Beyond traditional instruction
The impact of Drama Monologue and Photo Elicitation on EFL learner engagement and expressive competence
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22428161 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Mohammad H Keshmirshekan (0000-0001-9040-3046, Kharazmi University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-24 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-06 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1750-1229 • E-ISSN: 1750-1237 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/17501229.2026.2616403 |
| OpenAlex | W7128166562 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 41 |
This mixed-methods quasi-experimental study investigates the comparative impact of two expressive pedagogical strategies, Drama Monologue and Photo Elicitation, on engagement and expressive competence among secondary-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Sixty students were assigned to one of three groups: Drama Monologue (n = 20), Photo Elicitation (n = 20), or Control (n = 20). Employing pre- and post-intervention quantitative measures alongside qualitative interviews, findings reveal that the Drama Monologue group demonstrated significantly greater behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement, as well as higher expressive competence, compared to both the Photo Elicitation and Control groups. The Photo Elicitation group also showed moderate improvements relative to the Control group. Thematic analysis of qualitative data highlighted processes of embodied voice, visual memory scaffolding, language ownership, cognitive engagement through creative struggle, and critical reflection on traditional pedagogy. These results underscore the transformative potential of arts-based approaches in fostering holistic engagement and meaningful self-expression in EFL contexts. This study contributes to embodied learning theory, visual pedagogy, and TESOL scholarship by directly comparing two underexplored expressive modalities within the same instructional context, thereby illuminating how multimodal strategies can enhance language learning beyond conventional instruction.
Drama · Multimodality · Photo elicitation · Qualitative research · Semi-structured interview · Teaching method · Creative Drama in Education · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Literacy, Media, and Education
The Measurement of Communicative Competence
Multimodality
Revisiting Mixed Methods Research Designs Twenty Years Later
Conducting Semi‐Structured Interviews
Visual Images in Research
Semi-Structured Interviewing and Qualitative Analysis
Developmental Dynamics of Student Engagement, Coping, and Everyday Resilience
The L2 Motivational Self System
How students create motivationally supportive learning environments for themselves
School Engagement
[Synthesis] The potential of the performative – in theater, school and language education
Student Artifacts as Language Learning Materials
What does language awareness look like? Visual methodologies in language learning and teaching research (2000–2018)
Visual Methodologies
Talking about pictures
The Embodied Mind
A Review of Using Photo-Elicitation Interviews in Qualitative Education Research
Emotions as agency
An Exploration of Language Teacher Reflection, Emotion Labor, and Emotional Capital
Examining Language Teacher Identity and Intersectionality Across Instructional Contexts Through the Experience of Perezhivanie
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Photo Interviews
| Highly cited | No |
|---|