Creative Writing in EFL

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    Creative Writing in EFL

    What makes a series of sentences or utterances a text? Or Criteria forTextuality

    1. They must make sense. (Sentences must e coherent.!". They must have a c#ear communicative $ur$ose. (Function To thank

    someone!%. They must e &e##'forme.). They must hang together. (They must e cohesive.!*. They must e a recogni+a#e text ty$e. ,s- Fa#es- Letters- otes-

    Textooks- /aikus- etc.

    The irect &ay is to have stuents memori+e thse criteria- ut it may not ethe est &ay to o. ,#ternative#y- EFL teachers can use haikus an mini

    sagas to he#$ them eve#o$ their a&areness of these 0ua#ities.

    What is a haiku $oem?

    , haiku $oem is a sy##aic $oem of three #ines. The rst #ine must have *sy##a#es- the secon 2- an the thir *.

    For exam$#e

    The nature of #ife F#ashing right#y then faing

    Like a shooting star Lin Lihua- China!

    /ere3s another exam$#e4

    Sitting in the $ark The #in man &aiting ,#one- in the rain

    What is a mini saga?

    , mini saga is a very short story. 5t must contain exact#y *6 &ors.

    For exam$#e4

    Stronger

    Song is my frien. /e thought he &as faster than me in everything. One ay- &e visite a rothe#. /e sai he neee no $rotection. Four years #ater he ie of /57. ,fter the cremation- 5 thre& his ashes into a river. 5 kno& he is a#&ays faster than me.

    (8ongyuth 9hamkhong!

    /ere3s another mini saga4

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    A Banana GrowerWhi#e visiting a sma## vi##age a#ong the Thai':yanmar orer $rovince of 9anchanauri-

    Thongee he#$e a 9aren man from going to ;ai#. The ac0uitte man gave him a ig $#ot of#an. The man he#$e him $#ant ananas. The $#antation &as successfu#< he 0uit his ;o an

    ecame a anana gro&er.

    (=an$ha Tha$hoothon!

    Activities

    Many Ways to Tell The Same Story

    ,im4 To $ractice &riting using i>erent genres

    ationa#4 Texts are @ui an can e econstructe. Stuents nee to emae a&are that texts can e recontextua#i+e. 5n short- there aremany &ays to te## the same stu>.

    :ateria#s4 $ens- $a$er- rains

    Ste$s

    1. Se#ect a fa#e (can e any generic ty$e of texts such as ne&s artic#es

    or short stories!". ,sk stuents to shorten it- making it as short as a mini saga ''' exact#y*6 &ors.

    3. Correct their &oring an grammar. :ake sure that it is a mini sagaA). ea an iscuss.*. ,sk them to transform a mini saga to a =an$anese'sty#e sy##aic $oem

    or haiku (*'2'*!.B. ea an share.

    Example:

    The North Wind and the Sun

    The orth Win an the Sun &ere is$uting &hich &as the stronger- &hen atrave#er came a#ong &ra$$e in a &arm c#oak. They agree that the one &horst succeee in making the trave#er take his c#oak o> shou# e consierestronger than the other. Then the orth Win #e& as har as he cou#- utthe more he #e& the more c#ose#y i the trave#er fo# his c#oak aroun him his c#oak. ,n so the orthWin &as o#ige to confess that the Sun &as the stronger of the t&o. (11%&ors!

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    The North Wind and the Sun (Mini Saga: 50 words)

    The orth Win an the Sun ecie to com$ete to see &ho &as stronger.Whichever cou# make a man take o> his c#oak &ou# &in. The &in #e&

    an #e&- ut the man &ra$$e his c#oak tighter aroun him. Then the sunshone- an the man took o> his c#oak.

    Haikunized Text

    The Sun- not the &in (*! :akes the man take o> his c#oak (2! 9inness trium$hs force (*!

    ote4 8ou may choose to ramati+e this fa#e.

    Creating a Text (Story) from Words from Other Texts

    There are stories &ithin stories- texts &ithin texts.

    Leve#4 re'intermeiate to ,vance ,im4 To create a story using &ors or $hrases from the other story

    ationa#e4 There are stories &ithin stories. anom &ors or $hrasesfrom other stories such as short stories- textooks- or #ecture notes canhe#$ us create another story ase on our imagination.

    We can create a story ase on the &ors or $hrases &e ranom#y se#ectefrom the other story.

    :ateria#s4 oteook or note $a- $enci#s or $ens

    roceure4

    1. anom#y se#ect &ors or $hrases from stories or reaing $assages.For exam$#e- se#ect every seventh &or from the text. Set the target

    numer- say- 16.". Construct a story ase on the &ors se#ecte.%. Share the story &ith other stuents.

    7ariations

    This activity can e moie to cover other ski##s.

    Creating a Story from Photos/Pictures

    Leve#4 Deginners to ,vance Learners

    ,im4 To create a story using $ictures$hotos

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    ationa#e4 , $icture te##s stories. There are stories &ithin stories.ictures or $hotos are e>ective materia#s that can he#$ stuents createstories an a$$#y their imagination.

    We can create a story ase on $ictures or $hotogra$hs.

    :ateria#s4 oteook or note $a- $enci#s or $ens- $hotos or $icturesfrom $rinte materia#s such ne&s$a$ers or maga+ines

    roceure4

    1. re$are $hotos or $ictures.". ,sk stuents to construct a story ase on the stimu#i ($ictures!%. #ots or &ors may e $rovie to su$$ort their &riting). Share the story &ith other stuents.

    7ariations

    This activity can e moie to cover other ski##s.

    Mini Saga Exercise: rom !rose to iction

    Shorten each of the two news snippets to exactly 50 words. Take out any words that are

    not absolutely necessary. Make it creative and interesting.

    Doy gets "1 years in S ;ai#

    /e is the youngest $erson to e accuse of roing a ank. , ;uge saiGenote :oore- 1%- ha the Hextreme#y aggressiveI manner y $ointing ahangun at ank oJcia#s #ast month. :oore &as arreste &ithin %6 minutesafter hiing in a garage on#y a fe& #ocks a&ay from the ank. The teen saihe ran a&ay from home #ast &eek an &as stea#ing to get money for foo.(BK &ors!

    166 Cats foun #iving in one house

    ear#y 166 cats &ere foun #iving in a home in e& =ersey. There &as " feetof feces in one room. o#ice have to &ear masks to he#$ them reathethrough the stench of urine. The house o&ner &as charge &ith im$ro$er#yshe#tering an anima#. o#ice on3t &ant to give any ;ai# time ecause theyrea#i+e this &as sim$#y a goo ee that got out of han. The $o#ice no&have trou#e ning $eo$#e to ao$t the cats. (2M &ors!

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    htt$s4creativitiese@.&or$ress.com

    * &arm'u$s

    Warm u$ activities that get #earners &riting can e fantastic for getting thecreative ;uices @o&ing &hi#e a#so giving a focuse start to your #esson. ,&riting task at the start of c#ass can e an e>ective &ay of #eaing intoex$#icit grammar teaching or can ;ust as easi#y e fo##o&e u$ &ith s$eakingactivities. WhatNs more- many such activities are easy to aa$t to e suita#efor any ty$e of #earners- oth au#ts an kis. 5nee- aing an entertaininge#ement to &riting activities &i## make them fun for everyone- as &e## asmaking them #o& $ressure tasks &hich ena#e #earnersN &riting to @o& free#y./ere are ve of my favourites.

    "# $f you ha% three wishes&

    Ok- everyone in the &or# kno&s this c#assic set u$4 a genie has ;ust grantethree &ishes to everyone in the c#ass. Dasica##y- this activity ex$ans on theage o# 0uestion of &hat you &ou# &ish for if you encountere your o&ngenie in a ott#e. Learners &rite as etai#e a escri$tion of the three &ishesthey &ou# &ant in &hatever time you give them. To make them think aneve#o$ their #anguage- encourage them to move eyon sim$#y naming the&ish to escriing it in etai#< they might a#so inc#ue their reasons for

    &anting that &ish. Whi#e they are &riting- they &i## ho$efu##y e asking forhe#$ &ith the ne& voca they nee to com$#ete their &riting- so e reay tomonitor #ike cra+yA

    Where can you take this?

    ,s &e kno&- genies arenNt rea#- so this is a $erfect &ay to go over the unrea#conitiona#N4 If I had three wishes, I woud!N Ge$ening on &hat they kno&-you can teach this for the rst time or #ook at ho& theyNve trie to use it intheir &riting P an error correct accoring#y P if itNs a structure they a#reayhave knoege of.

    '# !eople pro(les

    This one nees a #itt#e it of $re$aration- in that you have to cut out $icturesof $eo$#e from i>erent maga+ines efore c#ass. 5f you #ike this activity- youmight &ant to consier mount the $ictures on car an #aminating them forurai#ity (5 sti## have a set of $ictures #ike this from &hen 5 i my CELT,courseA!. Dasica##y- #earners se#ect a $icture from the $i#e of images you$#ace in the mi#e of the room an &rite aout &ho the $erson is. Theyshou# make u$ the $ersonNs name- ackgroun an &hat they are oing.

    This activity is fantastica##y sim$#e ut rea##y he#$s in eve#o$ing charactersan he#$s get the creativity @o&ing. ,nother o$tion is to take this &riting

    https://creativitiesefl.wordpress.com/http://www.yearinthelifeofanenglishteacher.com/2013/09/7-tips-to-help-your-learners-speak-english-fluently/http://www.yearinthelifeofanenglishteacher.com/2013/09/7-tips-to-help-your-learners-speak-english-fluently/https://creativitiesefl.wordpress.com/http://www.yearinthelifeofanenglishteacher.com/2013/09/7-tips-to-help-your-learners-speak-english-fluently/http://www.yearinthelifeofanenglishteacher.com/2013/09/7-tips-to-help-your-learners-speak-english-fluently/
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    activity into the rea# &or#. Fin a usy s$ot an $ick out a $erson as theins$iration for the &riting activity. ,gain- e reay to monitor an su$$#y a##those ne& an &onerfu# a;ectives #earners &i## nee to com$#ete theirescri$tions.

    Where can you take this?

    8ou can examine the ne& a;ectives use y the #earners. ,#ternative#y P thisis &hat 5 #ike to o P you can recyc#e the voca in a game of guess &hoN in&hich one #earner vera##y escries a famous $erson to the rest of the c#ass&ho have to guess &ho it is. ,nother thing you cou# o is exten the &riting&ith a #ook at some common ver Q gerun $hrases< &hat is the $ersongoo at oing?N< What is this $erson intereste in oing at the &eekens?N

    )# *oo+ing at the worl% from %i,erent perspectives

    5nstea of &riting from a humanNs $ers$ective- #earners engage in a 0uick&riting &arm u$ from an anima#Ns $ers$ective. They shou# &rite aout- forexam$#e- a $icnic from a eeNs $oint of vie& or aout #iving in a +oo P oreing hunte y humans if it ts P from a #ionNs $ers$ective. This he#$s#earners to move eyon their o&n vie& of the &or# an gets them to e#veee$#y into the to$ic assigne. Writing from the $ers$ective of others can ea cha##enge. This activity a$$roaches the task in an entertaining manner to$ractice the ski##.

    Where can you take this?

    This is something 5Nve one &ith great e>ect &henever there is a unitinvo#ving the natura# &or# in a course ook. Such to$ics can initia##y e a itry or har for #earners to re#ate to. This task oes such a goo ;o of getting#earners to see the situation from the anima#Ns $oint of vie& that theyecome much more investe in the course ook materia#.

    -# The psychology in+ .lot test

    WeNve a## seen them4 those ink #ot $ictures often use in $sycho#ogy a#socan &ork &e## in &riting. 5n terms of $re$aration- you nee to n #ots ofi>erent ink #ot $ictures (a sim$#e Roog#e search &i## uncover hunres ofsuch images!. ,#ternative#y- any astract sha$e can &ork ;ust as &e## for this&riting &arm u$ activity. Learners &rite aout the ink #ot escriing &hat itis &hi#e eing encourage to &rite in as much etai# as $ossi#e aout theo;ect in the $icture.

    Where can you take this?

    The aim of this task is to encourage creativity in eciing &hat is seen in the$icture an in the escri$tion of the o;ect- therefore- this &ork rea##y &e## as

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    a #ea in to a s$eaking activity in &hich #earners have to ;ustify their reasons.,itiona##y- you cou# use this as an o$$ortunity for teaching #anguage foragreeing an isagreeing.

    /# The writing 0ar

    The $re$aration for this one is rea##y sim$#e4 &rite iniviua# &ors on sma##$ieces of $a$er. 5t &orks est if you choose #ots of i>erent &ors that$ur$osefu##y &ou#nNt go &e## together. Fi## the ;ar (a mug or enve#o$e &ou#&ork ;ust as &e##! as much as you fee# necessary &ith &ors. 8ou can takethis a cou$#e of &ays at this $oint< 1! #earners each $ick three to ve &orsfrom the ;ar- or< "! you $ick three to ve &ors from the ;ar for everyone. Thetask is sim$#e4 #earners must use a## of the &ors se#ecte in a 0uick story or$aragra$h. Fitting ve vast#y i>erent &ors into one story re0uires acreative a$$roach to the &riting &arm u$.

    Where can you take this?

    This is actua##y rea##y goo for examining the &riting $rocess itse#f- es$ecia##yin terms of $aragra$h construction. 8ou might &ant to sho&case minma$$ing or the use of a gra$hic organi+er as a $#anning too#- an thenencourage #earners to go through some sort of rainstorming an $#anning$rocess efore they start &riting.

    ' See more at4 htt$4&&&.teachthemeng#ish.com

    http://www.teachthemenglish.com/http://www.teachthemenglish.com/