Exploring the psychological dimensions of poetry- and drama-based instruction in EFL learning.

Recent research in second language acquisition has increasingly emphasized the psychological dimensions of language learning, particularly emotion, confidence, engagement, and learner identity. Within this context, poetry and drama-based instruction has been identified as a potentially meaningful pedagogical approach. However, adolescent learners' psychological experiences of these practices remain underexplored, particularly in exam-oriented secondary school settings where creative language activities are often marginalized. Addressing this gap, the present qualitative study explored how adolescent learners and teachers experienced the psychological dimensions of poetry and drama-based instruction in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. The study involved 24 final-year secondary school students aged 16-18 and six EFL teachers from two secondary schools. Data were collected through Arabic-language focus group interviews with students and semi-structured individual interviews with teachers. The data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis, informed by perspectives from positive psychology in second language acquisition and sociocultural theory. The findings revealed three interrelated themes: (1) poetry and drama as emotionally supportive practices that reduced anxiety and fostered enjoyment, (2) enhanced speaking confidence and opportunities for self-expression and learner voice, and (3) meaningful engagement shaped by both individual learner differences and institutional constraints associated with exam-oriented schooling. The findings suggest that poetry and drama can function as psychologically meaningful pedagogical spaces in which adolescent learners experience English not only as an academic subject, but also as a medium for expression, interaction, and identity exploration. At the same time, the study highlights how the psychological benefits of creative language practices remain shaped by broader institutional pressures and classroom realities. The study contributes to research on positive psychology in SLA by offering a qualitative account of how emotionally supportive and expressive classroom practices are experienced within a high-stakes EFL context. Pedagogically, the findings underscore the potential value of integrating creative practices into secondary EFL classrooms in ways that support learners' emotional engagement, confidence, and sense of voice.