through vivid sensory imagery, nature-based vocabulary, emotional expressions, and modern references. Syntactic creativity emerges in omitted subjects and verbs, unconventional word order, and fragmented structure. Figurative language use, including metaphor and symbolism, enables students to convey complex emotions and abstract ideas. Thematic analysis highlights recurring themes such as seasonal imagery, nostalgia, personal reflection, and contemporary influences like technology. The study highlights haiku’s pedagogical value in fostering self-expression, linguistic precision, and cultural engagement. This demonstrates that structural limitations can serve as a catalyst for linguistic and creative development in young EFL learners.