FOCUS 2019:
‘And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the
greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t
believe in magic will never find it.’ – Roald Dahl
What is creative writing? Is there a correct definition
anywhere? That is what I hoped to find when I searched
‘creative writing’ on Google. The answers, unfortunately,
were disappointing.
Wikipedia states that ‘Creative writing is any writing –
fiction, poetry, or non-fiction – that goes outside the bounds
of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical
forms of literature. Works which fall into this category
include novels, epics, short stories, and poems. Writing for
the screen and stage, screenwriting and playwriting typically
have their own respective programmes of study, but fit under
the creative writing category as well.’
Creative writing includes a wide range of text types, from
dialogues and poetry to descriptive essays. It includes any
form of writing that is written with creativity of mind. The
purpose is to express feelings, thoughts, emotions, or
experiences.
Creative writing is often defined as the writing of fiction,
wherein learners create events, scenes and characters –
sometimes even a new world; a magical world. Aside from
instinctive utterances like the yelp of an injured child or a
delighted ‘Oh!’, all expressions are creative. A storyteller’s
narrative is designed to express the storyteller’s feelings
about some aspect of life, and to engage the reader in those
feelings. A poet uses events, images and people to deliver
concentrated emotion. Dramatists and screenwriters convey
and stir emotions through action and dialogue. A magazine
feature writer comments on real people and real lives to
arouse our sympathy, delight, horror or concern.
We are placing great focus on creative writing this year.
Teachers are inspiring learners to become storytellers, poets
and playwriters. Learners are encouraged to write stories
that are bold, original and that make us think, laugh, cry or
feel. We are looking for an original approach to writing –
believable stories with strong plots.
We are also launching our first creative writing competition
in 2019 whereby the work of our learners will be displayed
at STEAM(D) days.
The following topics will be used for creative writing:
English home language
• Grade 4 – A surprise (100 – 120 words)
• Grade 5 – An embarrassing situation (120 – 140 words)
• Grade 6 – Fabulous (140 – 150 words)
• Grade 7 – #earthshakers, #worldchangers
(150 – 200 words)
English first additional language
• Grade 4 – It’s me (30 – 40 words)
• Grade 5 – He was brave and adventurous (100 words)
• Grade 6 – Story – A special gift (150 words)
• Grade 7 – Story – The day I overcame my fear
(180 words)
The word ‘creative’ is defined in various ways.
The following are just some of the definitions:
‘The ability to create’
‘Imaginative’
‘Productive and imaginative’
‘Characterised by expressiveness and originality’
6
CURRO IN THE CLASSROOM | FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE WORLD | WWW.CURRO.CO.ZA