Exploring the strategies used for teaching creative writing skills in grade 3 : a case of two Namibian schools

Abstract

Learners who do not master creative writing skills, risk possible failure because they cannot complete written assignments on time. In addition, writing is complex and requires thorough planning and problem solving. Research emphasises that those who struggle to write tend to remain behind; however, teachers find it challenging to teach writing effectively. The purpose of this research was to explore teachers’ perspectives on the strategies used for teaching creative writing in Grade 3. The study adopted a descriptive qualitative approach, which used an exploratory case study design to obtain rich information from the participants. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit six Grade 3 teachers from two selected primary schools. Focus group interviews, classroom observations and document analysis were used to generate data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The data revealed that teachers believed to be inadequately trained to teach creative writing effectively and they did not feel confident to teach it. The findings suggest that teachers believe they have little time to explore the use of evidence-based strategies. Their lack of diverse strategies influences the teaching of creative writing and its outcomes. The study proposes the development of an explicit writing curriculum and training therein so that the implemented curriculum is aligned with the intended curriculum, which currently is not the case in writing.