Creative Ways - Starting to teach creative writing in the English language classroom

Creative Ways - Starting to teach creative writing in the English language classroom

Teaching Materials from the Literature Department of the British Council

This teaching pack is based on materials
developed by the British Council in
co-operation with the BBC World Service.
Creative Ways, a series of six radio
programmes, was inspired by the British
Council’s 15th Oxford Conference on Teaching
Literature Overseas held in 2000. The theme
of the conference was ‘From Critical Reading
to Creative Writing’ and some of the key ideas
that emerged were developed by the
programme series. Creative Ways also
incorporated interviews with the academics
and writers involved as well as many of the
conference participants. Although the main
focus of the conference was on teaching
literature in an EFL or ESL context, we
believe the approaches can be used and
adapted by all teachers.
The six programmes were broadcast round the
world in 2000 and 2001. Each one suggested a
different approach to using creative writing in
the classroom, as follows:

Programme 1
Weaving Texts

Programme 2
Images

Programme 3
Stories and Effects

Programme 4
Characters

Programme 5
(Re)Construction

Programme 6
Experience and Observation