ABSTRACT The purpose of this study aimed to investigate the impact of incorporating a scripted collaborative learning strategy into digital storytelling (DST) on the vocabulary acquisition, creativity and writing skills of EFL college students. While DST has been previously utilised in English language education, it faces several challenges. To address these challenges, this study introduced a scripted collaborative strategy designed to enhance the digital storytelling creation process. An experimental comparison between scripted and non-scripted collaborative digital storytelling projects was conducted to assess their effects on students’ creativity and writing skills. The findings revealed that the scripted collaborative DST approach markedly improved students’ vocabulary acquisition, graphic creativity and writing skills compared to the non-scripted collaborative DST group. This research underscores the potential benefits of digital storytelling in advancing English language learning, offering valuable insights into its effective implementation.