Resumen

Introducción The EF English Proficiency Index exam which was taken by English learners from Latin America in 2019, measured the level of proficiency learners showed using English in different contexts. According to the results, Ecuadorian learners got a remarkable low competence in the use of the language. The examination was graded out of 100 points, and Ecuadorian learners reached 46,57. Because of the results obtained, Ecuador is in the 81st position from 100th countries which participated and is considered with the worst level of English in Latin América. (Machado, 2019). Moreover, EF Education First organization confirmed the results gotten in the EF English Proficiency Index exam. (EF, 2019). Ecuadorian authorities agreed that learners needed to be engaged in a meaningful process to learn L2. To meet the objectives, the whole process has to be analyzed to make significant changes.

Objetivos General Objective: To implement the Process-gender approach in Creative writing in B1 students from the Language English Program at Universidad Técnica de Ambato. Specific Objectives: 1. Analyze the theoretical foundation about the steps in creative writing. 2. Determine the effectiveness of process-genre approach in creative writing. 3. Apply Wix to develop creative writing through the use of the process- genre approach. 4. Evaluate the impact of the process-genre approach in creative writing.

Método A mixed methodology was used to analyze the effectiveness of the Process-Genre Approach to boost learners’ Creativity in short narrative stories. In the quantitative research, data was collected using a standardized rubric to assess writing skill in B1 learners from Cambridge Preliminary English Test (PET). In the qualitative research, informants’ experiences, attitudes, behavior, and interactions were evaluated in depth during the implementation of the Process- genre approach to boost learners’ creativity. Learners were involved in a quasi-experimental research where the phenomenon was examined before and after the treatment or intervention. While in the experimental group, 12 learners, were immersed in a treatment to apply the process- genre approach, the control group, 13 learners, kept working with the traditional writing approach. Two external evaluators assessed the written texts both in the pre and post-test to determine the efficacy of the process- genre approach in boosting EFL learners’ creativity.

Principales resultados The written texts were assessed both during the pre and post-test using a standardized rubric from Cambirdge Preliminary English Test (PET) from Cambridge University Press. Some relevant criteria was analized in the stories such as Use of language, structures and vocabulary, story development, and mechanics. The results were almost the same before the intervention in both the control and experimental group. Nevertheless, after the intervention, there was a significant improvement in language development. The process-genre approach contributed to develop learners’ creativity in written texts.

Conclusiones Implementing the Process- genre approach adapted by Huang and Lawrence (2020) to boost learners’ creativity, provided learners with adequate scaffolding to write a narrative fiction story. Developing the context, Modeling and deconstructing the text, Joint construction, and Independent construction guided learners to a well-organized written process. Additionally, the six main stages to write a narrative fiction: exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution approached learners to a pertinent perception of how to organize the events of the story, including vital features in each stage. Creativity focuses on the right side of the brain where curiosity, synergy, experimentation, flexibility, synthesizing, and risk take place; therefore, when learners were immersed in writing narrative fiction stories, it contributed to their language acquisition because EFL learners used mental processes to realize how language was used in those texts, making the learning process more memorable for them.