Urška Tičar
Summary
I am a teacher at a small elementary school and in the fourth grade I enriched my Slovene language lessons with creative writing. This year, I set myself a goal for students to be successful at writing fantasy stories.
Creativity is the process of creating new ideas by combining existing words and creating new text.
Writing is about the creation of creative texts based on the creative use of language with an emphasis on written expression (Blažić, manual, p. 3).
In the following text, I will present the aims of youth literature and creative writing, the phases of creative writing and the methods of work and educational elements that promote learning through creation.
Here are some of the best examples of 4th grade students.
Key words: creative writing, Slovenian, development of linguistic creativity, vocabulary enrichmen.
Introduction
Creativity is the process of creating new ideas by combining existing words and creating new text.
Writing is about the creation of creative texts based on the creative use of language with an emphasis on written expression (Blažić, manual, p. 3).
Slovenian language lessons consist of language, communication and literature. We introduce creative writing as an extra standard in order to develop the main goal of literary didactics, i.e. developing reading and writing skills.
In the following, I will present the aims of youth literature and creative writing, the phases of creative writing and the methods of work and educational elements that promote learning through creation.
Creative writing
Creativity is the process of creating new ideas by combining existing words and creating new text.
Writing is about the creation of creative texts based on the creative use of language with an emphasis on written expression (Blažić, creative writing 2, manual, p. 3).
Creative writing is about creating creative texts. It is based on the creative use of language with special emphasis on written expression. Slovenian language lessons consist of language, communication and literature. We introduce creative writing as an extra standard in order to develop student’s main goal of literary didactics, i.e. developing reading and writing skills and deepening the literary skills of more motivated students (Blažić, creative writing 2, manual, p.3).
Creative writing in the school period up to 5th grade
The conditions for creative writing in lower-level students are a pleasant and democratic atmosphere, relaxed relationships and reading texts, comics, advertisements, newspapers, etc.
We provide oral feedback to students and thereby also encourage literary sensitivity, literary perception, intellectual effort and imagination. With these games we sensitize the child to the conscious choice of words, sentences, thoughts, etc. (Blažić, Creative Writing, 1992).
The purpose of creative writing is:
- Functional – creative writing as re-reading of a literary text.
- Educational – the student is in the position of a creator and acquires personal creative experience.
- Educational – testing various creative techniques and raising awareness of selective means of expression.
- Creative – development of verbal creativity, oral and written expression.
(Blažić, Creative Writing, Handbook, p. 3).
Some pre-pubescent students in 4th and 5th grade love to read, so we adapt themes for imaginary and creative writings that we take from adventure literature, science fiction literature, and the quest for lost treasure.
Students in this period are most interested in the story and the literary hero, who should be dexterous, honest capable and their age. They are interested in theatre, puppets, TV, movies, and newspapers. There should be a lot of exercises in slang and jargon, so there should be a lot of exercises in which the characters of their stories use slang and jargon uninterruptedly (Blažić, Creative Writing, p. 37).
During this period, the child is already thinking about the motives why someone did something, and this is called the process of internalizing problems, when he begins to think about himself and the world. Students are encouraged to describe events and situations. We sensitize them to search for ordinary and unusual phrases and families of meaning (Blažič, Creative Writing, p. 38).
Methods of work and educational elements
1. TOLERANCE FOR AMBIGUITY
We develop it in all elements of the Slovenian language, speaking, writing and reading. Many ambiguities are found in poetry, prose, sayings, proverbs, aphorisms, advertisements, graffiti.
2. IMPROVISATION
It is the ability to solve the task quickly and imaginatively. Here, unusual ideas, solutions, connections.
3. REDEFINITON
It is the ability to combine known elements into a new imaginative whole. We are looking for new meanings and qualities of the whole. The prime exercise for redefinition is the so-called confusing of fairy tales, when you form a new whole from already known elements (Sneguljčica, Janko in Metka, Pepelka, …).
4. HUMOR
Examples of humor at school provoke great verbal comedians and create a relaxed atmosphere (small as a mountain, fast as a rabbit,…)
(Blažič, Creative Writing, handbook, p. 7, 8.)
Teaching methods with creativity
They are the same as working methods in general didactics:
- Method of conversation,
- Method of display,
- Method of working with a text,
- Method of literature work,
- Method of leading.
The method of administration of the substance should be varied and relaxed. (Blažič, Creative Writing, Handbook, p. 10.)
Teaching methods of creative writing
- Introductory motivation: introduction to the literary text.
- Word motivation.
1. Central Stage – Analysis of the Literary Text.
- Final phase – synthesis and evaluation.
- New work.
Examples from practice
MAMMOTH FROM THE ICE AGE
Once upon a time there lived a mammoth in the glaciers that was old and lazy. This mammoth had a very good sense of numbers. He was the smartest mammoth around. He could quickly count up to a billion, so his mother enrolled him in school. There he made new friends who taught him how to calculate quickly. They loved playing math puzzles in the woods.
SOVA IN SOVICA (Mr. And Ms. Owl)
The owls were sitting on a branch and a twig. They had a beak. They ate a worm for breakfast. They drank a bottle of water. They had friends. They played games together. They ate soup for lunch. After lunch, they ate cake. Then they went to bed and slept. Their rest lasted until the next day. That’s how this day ended.
HOW PARSLEY GETS ITS NAME
Once upon a time, Peter lived in a fairytale mine. Peter loved to sew. One day he went for a walk. While walking, he saw a butterfly wearing a bow and an ant sitting on a strange plant (parsley was not known at that time). They decided to wait and find out which plant it was. The vilaggers would pass by and call Peter Peter-shil, Peter who likes to sew. And so the parsley got its name.
WRONG STORY
There was a horse named Kimro. This horse, Kimro, lived in a hive because the stable was too small for him. He loved carrots. He often went to a restaurant where he ordered a small supply of chestnuts and a little cherry cream. So the waiter brought him cherry cream on a platter every day. Oh no! The next day, he twisted his ankle near the ice. Because he was in great pain, he lay down by the fire in the evening and ate chestnuts with cream and cherries.
Conclusion
Students are already very good at writing and reading independently. At the beginning of the school year, they were insecure and insecure about writing, and at the end of the year, real written masterpieces were being created. They say they like to write with someone as a couple and as a group. It’s hard to write individually. They preferred to write when they had some guidance available, e.g. given words, the title of the story, etc. At first, it was harder to write imaginary stories, but they soon found courage and really high-quality products were created.
The goal I set for myself at the beginning of the school year for students to succeed in writing fantasy stories has been more than achieved.
Literature
- Blažić, Milena: Kreativno pisanje 2., Zavod RS za šolstvo in šport, Ljubljana 1992.
- Kobe, Marjana: Pogledi na mladinsko književnost, Ljubljana, 1987.
- Internet.
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