Breathing Enlightenment and Necessary Change into English Language Programs with Creative Writing

Abstract

Employing a number of crucial discoveries in neuroscience and drawing from years of valuable teaching experience, I show that creative writing is the most effective and natural kind of writing to help English language learners (ELLs) develop their writing skills. Based on over 25 years of language teaching experience, I argue that creative writing helps students find their unique writing style and voice, nurtures confidence in the craft, creates a genuine relationship with the skill, and successfully articulates their feelings and thoughts to a desired audience. Core writing problems for ELLs are addressed and creative writing is suggested as a powerful solution to many of these issues. A very successful creative writing workshop developed at an American Intensive English Program is offered to illustrate how essential the various genres of creative writing are for ELLs. This creative writing program developed the ELLs’ writing skills significantly more than any of the traditional kinds of academic writing activities or assignments. In most cases, the ELLs improved 30% to 45% on their writing exit exams after completing the creative writing program. The exit exam results for the academic writing course were considerably lower when compared to the creative writing program results. The article concludes by showing how discoveries in neuroscience and cognitive psychology support the use of creative writing over other forms of writing used in Academic English Programs and Intensive English Programs.