scholarly journals GENRE APPROACH IN CREATIVE WRITING PEDAGOGY IN ENGLISH IN UPPER PRIMARY CLASSES IN KENYA

2021 ◽  
pp. 90-99
Author(s):  
Sophie Ahono Maninji
Keyword(s):  
Creative Writing ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Writing Pedagogy ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Creative Writing Pedagogy ◽  
Inappropriate Use ◽  
Pedagogical Approaches

Writing can be used to measure learning of the other three language skills and written materials be used for reference in future. Creative writing (CW) is the production of texts which have an aesthetic rather than a purely informative, instrumental or pragmatic purpose. It is a personal writing where the purpose is to express thoughts, feeling and emotions in an imaginative, unique, and sometimes poetic way. Of all the four language skills, creative writing is a high order skill that calls for molding through appropriate pedagogical approaches. In Kenya, English is both an examinable subject and a language of instruction. CW accounts for 40% of the total score in English subject. However, over 62% of learners fail to achieve writing competence at the end of primary course. Primary schools in Vihiga County have persistently underperformed in CW with more than (70%) of Class 8 learners scoring below the average mean mark. Despite this underperformance, only a few studies on CW pedagogy are available. CW studies conducted in Kenya have established that 60 % of teachers find it difficult to teach CW while 75% of learners find it boring. These have implications for pedagogy and students’ writing enthusiasm. The objective of this study was to explore the use genre pedagogic approach and its effectiveness in the development of CW skills. Archer’s theory of reflexivity which views writing as internal and external conversations was used. The study used qualitative exploratory research design and the study was conducted in Vihiga County. The data collection tools were Lesson Observation Schedule and Interview Schedule whose validity and reliability were tested through triangulation. From Class 6-8, 30 lessons in 10 purposively selected schools were observed and 30 teachers whose lessons had been observed were interviewed. Data were analyzed thematically through transcription, coding and identification of themes. The key finding was: inappropriate use of genre approach due to teachers’ knowledge gaps on CW pedagogical approaches. The study recommended that teachers of English use genre approaches appropriately in CW pedagogy and the Ministry of Education to in-service teachers of English on CW approaches. The results are useful to teachers of English and Teacher Training Institutions. KEY WORDS: Approaches, Genre Approach Creative Writing and Upper Primary Learners.

scholarly journals APPROPRIACY OF PROCESS APPROACH IN THE TEACHING OF COMPOSITION WRITING IN UPPER PRIMARY CLASSES IN KENYA

2021 ◽  
pp. 67-75
Author(s):  
Sophie Ahono Maninji
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Writing Pedagogy ◽  
Process Approach ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Thick Description ◽  
Writing Difficulties ◽  
Product Approach ◽  
Lesson Observation

Imaginative composition writing skills (IMW) in Kenyan primary schools strengthen learners’ learning, thinking and reflect on their overall academic performance. However, achieving good composition writing is challenging especially to non-native learners of English because of its complexity and nature. Some factors attributed to learners’ writing difficulties are: the curriculum, the pedagogic approach used and teachers’ lack of ability in writing instruction. These factors are in tandem with the ICW status in Vihiga County where over (70%) of Class 8 learners’ composition score are unsatisfactory, 60 % of teachers are uncomfortable to teach ICW while 75% of learners find it boring. To address these ICW difficulties, this study assessed the process approach out of the three principal writing approaches because it’s seen as the best alternative to product approach and that genre approach is considered a newcomer. The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of process approach in developing composition writing. Archer’s theory of reflexivity guided the study which used qualitative exploratory research design and was conducted in Vihiga County. Data collection tools were Lesson Observation and Interview Schedules. Validity and reliability were tested through triangulation and thick description. From Class 6-8, 30 lessons in 10 purposively selected schools were observed and 30 teachers interviewed. Data were analyzed thematically through transcription, coding and identification of themes. The key finding was: ineffective utilisation of the process approach due to teachers’ knowledge gaps on the approach. The study recommended teachers to use process approach effectively in ICW and the Ministry of Education to in-service teachers on writing approaches. KEY WORDS: Process Approaches, Composition Writing, Pedagogy, in-service, and Upper Primary Learners

scholarly journals Information Literacy and Instruction: Embedding Information Literacy in an MFA Novel Workshop

2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 273
Author(s):  
John Glover
Keyword(s):  
Creative Writing ◽  
Faculty Member ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Writing Pedagogy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Writing Programs ◽  
Fiction Writing ◽  
Creative Writing Pedagogy ◽  
Virginia Commonwealth University ◽  
Creative Writing Programs

The rise of graduate creative writing programs in the United States during the twentieth century has been well documented. Less well documented is their connection with academic libraries, particularly in terms of their students’ acquisition of research skills. When I was asked by a faculty member to provide in-depth support for the MFA novel writing workshop at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), there were a few articles treating this topic, a few references in creative writing pedagogy books, and a couple suggestive course titles listed in MFA program curricula. In 2012–13, I served as the embedded librarian in this year-long workshop. In that role, I worked with the faculty member to develop assignments that helped students to incorporate research into their fiction-writing practice, met with students for two lengthy research workshops, and subsequently met with students individually as their research deepened.

scholarly journals Making space for expressive and creative writing in African primary Schools: a two-site action research study in Kenya and South Africa

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Gains ◽  
Barbara Graham
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Creative Writing ◽  
Early Literacy ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Writing Pedagogy ◽  
Action Research Study

Similar concerns about the development of children’s creative writing abilities in Kenya and South Africa prompted two Mother Tongue (MT) education practitioners in Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) and Molteno Institute for Language and Literacy of Linguistics (MILL) to undertake parallel intervention studies to increase teachers’ competence in writing pedagogy and improve the quantity and quality of learners’writing. Most early literacy teachers have had no experience themselves of expressive writing, so it is not surprising that this activity rarely, if ever, features in public school early literacy classrooms. The hypothesis which formed the basis for this action research study was that educators, exposed to extensive and expressive writing themselves, will be more skilled in the generation of such activities with learners. This paper reports on the workshop processes in the two sites, identifying similarities and di"erences in the experience. Whilst the hypothesis, though tested, remains unproven,this paper presents findings that are of relevance to further study in the area of writing pedagogy research and also to teachers and teacher educators involved in writing in the primary school.

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