grammar school creative writing

Bedrock Learning has won the Best Secondary EdTech Resource award at the BETT Awards 2024!

How grammar can deepen creative and literary experiences

By Sara Snelling

06 Feb 2023

In this article:

How knowledge of grammar can unlock creativity

Developing a deeper understanding of the world, enjoying the written word on a deeper level, writing creatively and playfully, how bedrock nurtures this link between grammar and creativity in its learners.

Grammar is a set of structural rules with the power to unlock creativity. It can deepen our understanding of the world, make reading a richer experience and unlock creative writing skills.

In this article, we focus on grammar’s role as a mechanism for meaning-making through literacy experiences.

Grammar describes the patterns we use to combine words to make meaning. As with most patterns, there is scope for creativity.

From a structural perspective, grammar rules define how we put together words to form phrases, clauses or sentences. When everyone uses the same rules, it’s easier to understand each other, through the written and spoken word.

Looking beyond its function as a form-making, structural tool, grammar also plays a prominent role in creative meaning-making. As children develop through primary education, they gradually make this association. They are first formally introduced to grammar in its form-based guise through SpAG instruction, and later move on to understanding the creative impact of grammar and vocabulary choices and how they can deepen literary experiences .

It’s this understanding of the link between grammar choice and effect that can inspire creativity. A playful approach to experimenting with form and structure demonstrates grammar’s potential – paving the way for deeper understanding and giving writers access to a universal tool to create and share meaning.

Here are a few examples of grammar that can be used creatively:

• Contractions can create urgency in how someone speaks, building pace and suspense.
• Prepositions and conjunctions feed into literary techniques, such as the simile’s use of ‘like’ or ‘as’.
• Punctuation can add irony or hyperbole to a sentence.
• The comma is a hugely versatile punctuation mark that can direct the reader’s attention to key pieces of information, illustrate relationships between words, phrases and clauses, and add emotion and tone.
• The traditional subject-verb-object word order of sentences can be turned on its head. The writer and director George Lucas famously used this in his ‘Star Wars’ series for his Yoda character. The ‘object-subject-verb’ word order in many of Yoda’s sentences – “Much to learn you still have.” – identifies him as a character of mystery who stands apart from the other characters.

Some researchers point to the wider knowledge-related benefits of teaching grammar. These include understanding how language works, deepening understanding of the human mind, and facilitating students’ reasoning and stimulating critical thinking skills .

There is ongoing research and discussion around the merits of non-literacy-related reasons for teaching grammar, but most would agree that literary experiences themselves help develop a deeper understanding of the world around us. Literacy elements, such as grammar, help unlock that literary experience.

In this context, literary-related outcomes can be achieved by using grammar and other literary devices to open up new worlds, provide intellectual insight, and create a roadmap for thought.

Take J.B. Priestley’s play, ‘An Inspector Calls’, as an example. It is a moralistic play set in 1912 that highlights the inequalities of society and conveys the author’s socialist views.

It features the Birlings, a powerful and wealthy family from the higher classes. Their status is evident through the self-assured speeches of the patriarch, Mr. Birling. Priestley used long, complicated sentence structures to reflect Birling’s position of privilege and his expectation that people would listen and make the effort to extract his intended meaning.

Following are examples of Mr Birling’s long-winded sentences:

• “Why, a friend of mine went over this new liner last week – the Titanic – she sails next week – forty-six thousand eight hundred tons – forty-six thousand eight hundred tons – New York in five days – and every luxury – and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.”
• “But the way some of these cranks talk and write now, you’d think everybody has to look after everybody else, as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive – community and all that nonsense.”
• Inspector Goole is the character through whom Priestley delivers his moral message. In contrast to Birling, he speaks plainly and bluntly in short, simple sentences. This gives him an air of authority and power over the other characters.

Following are some examples of quotes from Inspector Goole:

• When he describes the victim’s death by drinking disinfectant, his speech is harsh and to the point: “Burnt her inside out, of course.”
• In response to Birling’s affront at being questioned about his actions, he asserts his position of power: “It’s my duty to ask questions.”
• He knocks back Birling’s daughter’s belated wish that she had helped the victim: “It’s too late. She’s dead.”
• The contrasting grammar structure between the Inspector and the Birlings throughout the play helps subconsciously embed the class divide of the time. It gives power to the Inspector, who is used to convey the author’s views on the upper classes and capitalism.

Grammar is the glue that joins words, sentences and paragraphs together to create meaning. Understanding grammar helps learners access that meaning, and results in a deeper literary experience.

Grammatical structures and punctuation create cohesion of ideas, signposting key information, and softly pointing out other relevant details that contribute to the inference process (I’m looking at you, embedded clause). When a reader reaches fluency, they’re reading with accuracy, automaticity and prosody , and grammar knowledge contributes to each of these skills.

Understanding grammar, therefore, leads to a more rewarding literacy experience during which readers access deeper meaning. For example, they can:

• Find the internal logic of a novel or poem through patterns of language use
• Understand a situation from different characters’ perspectives.

Mark Haddon’s book, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’, is an example of how grammar knowledge can give readers an understanding of a character and experience the world from their perspective.

The book is written in the first person, with the protagonist Christopher Boone also the narrator. Fifteen-year-old Christopher is autistic. This is not explicitly stated in the book but is conveyed through Christopher’s narration of his interactions with the world as he investigates the murder of his neighbour’s dog.

Some sentences are very short and precise, reflecting Christopher’s matter-of-factness and frank manner. Others are long and rambling and have a childlike quality. Many begin with a conjunction, such as the repetitive use of ‘and’ in the quote below, reflecting his dry style of communication and logical reporting of events that might be expected to elicit more emotion.

And Mrs. Alexander said, “Your mother, before she died, was very good friends with Mr. Shears.”

And I said, “I know.”

And she said, “No, Christopher, I’m not sure that you do. I mean that they were very good friends. Very, very good friends.”

The flow of the sentences shows us that Christopher is reporting in a detached manner and misses the key connection between Mr. Shears and his mother. The reader, on the other hand, is left in no doubt.

Grammar usage throughout the book cleverly takes the reader through the story from Christopher’s perspective, while facilitating coherence and inference that goes beyond Christopher’s perception of events. The reader experiences the story from and beyond the narrator’s point of view.

Research links creative and meaningful teaching of grammar with enhanced writing skills.

The key to unlocking the creative writing benefits of grammar is to teach it within a writing context, not as a separate topic. Professor Debra Myhill and the team at the University of Exeter talk about introducing young writers to ‘a repertoire of infinite possibilities’ . This involves explicit demonstration of how choices in sentence structure and word usage generate different possibilities for meaning-making.

Playing with different grammar structures demonstrates the possibilities and can help young writers find a distinctive voice. It can help them:

• Avoid cliches by having the grammar knowledge and confidence to explore their voice and style of writing.
• Improve imagery by understanding how descriptive language and grammar interact; for example, through interesting sentence structure, use of strong nouns, verbs and modifiers, and careful selection of punctuation.
• Think deeply about word choice and how to place their chosen words within sentences in such a way as to create their desired effect (or as Yoda might say, Meaning they will make! ).

Michael Rosen, poet and Professor of Children’s Literature, suggests that ‘imitation, parody and invention’ are great ways of using grammar to improve writing. With this in mind, exposing learners to examples of grammar within creative texts demonstrates its potential and provides the basis for imitation and parody.

Charles Dickens is an example of a writer who used grammar creatively and with a distinctive voice. ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a lively text bursting with strong imagery. Written in the Victorian times, when reading aloud was common in families, there is a musical pace to the ‘Carol’ and throughout its ‘staves’.

In the opening line, he makes innovative use of well-placed punctuation to build curiosity - Marley was dead: to begin with . The order of the sentence and the pause in the middle grabs the reader’s attention from the start and hint at the supernatural theme to come.

Shortly after this, he uses alliteration through repetition of the adjective ‘sole’ to hit home the extent of the solitary life Marley had lived.

• “Scrooge was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend, and sole mourner.”

Conventional writing instruction might suggest students refrain from over-use of adjectives and focus on strong nouns, but as this example shows grammar can be used cleverly, creatively and unconventionally to great effect in writing. We must master the rules in order to break them.

Creativity and gamification are great vehicles to reinforce literacy skills in learners, whether they are in primary or secondary education. However, providing sufficient creative resources to learners to ensure grammar skills are mastered can be time-consuming and tricky to maintain.

Bedrock teaches its explicit grammar curriculum through creative tasks, teaching videos and bespoke texts . We recognise the importance not only of equipping learners with the skills to understand and recreate grammar rules, but also to think creatively and critically about how grammar is used. Learners experience grammar embedded into real texts and situations, and are encouraged to analyse the purpose of certain grammar techniques.

As well as this, these grammar techniques are taught alongside explicit Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary , giving learners the skills and the confidence to express themselves through literacy.

Related Articles

Emotional literacy: why it's key to improving outcomes, common grammar mistakes and how to avoid them, unlock great grammar instruction, the uk's #1 literacy solution.

Intelligent, data-driven vocabulary and grammar instruction, without the marking.

Don't forget to share:

You might also discover…

15 Jul 2021

10 Oct 2022

• Academics /

Creative Writing and Literature Master’s Degree Program

Unlock your creative potential and hone your unique voice.

Online Courses

11 out of 12 total courses

On-Campus Experience

One 1- or 3-week residency in summer

$3,220 per course

Program Overview

Through the master’s degree in creative writing and literature, you’ll hone your skills as a storyteller — crafting publishable original scripts, novels, and stories.

In small, workshop-style classes, you’ll master key elements of narrative craft, including characterization, story and plot structure, point of view, dialogue, and description. And you’ll learn to approach literary works as both a writer and scholar by developing skills in critical analysis.

Program Benefits

Instructors who are published authors of drama, fiction, and nonfiction

A community of writers who support your growth in live online classes

Writer's residency with agent & editor networking opportunities

Personalized academic and career advising

Thesis or capstone options that lead to publishable creative work

Harvard Alumni Association membership upon graduation

Customizable Course Curriculum

As you work through the program’s courses, you’ll enhance your creative writing skills and knowledge of literary concepts and strategies. You’ll practice the art of revision to hone your voice as a writer in courses like Writing the Short Personal Essay and Writing Flash Fiction.

Within the creative writing and literature program, you will choose between a thesis or capstone track. You’ll also experience the convenience of online learning and the immersive benefits of learning in person.

11 Online Courses

• Primarily synchronous
• Fall, spring, January, and summer options

Writers’ Residency

A 1- or 3-week summer master class taught by a notable instructor, followed by an agents-and-editors weekend

Thesis or Capstone Track

• Thesis: features a 9-month independent creative project with a faculty advisor
• Capstone: includes crafting a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in a classroom community

The path to your degree begins before you apply to the program.

First, you’ll register for and complete 2 required courses, earning at least a B in each. These foundational courses are investments in your studies and count toward your degree, helping ensure success in the program.

Getting Started

We invite you to explore degree requirements, confirm your initial eligibility, and learn more about our unique “earn your way in” admissions process.

A Faculty of Creative Writing Experts

Studying at Harvard Extension School means learning from the world’s best. Our instructors are renowned academics in literary analysis, storytelling, manuscript writing, and more. They bring a genuine passion for teaching, with students giving our faculty an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.

Bryan Delaney

Playwright and Screenwriter

Talaya Adrienne Delaney

Lecturer in Extension, Harvard University

Elisabeth Sharp McKetta

Our community at a glance.

80% of our creative writing and literature students are enrolled in our master’s degree program for either personal enrichment or to make a career change. Most (74%) are employed full time while pursuing their degree and work across a variety of industries.

Download: Creative Writing & Literature Master's Degree Fact Sheet

Average Age

Course Taken Each Semester

Work Full Time

Would Recommend the Program

Professional Experience in the Field

Pursued for Personal Enrichment

Career Opportunities & Alumni Outcomes

Graduates of our Creative Writing and Literature Master’s Program have writing, research, and communication jobs in the fields of publishing, advertising/marketing, fundraising, secondary and higher education, and more.

Some alumni continue their educational journeys and pursue further studies in other nationally ranked degree programs, including those at Boston University, Brandeis University, University of Pennsylvania, and Cambridge University.

Our alumni hold titles as:

• Marketing Manager
• Director of Publishing
• Senior Research Writer

Our alumni work at a variety of leading organizations, including:

• Little, Brown & Company
• New York University (NYU)
• Bentley Publishers

Career Advising and Mentorship

Whatever your career goals, we’re here to support you. Harvard’s Mignone Center for Career Success offers career advising, employment opportunities, Harvard alumni mentor connections, and career fairs like the annual on-campus Harvard Humanities, Media, Marketing, and Creative Careers Expo.

Your Harvard University Degree

Upon successful completion of the required curriculum, you will earn the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: Creative Writing and Literature.

Expand Your Connections: the Harvard Alumni Network

As a graduate, you’ll become a member of the worldwide Harvard Alumni Association (400,000+ members) and Harvard Extension Alumni Association (29,000+ members).

Harvard is closer than one might think. You can be anywhere and still be part of this world.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

After admission, you may qualify for financial aid . Typically, eligible students receive grant funds to cover a portion of tuition costs each term, in addition to federal financial aid options.

What can you do with a master’s degree in creative writing and literature?

A master’s degree in creative writing and literature prepares you for a variety of career paths in writing, literature, and communication — it’s up to you to decide where your interests will take you.

You could become a professional writer, editor, literary agent, marketing copywriter, or communications specialist.

You could also go the academic route and bring your knowledge to the classroom to teach creative writing or literature courses.

Is a degree in creative writing and literature worth it?

The value you find in our Creative Writing and Literature Master’s Degree Program will depend on your unique goals, interests, and circumstances.

The curriculum provides a range of courses that allow you to graduate with knowledge and skills transferable to various industries and careers.

How long does completing the creative writing and literature graduate program take?

Program length is ordinarily anywhere between 2 and 5 years. It depends on your preferred pace and the number of courses you want to take each semester.

For an accelerated journey, we offer year round study, where you can take courses in fall, January, spring, and summer.

While we don’t require you to register for a certain number of courses each semester, you cannot take longer than 5 years to complete the degree.

What skills do you need prior to applying for the creative writing and literature degree program?

Harvard Extension School does not require any specific skills prior to applying, but in general, it’s helpful to have solid reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking skills if you are considering a creative writing and literature master’s degree.

Initial eligibility requirements can be found on our creative writing and literature master’s degree requirements page .

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

5 ways to teach the link between grammar and imagination for better creative writing

PhD Student, School of Education, Curtin University

Disclosure statement

Brett Healey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Curtin University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

View all partners

Fiction authors are pretty good at writing sentences with striking images, worded just the right way.

We might suppose the images are striking because the author has a striking imagination. But the words seem just right because the author also has a large repertoire of grammar.

Read more: Writing needs to be taught and practised. Australian schools are dropping the focus too early

As writing teachers, we often neglect one of these skills in favour of the other. If we inspire students to write creatively at length but don’t teach them how to use the necessary grammatical structures , they struggle to phrase their ideas well. If we teach students about grammar in isolation, they tend not to apply it to their stories .

But research shows it’s possible to teach grammar as a way to strengthen students’ writing.

My research with year 5 students examined one method of teaching grammar for writing. We can teach students how to imagine the scene they are creating, and then teach them which grammatical features help turn their imagination into text .

Read more: 4 ways to teach you're (sic) kids about grammar so they actually care

I found five effective ways to teach the link between imagination and grammar.

1. Set up the imaginative tripod

Most of the stories students brought to me lacked a clear sense of perspective. I taught students to imagine their scene like a film director – they had to decide exactly where their camera tripod should be set up to film their scene. Placing it above, close, far away from or beside the character creates different images and effects.

Then I showed them how careful use of adverbs, verbs and prepositions creates this perspective in writing.

This is done in Philip Pullman’s novel, Northern Lights , to place you right beside the character in the room.

“The only light in here came from the fireplace”

Read more: Why does grammar matter?

2. Zoom in on the details

Young writers often need help adding detail to their stories. A film director might zoom right in on a character’s hand pulling the trigger on a gun to intensify the action of shooting. A writer does the same. I taught students to imagine significant details up close, which helped them select specific nouns to place in the subject position of the sentence.

In Aquila , by Andrew Norriss, specific nouns of body parts are the actors in the sentence.

“As his feet searched for a foothold, his fingers gripped the grass.”

3. Track the movement

It is common for students to write about movement in rather static terms, such as “she ran home”. In a film, a director might choose to follow the movement by panning the camera, using a dolly, or filming multiple shots to allow us to experience the full path of movement.

I taught students to imagine watching the movement in their stories through a series of windows – first, second, third – and choose which parts they wanted to include. This helped them choose which verbs and prepositional phrases to use.

In The Fellowship of the Ring , by J.R.R. Tolkien, we watch Bill the pony galloping off through three windows, each with a prepositional phrase.

“Bill the pony gave a wild neigh of fear, and turned tail and dashed away along the lakeside into the darkness .”

I also taught students to describe how much space an object takes up using the same movement grammar, such as stretched along and rose from .

In The Graveyard Book , by Neil Gaiman, we pan across the perimeter of the cemetery.

“Spike-topped iron railings ran around part of the cemetery, a high brick wall around the rest of it.”

4. Focus the attention

When we read a novel, there is always something standing out in our attention: a thing, a description, a feeling, an action. I taught students to think about which part of their scene stands out in their mind, and then use “attention-seeking” grammar to focus on it.

Read more: To succeed in an AI world, students must learn the human traits of writing

One way to make things stand out is to use grammar that deviates from conventional use, like placing adjectives after nouns. Another way is to use repeated grammatical structures.

In Tolkien’s The Return of the King we get both of these at the same time to contrast the physical states of the orc and Sam.

“But the orc was in its own haunts, nimble and well-fed . Sam was a stranger, hungry and weary .”

5. Convey the energy of action

Many of the students wanted to create action scenes in their stories, which they did using the previous strategies. However, they lacked the energy felt in an action-packed novel. I showed them a sentence like this one from The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands.

“A musket ball tore at my hair as it punched into the window frame behind me, sending out a shower of splinters .”

The students could see how energy transfers across the clauses, like dominoes, from noun to noun. In this case, the energy starts with the musket ball , and transfers to hair , window frame and finally the shower of splinters , carried by the action verbs.

I asked the students to imagine how a chain of action might appear in their stories and select the appropriate nouns and verbs to do the job.

• Creative writing
• Teaching grammar
• Writing tips

Assistant Editor - 1 year cadetship

Program Development Officer - Business Processes

Executive Dean, Faculty of Health

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Earth System Science (School of Science)

Sydney Horizon Educators (Identified)

Creative Writing Graduate Programs in America

1-25 of 223 results

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Cambridge, MA •

Harvard University •

Graduate School

• • Rating 4.56 out of 5   9 reviews

Other: I am Harvard Extension School student pursuing a master degree, ALM, in sustainability. I have achieved a 3.89 in this program so far and have qualified, applied, and accepted as a 'Special Student' in the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Through this School, I will be focusing my time at the John A. Paulson school of Engineering & Applied Sciences. Looking forward to wrapping up my final year on campus! ... Read 9 reviews

Harvard University ,

Graduate School ,

CAMBRIDGE, MA ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars.

Featured Review: Other says I am Harvard Extension School student pursuing a master degree, ALM, in sustainability. I have achieved a 3.89 in this program so far and have qualified, applied, and accepted as a 'Special Student'... .

Read 9 reviews.

Brown University Graduate School

Providence, RI •

Brown University •

Brown University ,

PROVIDENCE, RI ,

Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

Evanston, IL •

Northwestern University •

Northwestern University ,

EVANSTON, IL ,

Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences

Lesley University •

Graduate School •

CAMBRIDGE, MA

• • Rating 4.75 out of 5   4

University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley College of Fine Arts

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley •

EDINBURG, TX

• • Rating 5 out of 5   2

Emerson College

• • Rating 4.73 out of 5   62

College of Arts and Science

Nashville, TN •

Vanderbilt University •

Vanderbilt University ,

NASHVILLE, TN ,

Washington University in St. Louis - Arts & Sciences

St. Louis, MO •

Washington University in St. Louis •

Washington University in St. Louis ,

ST. LOUIS, MO ,

College of Arts and Letters - University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN •

University of Notre Dame •

• • Rating 4.5 out of 5   2 reviews

Doctoral Student: The faculty at Notre Dame is excellent. The student to professor ratio makes for a wonderful one to one interaction between students and teachers. At Notre Dame, my interests, dreams, goals, research and career path matter. I loved this most. I feel taken seriously and supported with every possible resources for my mental, academic and career success. One gets many opportunities to grow talents through research, and presentations with helpful and supportive feedback from students and professors. For these reasons, I find it a place to be! On the down side, the weather is at first always a challenge for one who is not used to the harsh and gloomy midwestern winter. ... Read 2 reviews

University of Notre Dame ,

NOTRE DAME, IN ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Doctoral Student says The faculty at Notre Dame is excellent. The student to professor ratio makes for a wonderful one to one interaction between students and teachers. At Notre Dame, my interests, dreams, goals, research... On the down side, the weather is at first always a challenge for one who is not used to the harsh and gloomy midwestern winter. .

Read 2 reviews.

• Find college scholarships

Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Los Angeles, CA •

University of Southern California •

University of Southern California ,

LOS ANGELES, CA ,

Cornell University College of Arts & Sciences

Ithaca, NY •

Cornell University •

Cornell University ,

ITHACA, NY ,

Rackham School of Graduate Studies

Ann Arbor, MI •

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: I was nervous about attending a prestigious school like The University of Michigan but once classes started I realized that I had made the right decision. Tuition is very expensive but I love my professors and I believe that I am getting the best education in the country! ... Read 3 reviews

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ,

ANN ARBOR, MI ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I was nervous about attending a prestigious school like The University of Michigan but once classes started I realized that I had made the right decision. Tuition is very expensive but I love my... .

Read 3 reviews.

Krieger School of Arts & Sciences

Baltimore, MD •

Johns Hopkins University •

• • Rating 4.53 out of 5   19 reviews

Master's Student: I have yet to enroll for Fall 2023 after receiving my acceptance letter due to a delay in my need-based financial aid from JHU. However the Homewood Campus in Baltimore is beautiful and my Student Advisor, Alexis has been extremely helpful in initiating my enrollment process and answering all of my questions in a timely matter. My intended Advanced Academic Program is the accelerated (2 semester), dual-modality, 40-credit M.S. in Biotechnology, Biodefense concentration. All of the anticipated course subjects are diverse and there's even a customizable core lab course on campus (at least until Summer 2024). I can't wait and I wish you all the best in your search for academic programs or professional certifications. ... Read 19 reviews

Johns Hopkins University ,

BALTIMORE, MD ,

19 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I have yet to enroll for Fall 2023 after receiving my acceptance letter due to a delay in my need-based financial aid from JHU. However the Homewood Campus in Baltimore is beautiful and my Student... .

Read 19 reviews.

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA •

University of Virginia •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

Alum: Very good in some areas, excellent in other areas, many academic choices available in all areas of study ... Read 1 review

University of Virginia ,

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Very good in some areas, excellent in other areas, many academic choices available in all areas of study .

Read 1 reviews.

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - New York University

New York, NY •

New York University •

• • Rating 4.8 out of 5   10 reviews

Master's Student: I am enrolled specifically in the Magazine concentration. My professors have all been helpful with helping me succeed and are willing to stay back to go over something I don't understand. There are multiple points of resources at this program. A director is your main academic advisor. Aside from that, there is a pitch specialist to assist with freelancing and two wonderful career advisors. They help with setting up mingle sessions, job fairs, and internship talks. As of now, I haven't had bad experiences, however, I will say that the program is expensive and is an awkward three semesters. Those two things aren't ideal, however, its not too much of a dealbreaker. ... Read 10 reviews

New York University ,

NEW YORK, NY ,

10 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I am enrolled specifically in the Magazine concentration. My professors have all been helpful with helping me succeed and are willing to stay back to go over something I don't understand. There are... .

Read 10 reviews.

• Sponsored Find Student Loan Options
• Law Schools
• Public Administration Graduate Programs

College of Liberal Arts - University of Texas - Austin

Austin, TX •

University of Texas - Austin •

University of Texas - Austin ,

AUSTIN, TX ,

College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Blacksburg, VA •

Virginia Tech •

Virginia Tech ,

BLACKSBURG, VA ,

Liberal Arts and Sciences - University of Florida

Gainesville, FL •

University of Florida •

Master's Student: Overall, the University of Florida seems to be a great school as far as rankings and attendance rates go. Despite the political turmoil going on in the state of Florida, there seems to be a relatively strong student body of undergraduate students. Graduate students, however, are less cohesive. Likely due to politics, our graduate student union is in jeopardy, and it is so difficult to get the union membership to 60%. In the Department of Sociology, Criminology, and Law, we have a very low union membership status, which is somewhat ironic considering the nature of our disciplines. The demands of balancing an assistantship and academic career are exhausting, and even more so with limited resources (financial, emotional, etc.). The faculty turnover in the dept. is also insane, likely due to the political situation that seems to be driving out all faculty members of color. Lastly, financial support is incredibly limited. All things aside, the education that I am receiving is appropriate. ... Read 1 review

Blue checkmark.

University of Florida ,

GAINESVILLE, FL ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says Overall, the University of Florida seems to be a great school as far as rankings and attendance rates go. Despite the political turmoil going on in the state of Florida, there seems to be a... .

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - Boston University

Boston, MA •

Boston University •

Boston University ,

BOSTON, MA ,

College of Letters & Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, WI •

University of Wisconsin •

• • Rating 4.22 out of 5   9 reviews

Alum: Aside from being really cold, UW-Madison is a great school. Needless to say, it is one of the top schools in the U.S. with a beautiful campus that has Lake Mendota and a lot of student life to enjoy. Academic was really good too, but given how the city is college town, you can feel the emptiness when students go back home during summer break. It is known as party school too with Mifflin Street Block Party. But it is also highly academically renowned school. So you can make your campus life as fun or as beneficial as you can. There are many gyms and libraries that can handle 40k + students. In addition, you have to check out Camp Randall, the football stadium and attend The MadHatters A Cappella show. I really miss this campus except for the weather. State street has many diverse restaurants that are authentic and delicious. One of the best campuses in the world. ... Read 9 reviews

University of Wisconsin ,

MADISON, WI ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 4.2 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Aside from being really cold, UW-Madison is a great school. Needless to say, it is one of the top schools in the U.S. with a beautiful campus that has Lake Mendota and a lot of student life to enjoy.... .

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences - University of Illinois

Urbana, IL •

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign •

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ,

URBANA, IL ,

College of Arts and Sciences - University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL •

University of Miami •

• • Rating 4.67 out of 5   6 reviews

Master's Student: I am in graduate school and needed something online but also wanted something that was going to challenge me and provide me with a step further than my undergrad school provided. I compared many MPA programs and chose the University of Miami because the program was so similar to the in-person MPA program, taught by the same professors, and included the same courses. While entirely online, I have come to know my fellow graduate students and come to know the faculty in each of the courses I have taken. I'm currently half-way through the program and cannot wait to complete this degree! ... Read 6 reviews

University of Miami ,

CORAL GABLES, FL ,

6 Niche users give it an average review of 4.7 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I am in graduate school and needed something online but also wanted something that was going to challenge me and provide me with a step further than my undergrad school provided. I compared many MPA... .

Read 6 reviews.

BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications

Provo, UT •

Brigham Young University •

Brigham Young University ,

PROVO, UT ,

College of Liberal Arts - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN •

University of Minnesota Twin Cities •

• • Rating 4 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: The School has some management problems. However, the faculty are well trained and knowledgeable. The performance faculty are very well suited to serve the twin cities area and Minnesota as a whole. ... Read 2 reviews

University of Minnesota Twin Cities ,

MINNEAPOLIS, MN ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The School has some management problems. However, the faculty are well trained and knowledgeable. The performance faculty are very well suited to serve the twin cities area and Minnesota as a whole. .

University of Washington College of Arts & Sciences

Seattle, WA •

University of Washington •

University of Washington ,

SEATTLE, WA ,

College of Humanities and Social Sciences - NC State University

Raleigh, NC •

North Carolina State University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

Graduate Student: NC State's MSW program will prepare you to handle a wide variety of social work careers. The professors are amazing and teach students how to engage in various social justice activities on multiple levels. This grad program was an excellent career decision. ... Read 1 review

North Carolina State University ,

RALEIGH, NC ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Graduate Student says NC State's MSW program will prepare you to handle a wide variety of social work careers. The professors are amazing and teach students how to engage in various social justice activities on multiple... .

College of Arts and Humanities - University of Maryland

College Park, MD •

University of Maryland - College Park •

University of Maryland - College Park ,

COLLEGE PARK, MD ,

Florida State University - The College of Arts and Sciences

Tallahassee, FL •

Florida State University •

Florida State University ,

TALLAHASSEE, FL ,

College of Liberal and Creative Arts - San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University •

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

San Francisco State University

• • Rating 4.19 out of 5   52

College of Arts and Sciences - American University

American University •

WASHINGTON, DC

Showing results 1 through 25 of 223

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Why Kids Can’t Write

By Dana Goldstein

• Aug. 2, 2017

On a bright July morning in a windowless conference room in a Manhattan bookstore, several dozen elementary school teachers were learning how to create worksheets that would help children learn to write.

Judith C. Hochman, founder of an organization called the Writing Revolution, displayed examples of student work. A first grader had produced the following phrase: “Plants need water it need sun to” — that is, plants need water and sun, too. If the student didn’t learn how to correct pronoun disagreement and missing conjunctions, by high school he could be writing phrases like this one: “Well Machines are good but they take people jobs like if they don’t know how to use it they get fired.” That was a real submission on the essay section of the ACT.

“It all starts with a sentence,” Dr. Hochman said.

Focusing on the fundamentals of grammar is one approach to teaching writing. But it’s by no means the dominant one. Many educators are concerned less with sentence-level mechanics than with helping students draw inspiration from their own lives and from literature.

Thirty miles away at Nassau Community College, Meredith Wanzer, a high school teacher and instructor with the Long Island Writing Project, was running a weeklong workshop attended by six teenage girls. The goal was to prepare them to write winning college admissions essays — that delicate genre calling for a student to highlight her strengths (without sounding boastful) and tell a vivid personal story (without coming off as self-involved).

Ms. Wanzer led the students in a freewrite, a popular English class strategy of writing without stopping or judging. First, she read aloud from “Bird by Bird,” Anne Lamott’s 1995 classic on how to write with voice. “You get your intuition back when you make space for it, when you stop the chattering of the rational mind,” the memoirist writes. “Rationality squeezes out much that is rich and juicy and fascinating.”

Ms. Wanzer then asked the students to spend a few minutes writing anything they liked in response to the Lamott excerpt. Lyse Armand, a rising senior at Westbury High School, leaned over her notebook. She was planning to apply to New York University, Columbia and Stony Brook University and already had an idea of the story she would tell in her Common Application essay. It would have something to do, she thought, with her family’s emigration from Haiti following the 2010 earthquake that devastated the island. But she was struggling with how to get started and what exactly she wanted to say.

“What voice in my head?” she wrote in her response to the Lamott essay. “I don’t have one.”

Lyse needed a sense of “ownership” over her writing, Ms. Wanzer said. Lyse had solid sentence-level skills. But even when Ms. Wanzer encounters juniors and seniors whose essays are filled with incomplete sentences — not an uncommon occurrence — she limits the time she spends covering dull topics like subject-verb agreement. “You hope that by exposing them to great writing, they’ll start to hear what’s going on.”

Three-quarters of both 12th and 8th graders lack proficiency in writing, according to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress. And 40 percent of those who took the ACT writing exam in the high school class of 2016 lacked the reading and writing skills necessary to complete successfully a college-level English composition class, according to the company’s data.

Poor writing is nothing new, nor is concern about it. More than half of first-year students at Harvard failed an entrance exam in writing — in 1874. But the Common Core State Standards, now in use in more than two-thirds of the states, were supposed to change all this. By requiring students to learn three types of essay writing — argumentative, informational and narrative — the Core staked a claim for writing as central to the American curriculum. It represented a sea change after the era of No Child Left Behind, the 2002 federal law that largely overlooked writing in favor of reading comprehension assessed by standardized multiple-choice tests.

So far, however, six years after its rollout, the Core hasn’t led to much measurable improvement on the page. Students continue to arrive on college campuses needing remediation in basic writing skills.

The root of the problem, educators agree, is that teachers have little training in how to teach writing and are often weak or unconfident writers themselves. According to Kate Walsh, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, a scan of course syllabuses from 2,400 teacher preparation programs turned up little evidence that the teaching of writing was being covered in a widespread or systematic way.

A separate 2016 study of nearly 500 teachers in grades three through eight across the country, conducted by Gary Troia of Michigan State University and Steve Graham of Arizona State University, found that fewer than half had taken a college class that devoted significant time to the teaching of writing, while fewer than a third had taken a class solely devoted to how children learn to write. Unsurprisingly, given their lack of preparation, only 55 percent of respondents said they enjoyed teaching the subject.

“Most teachers are great readers,” Dr. Troia said. “They’ve been successful in college, maybe even graduate school. But when you ask most teachers about their comfort with writing and their writing experiences, they don’t do very much or feel comfortable with it.”

There is virulent debate about what approach is best. So-called process writing, like the lesson Lyse experienced in Long Island, emphasizes activities like brainstorming, freewriting, journaling about one’s personal experiences and peer-to-peer revision. Adherents worry that focusing too much on grammar or citing sources will stifle the writerly voice and prevent children from falling in love with writing as an activity.

That ideology goes back to the 1930s, when progressive educators began to shift the writing curriculum away from penmanship and spelling and toward diary entries and personal letters as a psychologically liberating activity. Later, in the 1960s and 1970s, this movement took on the language of civil rights, with teachers striving to empower nonwhite and poor children by encouraging them to narrate their own lived experiences.

Dr. Hochman’s strategy is radically different: a return to the basics of sentence construction, from combining fragments to fixing punctuation errors to learning how to deploy the powerful conjunctive adverbs that are common in academic writing but uncommon in speech, words like “therefore” and “nevertheless.” After all, the Snapchat generation may produce more writing than any group of teenagers before it, writing copious text messages and social media posts, but when it comes to the formal writing expected at school and work, they struggle with the mechanics of simple sentences.

The Common Core has provided a much-needed “wakeup call” on the importance of rigorous writing, said Lucy M. Calkins, founding director of the Reading and Writing Project at Teachers College, Columbia University, a leading center for training teachers in process-oriented literacy strategies. But policy makers “blew it in the implementation,” she said. “We need massive teacher education.”

One of the largest efforts is the National Writing Project, whose nearly 200 branches train more than 100,000 teachers each summer. The organization was founded in 1974, at the height of the process-oriented era.

As part of its program at Nassau Community College, in a classroom not far from the one where the teenagers were working on their college essays, a group of teachers — of fifth grade and high school, of English, social studies and science — were honing their own writing skills. They took turns reading out loud the freewriting they had just done in response to “The Lanyard,” a poem by Billy Collins. The poem, which is funny and sad, addresses the futility of trying to repay one’s mother for her love:

Here is a breathing body and a beating heart, strong legs, bones and teeth, and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered, and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp.

Most of the teachers’ responses pivoted quickly from praising the poem to memories of their own mothers, working several jobs to make ends meet, or selflessly caring for grandchildren. It wasn’t sophisticated literary criticism, but that wasn’t the point. A major goal of this workshop — the teacher-training component of the Long Island Writing Project — was to get teachers writing and revising their own work over the summer so that in the fall they would be more enthusiastic and comfortable teaching the subject to children.

“I went to Catholic school and we did grammar workbooks and circled the subject and predicate,” said Kathleen Sokolowski, the Long Island program’s co-director and a third-grade teacher. She found it stultifying and believes she developed her writing skill in spite of such lessons, not because of them.

Sometimes, she said, she will reinforce grammar by asking students to copy down a sentence from a favorite book and then discuss how the author uses a tool like commas. But in general, when it comes to assessing student work, she said, “I had to teach myself to look beyond ‘There’s no capital, there’s no period’ to say, ‘By God, you wrote a gorgeous sentence.’ ”

Mrs. Sokolowski is right that formal grammar instruction, like identifying parts of speech, doesn’t work well. In fact, research finds that students exposed to a glut of such instruction perform worse on writing assessments.

A musical notion of writing — the hope that the ear can be trained to “hear” errors and imitate quality prose — has developed as a popular alternative among English teachers. But what about those students, typically low income, with few books at home, who struggle to move from reading a gorgeous sentence to knowing how to write one? Could there be a better, less soul-crushing way to enforce the basics?

In her teacher training sessions, Dr. Hochman of the Writing Revolution shows a slide of a cute little girl, lying contentedly on her stomach as she scrawls on a piece of composition paper. It’s the type of stock photograph that has probably appeared in a hundred educators’ PowerPoint presentations, meant to evoke a warm and relaxed learning environment, perhaps in one of the cozy writing nooks favored by the process-oriented writing gurus.

“This is not good writing posture!” Dr. Hochman exclaimed. Small children should write at desks, she believes. And while she isn’t arguing for a return to the grammar lessons of yesteryear — she knows sentence diagramming leaves most students confused and disengaged — she does believe that children should spend time filling out worksheets with exercises like the one below, which demonstrates how simple conjunctions like “but,” “because” and “so” add complexity to a thought. Students are given the root clause, and must complete the sentence with a new clause following each conjunction:

Fractions are like decimals because they are all parts of wholes .

Fractions are like decimals, but they are written differently .

Fractions are like decimals, so they can be used interchangeably .

Along the way, students are learning to recall meaningful content from math, social studies, science and literature. By middle school, teachers should be crafting essay questions that prompt sophisticated writing; not “What were the events leading up to the Civil War?” — which could result in a list — but “Trace the events leading up to the Civil War,” which requires a historical narrative of cause and effect.

“Freewriting, hoping that children will learn or gain a love of writing, hasn’t worked,” Dr. Hochman told the teachers, many of whom work in low-income neighborhoods. She doesn’t believe that children learn to write well through plumbing their own experiences in a journal, and she applauds the fact that the Common Core asks students to do more writing about what they’ve read, and less about their own lives.

“I call it a move away from child-centered writing,” she said approvingly, and away from what she considers facile assignments, like writing a poem “about a particular something they may have observed 10 minutes ago out of the window.”

“I don’t mean to be dismissive,” she continued, “but every instructional minute has its purpose.”

Her training session lacks the fun and interactivity of the Long Island Writing Project, because it is less about prompting teachers to write and chat with colleagues and more about the sometimes dry work of preparing worksheets and writing assignments that reinforce basic concepts. Nevertheless, many teachers who learn Dr. Hochman’s strategies become devotees.

Molly Cudahy, who teaches fifth-grade special education at the Truesdell Education Campus, a public school in Washington, D.C., said she appreciates Dr. Hochman’s explicit and technical approach. She thought it would free her students’ voices, not constrain them. At her school, 100 percent of students come from low-income families. “When we try to do creative and journal writing,” she said, “students don’t have the tools to put their ideas on paper.”

There is a notable shortage of high-quality research on the teaching of writing, but studies that do exist point toward a few concrete strategies that help students perform better on writing tests. First, children need to learn how to transcribe both by hand and through typing on a computer. Teachers report that many students who can produce reams of text on their cellphones are unable to work effectively at a laptop, desktop or even in a paper notebook because they’ve become so anchored to the small mobile screen. Quick communication on a smartphone almost requires writers to eschew rules of grammar and punctuation, exactly the opposite of what is wanted on the page.

Before writing paragraphs — which is often now part of the kindergarten curriculum — children do need to practice writing great sentences. At every level, students benefit from clear feedback on their writing, and from seeing and trying to imitate what successful writing looks like, the so-called text models. Some of the touchy-feel stuff matters, too. Students with higher confidence in their writing ability perform better.

All of this points toward a synthesis of the two approaches. In classrooms where practices like freewriting are used without any focus on transcription or punctuation, “the students who struggled didn’t make any progress,” Dr. Troia, the Michigan State professor, said. But when grammar instruction is divorced from the writing process and from rich ideas in literature or science, it becomes “superficial,” he warned.

Considering the lack of adequate teacher training, Lyse may be among a minority of students exposed to explicit instruction about writing.

In Ms. Wanzer’s workshop, Lyse and her classmates went on to analyze real students’ college essays to determine their strengths and weaknesses. They also read “Where I’m From,” a poem by George Ella Lyon, and used it as a text model for their work. Lyse drafted her own version of “Where I’m From,” which helped her recall details from her childhood in Haiti.

Lyse wrote: “I am from the rusty little tin roof house, from washing by hand and line drying.” It was a gorgeous sentence, and she was well on her way to a moving college application essay.

Dana Goldstein is an education reporter for The Times.

It's Lit Teaching

High School English and TPT Seller Resources

• Creative Writing
• Teachers Pay Teachers Tips
• Shop My Teaching Resources!
• Sell on TPT

How To Teach Grammar to High School Students

You know that you need to teach grammar. But when you look at your high school students’ writing, you’re overwhelmed. How can you possibly explain a semicolon or all of the comma rules when your students can’t even write a complete sentence? I’ve gone through the same struggle, my friend. While you probably can’t turn all of your students into Shakespeares in a semester, you can help them improve greatly. In this post, I hope to help show you how to teach grammar to (struggling) high school students.

(Looking for a complete grammar curriculum for your high school class? My High School Grammar Unit Bundle is everything you need! )

Why You Should Teach Grammar to High School Students

A lot of English teachers just don’t teach grammar. Or maybe they toss out a lesson about apostrophes here or a semicolon activity here. Too often, grammar and punctuation are viewed as filler lessons–not the main event.

This is also why a lot of English teachers don’t see their students’ grammar abilities improve. 

Teaching grammar is not for the faint of heart. It’s hard, and students are bored by it. It’s much harder to get kids excited about infinitives than it is to get them excited about a good book. 

And you can’t just assume that your high school students were taught the basics in elementary or middle.

However, if you want to see your students’ standardized test scores improve, give them real-life skills for any job beyond high school, and help them turn in work that doesn’t make you ill, then teaching grammar is a must.

Even high school students who don’t use periods can become better at writing. You have to be persistent, patient, and consistent in your instruction to make it happen.

Still not convinced? Check out these myths about teaching grammar.

Grammar in your Curriculum

If you are serious about helping students become better writers at a technical level, then you are going to have to commit to teaching grammar. Grammar needs to be woven into the curriculum on a regular basis. You can’t just teach a one-off lesson here and there and expect students to improve–especially if you’re working with students who struggle.

Grammar needs to be taught, practiced, reviewed, and assessed consistently.  Teach or review grammar in some way every. Single. Day.

You will need to teach lessons directly. You’ll need to model how you make grammatical choices. Students will need to practice grammar independently, but they’ll also need to apply it to their writing regularly for their new skills to stick. 

Committing yourself to improving your students’ grammar skills isn’t an easy task. You will need to dedicate a lot of time on your lesson planning calendar to grammar skills.  

Not only will you need to give grammar the time it deserves, but you’ll have to mix up how you present it and how students practice and apply their knowledge. 

Before You Begin

Before you begin even attempting teaching grammar, you need to take stock of where your students are right now.

Most of my students didn’t write in complete sentences. Many made common errors like not punctuating proper nouns or forgetting end punctuation. A few didn’t even capitalize the word “I.”

Look over your students’ writing skills. You need to decide where to begin and what, realistically, you can accomplish in your time with students.

Giving some kind of grammar pre-assessment ( like the one included with these Grammar Ass essments ) can be an easy way to establish a starting point.

What My Own Students Needed

I worked exclusively with remedial students. The vast majority move on to a technical college. Very few go to a four-year college, and still many go straight into the workforce.

To serve my students best, I didn’t necessarily need to turn them into professional linguists, but I did have to teach them enough grammar that they could function in the workplace. Yet, most of my students couldn’t tell me what a complete sentence needed or how to find a verb.

If you’re teaching a similar population, cut everything that students won’t need on a daily basis after high school. Prepositional phrases are nice to cover, but most people don’t need to identify them for their job.

Decide what your students absolutely need to know. I wanted my students to just be able to use punctuation correctly most of the time. To me, that means making sure they understand clauses and punctuation rules. So that’s what I focused on.

Don’t be afraid to go back as far as you need to. I always started by reviewing verbs and clauses. (I don’t really think most people need to understand all of the parts of speech in great depth to function in society.)

If I covered a hard topic–like verbals –it was only so students better understood verbs and clauses. Sometimes I touched on the difference between active and passive voice if we had extra time. I highly recommend mapping out your “must teach” grammar topics before beginning.

How to Teach Grammar to High School Students Step 1: Direct Instruction

Teaching grammar is difficult. I mean, who really remembers the different verbals anyway? But remember, the best way to master a topic is to teach it. 

So even if you’re uncomfortable with covering grammar, just get started teaching. The more you teach it, the more confident you will become. (And the more you’ll learn yourself!)

We assume that our students know what a verb is. Or that they should punctuate the beginning of sentences. Or what a sentence sounds like. But we can’t assume anything. 

If you want your students to know something, you’ve got to teach it to them first. 

And nothing is wrong with a lecture and slides. (Just keep it short!) I know we want every lesson to be fun, but this stuff is hard. Burying it a Webquest or station activity isn’t going to cut it. Save the fun stuff for review.

So direct instruction is going to be the first step in teaching grammar. If you’re not sure where to begin, I recommend at the beginning: sentences and basic sentence structure .

I mostly taught remedial students, so even this was a challenge for them. If you’re teaching AP kids, you might be able to start elsewhere. But starting at the beginning certainly doesn’t hurt. 

And if trying to create lessons on grammar makes you groan, I have some done-for-you ones right here. 

How to Teach Grammar to High School Students Step 2: Provide Plenty of Examples

Ok. You’ve introduced and covered the topic. You’ve defined the terms. Now, give students examples. 

You cannot give students too many examples. In my grammar lessons , I include examples. But you may want to cover even more. 

Pick up a novel and go through sentence by sentence. Tear them apart. Discuss why authors may have left fragments in the book. 

Keep student writing to use as samples and examples.

Build in time on a regular basis to look at examples and mentor sentences with students. A regular D.O.L. practice or daily grammar warm-up could help you provide students with ample examples every day. 

How to Teach Grammar to High School Students Step 3: Model

It is not enough to teach a concept and then hand students a worksheet. You need to model how to think about grammar for them. (This will mean, by the way, that you yourself understand how you make your own grammar and mechanical choices.)

I love having a document projector for this. I would project our work, and show students thought by thought how I mapped out a sentence:

Where’s the verb? Oh, now I can find the rest of the predicate. That must make this the subject, right? These go together, so there’s one clause. 

Annotate sentences for students to see. Think out loud. You cannot overdo this when it comes to teaching grammar. Even if you’re trying to answer a “quick question,” take the time to break apart the whole sentence first before answering. 

How to Teach Grammar to High School Students Step 4: Have Students Practice

I know a lot of people say there’s no point in teaching grammar outside of real-life writing. I just disagree. 

Yes, if you only do drills and worksheets, your students will never actually learn to apply their grammar knowledge.

But if your students are still building their foundational grammar knowledge, it is much easier to annotate a single sentence than it is to write one in flawless conventional English. 

If a student has never tried to locate a verb or identify whether the voice is active or passive, then they will never be able to write using exclusively active voice. 

Practice–whether it’s warm-ups, worksheets, exit cards, whatever–is a crucial step for students. It’s a safe learning space. If they mess up on a worksheet, it’s not a big deal. Hey, maybe you allow for corrections even. 

But if they mess up on an essay, that’s huge. Giving students low-stakes practice will help them approach high-stakes assessments with confidence. 

Grab a FREE Copy of Must-Have Classroom Library Title!

Sign-up for a FREE copy of my must-have titles for your classroom library and regular updates to It’s Lit Teaching! Insiders get the scoop on new blog posts, teaching resources, and the occasional pep talk! 

Marketing Permissions

I just want to make sure you’re cool with the things I may send you!

By clicking below to submit this form, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

How to Teach Grammar to High School Students Step 5: Assess Learning

Once you’ve taught students a concept and given them time to practice, it’s time to assess.

I’m not talking about a high-stakes test immediately (although you may consider that at the very end of your class or grammar unit).

But you should be regularly collecting and tracking student data. After I cover a major grammar concept (like comma rules, for example), I like to give my students a quick and short quiz.

Personally, I don’t use these quiz grades as summative assessments. Instead, I use them to make sure my students were paying attention and so that they can see their own progress.

Instead, you may consider doing a pre-assessment at the beginning of the year, a mid-assessment to check-in, and a post-assessment at the end of your class to track student data. This is especially important if you need to report student progress to someone else (your team, an instructional coach, etc.). It’s also a great idea if grammar is the focus of your personal teaching goals or yearly observations.

Assessments don’t have to take a long time or be super complicated. These quizzes and assessments , for example, are all multiple-choice. The included Google Forms even do the grading for you! What’s important is that they align and provide quick, accurate data.

How to Teach Grammar to High School Students Step 6: Review, Review, Review

Just because you covered clauses last semester doesn’t mean that your students will remember what they are next semester.

As you move through your grammar units, keep referring back to old ones . Incorporate old skills into new assignments. Once you’ve taught a new term (like “independent clause”), use it (don’t say “complete idea” ever again).

Ask students what they remember of previous topics. Before covering new ones, make them grapple with the concept to activate their prior knowledge. (I build in a lot of “pre-thinking” activities into my own grammar lessons .) 

If students make an error, point out where the error is, but don’t tell them what is exactly wrong. (At least, not at first.)

When you’ve covered a concept, make sure it becomes part of your regular expectations. Keep expectations high! (For example, if you’ve covered clauses and sentence types, then students cannot turn in a single incomplete sentence. They know better know.)

Practice, re-teach, and review daily if possible. I love giving students Grammar Warm-ups every day to create build this habit.

No matter how “low” your students are at the beginning of the school year, keep raising the bar. And nothing is too “basic” to review. If your seniors don’t understand parts of speech, don’t refuse to review it just because they “should have learned it already.”

Great grammar instruction is recursive. Constant review is crucial.

How to Teach Grammar to High School Students Step 7: Apply Grammar to Real-life Writing Tasks

Once you have thoroughly covered a topic–you have taught it directly, students have practiced the concept again and again–then you should ask students to apply it to real-life writing. 

An obvious example of this is the essay. Make sure that grammar or conventions are a large part of the final rubric. 

You could also give students writing challenges. (Having students journal daily would be a great way to do this on a regular basis.)

Write a paragraph about your break, but be sure to use and underline three compound sentences. 

Write a thank you letter to a staff member that includes at least one colon and one semicolon. 

Create a book review about the class novel that includes at least five apostrophes. Trade yours with a peer and double-check each other’s work. 

Whatever the writing assignment is, make sure that you emphasize how important the student’s grammar will be in the final score. Give students time to edit and peer-edit purely for grammar. Create space for them to think about the mechanics of their sentences. 

A Final Word on Teaching Grammar

Grammar isn’t easy–not for the teacher, nor for the students. 

You’ll have to make a commitment to yourself and your students to cover hard topics and give them the space that it needs. Like all new things in education, however, start small. Begin with one unit. Pay attention to what works and what doesn’t. 

Don’t have hours and hours to prep an entire course’s worth of grammar curriculum? Get my complete High School Grammar Unit Bundle right here and consider your lesson planning done!

• Create new account
• Reset your password

Register and get FREE resources and activities

Ready to unlock all our resources?

What is creative writing?

Narrative or creative writing will be developed throughout a child's time at primary school. This table gives a rough idea of how story structure, sentence structure, description and punctuation are developed through story-writing lessons at school. (Please note: expectations will vary from school to school. This table is intended as an approximate guide.)

Download a FREE Creative Writing toolkit!

• KS1 & KS2 workbooks
• Bursting with fill-in prompt sheets and inspiring ideas
• Story structure tips, style guides and editing suggestions

Creative writing in primary school

Story structure Events in a story in an order that makes sense. 

Sentence structure Joining two clauses in a sentence with the word 'and.'

Description Simple  adjectives  to describe people and places. 

Punctuation Use of capitals, full stops, exclamation marks and question marks.

Year 2 Story structure Stories sequenced with time-related words such as: then, later, afterwards, next.

Sentence structure Starting to use sentences with two  clauses  connected by 'and,' 'but,' 'so,' 'when,' 'if' and 'then.' Keeping the tense of the writing consistent.

Description Using a broader range of adjectives. 

Punctuation Using capital letters, full stops , question marks , exclamation marks , commas for lists and apostrophes for contracted forms (e.g. they're) and the possessive (e.g. 'Sarah's pen').

Year 3 Story structure Stories structured with a clear beginning, middle and end. Starting to write in paragraphs.

Sentence structure Continuing to use sentences with two parts, linked with  connectives  such as 'because', 'but' and 'so'.

Description Broad range of adjectives plus some  powerful verbs . 

Punctuation Using all of the punctuation above. Starting to use some speech punctuation .

Story structure Gaining confidence with structuring a story and with organising  paragraphs .

Sentence structure Using sentences connected with more sophisticated connectives such as because,' 'however,' 'meanwhile' and 'although.' 

Description Using a range of adjectives, powerful verbs and adverbs. Some use of  similes . Using fronted adverbials (placing the adverb at the start of the sentence, e.g. 'Quickly, the children stood up'). 

Punctuation Increasingly accurate use of speech punctuation. Using commas after fronted adverbials .

Story structure Good structure of description of settings , characters and atmosphere. Integrating dialogue to advance the action. Using time connectives to help the piece of writing to come together. 

Sentence structure Using a range of connectives to connect parts of sentences.  

Description Using adjectives, powerful verbs and adverbs. Possibly some use of figurative language such as  metaphors , similes and personification . 

Punctuation Using brackets , dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis .

Story structure Continuing to structure stories confidently. Using adverbials such as: in contrast, on the other hand, as a consequence.

Sentence structure Using more sophisticated connectives like 'although,' 'meanwhile' and 'therefore.' Using the  passive form. Using the subjunctive . 

Description Continuing to use a range of descriptive language (see above) confidently. 

Punctuation Using all of the previously mentioned punctuation correctly. Using semi-colons , colons and dashes to mark the boundary between clauses.

How creative writing is taught in primary schools

When teachers teach creative writing, they usually follow the units suggested by the literacy framework,  including the following:

• stories with familiar settings
• stories from other cultures
• fairy tales (also known as traditional tales )
• fantasy stories
• myths and legends
• adventure and mystery
• stories with historical settings.

Teachers will start with a text that they are confident will engage the interest of the class. It is often a good idea to find a well-illustrated text to bring the story alive further. They will spend a week or two 'loitering on the text', which will involve tasks where characters and scenarios from the text are explored in-depth. These tasks may include:

• Drawing a story map or mountain to get an idea of the structure of the story
• Writing a letter from one character to another
• In pairs, improvising a conversation between two characters in the story
• Making notes on a spider diagram about a particular character
• Writing the thoughts of a character at a particular point in the story
• Writing a diary entry as one character in the story

Once teachers feel that the text has been thoroughly explored, they will guide the children in writing their own version of the story . This involves planning the story, brainstorming characters and setting and then writing a draft of the story. Children will then be encouraged to edit and re-write their draft.  Teachers may mark the draft and write their own suggestions on it, or they may ask children to swap their writing with their partner and encourage them to make suggestions on each other's work. Throughout this process, teachers are aiming to encourage children to develop skills in the above four sections of the table: story structure, sentence structure, description and punctuation.

Finally, children will write up a 'neat' finished version of their writing. Teachers often give children a format for doing this, such as bordered paper on which they can add illustrations, or a booklet for which they can design a front cover.

Give your child a headstart

• FREE articles & expert information
• FREE resources & activities
• FREE homework help

More like this

11+ creative writing guide with 50 example topics and prompts

by Hayley | Nov 17, 2022 | Exams , Writing | 0 comments

The 11+ exam is a school entrance exam taken in the academic year that a child in the UK turns eleven.

These exams are highly competitive, with multiple students battling for each school place awarded.

The 11 plus exam isn’t ‘one thing’, it varies in its structure and composition across the country. A creative writing task is included in nearly all of the 11 plus exams, and parents are often confused about what’s being tested.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the plot of your child’s writing task is important. It is not.

The real aim of the 11+ creative writing task is to showcase your child’s writing skills and techniques.

And that’s why preparation is so important.

This guide begins by answering all the FAQs that parents have about the 11+ creative writing task.

At the end of the article I give my best tips & strategies for preparing your child for the 11+ creative writing task , along with 50 fiction and non-fiction creative writing prompts from past papers you can use to help your child prepare. You’ll also want to check out my 11+ reading list , because great readers turn into great writers.

Do all 11+ exams include a writing task?

Not every 11+ exam includes a short story component, but many do. Usually 3 to 5 different prompts are given for the child to choose between and they are not always ‘creative’ (fiction) pieces. One or more non-fiction options might be given for children who prefer writing non-fiction to fiction.

Timings and marking vary from test to test. For example, the Kent 11+ Test gives students 10 minutes for planning followed by 30 minutes for writing. The Medway 11+ Test gives 60 minutes for writing with ‘space allowed’ on the answer booklet for planning.

Tasks vary too. In the Kent Test a handful of stimuli are given, whereas 11+ students in Essex are asked to produce two individually set paragraphs. The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CCSE) includes 2 creative writing paragraphs inside a 60-minute English exam.

Throughout the UK each 11+ exam has a different set of timings and papers based around the same themes. Before launching into any exam preparation it is essential to know the content and timing of your child’s particular writing task.

However varied and different these writing tasks might seem, there is one key element that binds them.

The mark scheme.

Although we can lean on previous examples to assess how likely a short story or a non-fiction tasks will be set, it would be naïve to rely completely on the content of past papers. Contemporary 11+ exams are designed to be ‘tutor-proof’ – meaning that the exam boards like to be unpredictable.

In my online writing club for kids , we teach a different task each week (following a spiral learning structure based on 10 set tasks). One task per week is perfected as the student moves through the programme of content, and one-to-one expert feedback ensures progression. This equips our writing club members to ‘write effectively for a range of purposes’ as stated in the English schools’ teacher assessment framework.

This approach ensures that students approaching a highly competitive entrance exam will be confident of the mark scheme (and able to meet its demands) for any task set.

Will my child have a choice of prompts to write from or do they have to respond to a single prompt, without a choice?

This varies. In the Kent Test there are usually 5 options given. The purpose is to gather a writing sample from each child in case of a headteacher appeal. A range of options should allow every child to showcase what they can do.

In Essex, two prescriptive paragraphs are set as part of an hour-long English paper that includes comprehension and vocabulary work. In Essex, there is no option to choose the subject matter.

The Medway Test just offers a single prompt for a whole hour of writing. Sometimes it is a creative piece. Recently it was a marketing leaflet.

The framework for teaching writing in English schools demands that in order to ‘exceed expectations’ or better, achieve ‘greater depth’, students need to be confident writing for a multitude of different purposes.

In what circumstances is a child’s creative writing task assessed?

In Essex (east of the UK) the two prescriptive writing tasks are found inside the English exam paper. They are integral to the exam and are assessed as part of this.

In Medway (east Kent in the South East) the writing task is marked and given a raw score. This is then adjusted for age and double counted. Thus, the paper is crucial to a pass.

In the west of the county of Kent there is a different system. The Kent Test has a writing task that is only marked in appeal cases. If a child dips below the passmark their school is allowed to put together a ‘headteacher’s appeal’. At this point – before the score is communicated to the parent (and probably under cover of darkness) the writing sample is pulled out of a drawer and assessed.

I’ve been running 11+ tutor clubs for years. Usually about 1% of my students passed at headteacher’s appeal.

Since starting the writing club, however, the number of students passing at appeal has gone up considerably. In recent years it’s been more like 5% of students passing on the strength of their writing sample.

What are the examiners looking for when they’re marking a student’s creative writing?

In England, the government has set out a framework for marking creative writing. There are specific ‘pupil can’ statements to assess whether a student is ‘working towards the expected standard,’ ‘working at the expected standard’ or ‘working at greater depth’.

Members of the headteacher panel assessing the writing task are given a considerable number of samples to assess at one time. These expert teachers have a clear understanding of the framework for marking, but will not be considering or discussing every detail of the writing sample as you might expect.

Schools are provided with a report after the samples have been assessed. This is very brief indeed. Often it will simply say ‘lack of precise vocabulary’ or ‘confused paragraphing.’

So there is no mark scheme as such. They won’t be totting up your child’s score to see if they have reached a given target. They are on the panel because of their experience, and they have a short time to make an instant judgement.

Does handwriting matter?

Handwriting is assessed in primary schools. Thus it is an element of the assessment framework the panel uses as a basis for their decision.

If the exam is very soon, then don’t worry if your child is not producing immaculate, cursive handwriting. The focus should simply be on making it well-formed and legible. Every element of the assessment framework does not need to be met and legible writing will allow the panel to read the content with ease.

Improve presentation quickly by offering a smooth rollerball pen instead of a pencil. Focus on fixing individual letters and praising your child for any hint of effort. The two samples below are from the same boy a few months apart. Small changes have transformed the look and feel:

Sample 1: First piece of work when joining the writing club

Sample 2: This is the same boy’s improved presentation and content

How long should the short story be.

First, it is not a short story as such—it is a writing sample. Your child needs to showcase their skills but there are no extra marks for finishing (or marks deducted for a half-finished piece).

For a half hour task, you should prepare your child to produce up to 4 paragraphs of beautifully crafted work. Correct spelling and proper English grammar is just the beginning. Each paragraph should have a different purpose to showcase the breadth and depth of their ability. A longer – 60 minute – task might have 5 paragraphs but rushing is to be discouraged. Considered and interesting paragraphs are so valuable, a shorter piece would be scored more highly than a rushed and dull longer piece.

I speak from experience. A while ago now I was a marker for Key Stage 2 English SATs Papers (taken in Year 6 at 11 years old). Hundreds of scripts were deposited on my doorstep each morning by DHL. There was so much work for me to get through that I came to dread long, rambling creative pieces. Some children can write pages and pages of repetitive nothingness. Ever since then, I have looked for crafted quality and am wary of children judging their own success by the number of lines competed.

Take a look at the piece of writing below. It’s an excellent example of a well-crafted piece.

Each paragraph is short, but the writer is skilful.

He used rich and precisely chosen vocabulary, he’s broken the text into natural paragraphs, and in the second paragraph he is beginning to vary his sentence openings. There is a sense of control to the sentences – the sentence structure varies with shorter and longer examples to manage tension. It is exciting to read, with a clear awareness of his audience. Punctuation is accurate and appropriate.

11+ creative writing example story

How important is it to revise for a creative writing task.

It is important.

Every student should go into their 11+ writing task with a clear paragraph plan secured. As each paragraph has a separate purpose – to showcase a specific skill – the plan should reflect this. Built into the plan is a means of flexing it, to alter the order of the paragraphs if the task demands it. There’s no point having a Beginning – Middle – End approach, as there’s nothing useful there to guide the student to the mark scheme.

Beyond this, my own students have created 3 – 5 stories that fit the same tight plan. However, the setting, mood and action are all completely different. This way a bank of rich vocabulary has already been explored and a technique or two of their own that fits the piece beautifully. These can be drawn upon on the day to boost confidence and give a greater sense of depth and consideration to their timed sample.

Preparation, rather than revision in its classic form, is the best approach. Over time, even weeks or months before the exam itself, contrasting stories are written, improved upon, typed up and then tweaked further as better ideas come to mind. Each of these meets the demands of the mark scheme (paragraphing, varied sentence openings, rich vocabulary choices, considered imagery, punctuation to enhance meaning, development of mood etc).

To ensure your child can write confidently at and above the level expected of them, drop them into my weekly weekly online writing club for the 11+ age group . The club marking will transform their writing, and quickly.

What is the relationship between the English paper and the creative writing task?

Writing is usually marked separately from any comprehension or grammar exercises in your child’s particular 11+ exam. Each exam board (by area/school) adapts the arrangement to suit their needs. Some have a separate writing test, others build it in as an element of their English paper (usually alongside a comprehension, punctuation and spelling exercise).

Although there is no creative writing task in the ISEB Common Pre-test, those who are not offered an immediate place at their chosen English public school are often invited back to complete a writing task at a later date. Our ISEB Common Pre-test students join the writing club in the months before the exam, first to tidy up the detail and second to extend the content.

What if my child has a specific learning difficulty (dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, ASD)?

Most exam boards pride themselves on their inclusivity. They will expect you to have a formal report from a qualified professional at the point of registration for the test. This needs to be in place and the recommendations will be considered by a panel. If your child needs extra arrangements on the day they may be offered (it isn’t always the case). More importantly, if they drop below a pass on one or more papers you will have a strong case for appeal.

Children with a specific learning difficulty often struggle with low confidence in their work and low self-esteem. The preparations set out above, and a kids writing club membership will allow them to go into the exam feeling positive and empowered. If they don’t achieve a pass at first, the writing sample will add weight to their appeal.

Tips and strategies for writing a high-scoring creative writing paper

• Read widely for pleasure. Read aloud to your child if they are reluctant.
• Create a strong paragraph plan where each paragraph has a distinct purpose.
• Using the list of example questions below, discuss how each could be written in the form of your paragraph plan.
• Write 3-5 stories with contrasting settings and action – each one must follow your paragraph plan. Try to include examples of literary devices and figurative language (metaphor, simile) but avoid clichés.
• Tidy up your presentation. Write with a good rollerball pen on A4 lined paper with a printed margin. Cross out with a single horizontal line and banish doodling or scribbles.
• Join the writing club for a 20-minute Zoom task per week with no finishing off or homework. An expert English teacher will mark the work personally on video every Friday and your child’s writing will be quickly transformed.

Pressed for time? Here’s a paragraph plan to follow.

At Griffin Teaching we have an online writing club for students preparing for the 11 plus creative writing task . We’ve seen first-hand what a difference just one or two months of weekly practice can make.

That said, we know that a lot of people reading this page are up against a hard deadline with an 11+ exam date fast approaching.

If that’s you (or your child), what you need is a paragraph plan.

Here’s one tried-and-true paragraph plan that we teach in our clubs. Use this as you work your way through some of the example prompts below.

11+ creative writing paragraph plan

Paragraph 1—description.

Imagine standing in the location and describe what is above the main character, what is below their feet, what is to their left and right, and what is in the distance. Try to integrate frontend adverbials into this paragraph (frontend adverbials are words or phrases used at the beginning of a sentence to describe what follows—e.g. When the fog lifted, he saw… )

Paragraph 2—Conversation

Create two characters who have different roles (e.g. site manager and student, dog walker and lost man) and write a short dialogue between them. Use what we call the “sandwich layout,” where the first person says something and you describe what they are doing while they are saying it. Add in further descriptions (perhaps of the person’s clothing or expression) before starting a new line where the second character gives a simple answer and you provide details about what the second character is doing as they speak.

Paragraph 3—Change the mood

Write three to four sentences that change the mood of the writing sample from light to gloomy or foreboding. You could write about a change in the weather or a change in the lighting of the scene. Another approach is to mention how a character reacts to the change in mood, for example by pulling their coat collar up to their ears.

Paragraph 4—Shock your reader

A classic approach is to have your character die unexpectedly in the final sentence. Or maybe the ceiling falls?

11+ creative writing questions from real papers—fictional prompts

• The day the storm came
• The day the weather changed
• The snowstorm
• The rainy day
• A sunny day out
• A foggy (or misty) day
• A day trip to remember
• The first day
• The day everything changed
• The mountain
• The hillside
• The old house
• The balloon
• The old man
• The accident
• The unfamiliar sound
• A weekend away
• Moving house
• A family celebration
• An event you remember from when you were young
• An animal attack
• The school playground at night
• The lift pinged and the door opened. I could not believe what was inside…
• “Run!” he shouted as he thundered across the sand…
• It was getting late as I dug in my pocket for the key to the door. “Hurry up!” she shouted from inside.
• I know our back garden very well, but I was surprised how different it looked at midnight…
• The red button on the wall has a sign on it saying, ‘DO NOT TOUCH.’ My little sister leant forward and hit it hard with her hand. What happened next?
• Digging down into the soft earth, the spade hit something metal…
• Write a story which features the stopping of time.
• Write a story which features an unusual method of transport.
• The cry in the woods
• Write a story which features an escape

11+ creative writing questions from real papers—non-fiction prompts

• Write a thank you letter for a present you didn’t want.
• You are about to interview someone for a job. Write a list of questions you would like to ask the applicant.
• Write a letter to complain about the uniform at your school.
• Write a leaflet to advertise your home town.
• Write a thank you letter for a holiday you didn’t enjoy.
• Write a letter of complaint to the vet after an unfortunate incident in the waiting room.
• Write a set of instructions explaining how to make toast.
• Describe the room you are in.
• Describe a person who is important to you.
• Describe your pet or an animal you know well.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

Essentials in Writing

Where learning to write well has never been so easy

Comprehensive K-12 Writing and Literature Curriculum

Interactive Video Lessons Tailored to Foster Writing Mastery in Home, Public, and Charter School Students

Writing Curriculum

Literature Curriculum

Scoring Service

Curated for both Student and Parents .

Because our curriculum teaches directly to the student in each lesson, parents do not have to be trained to use this homeschool writing curriculum.

Education Without Limits - Award-Winning Online Curriculum for Classroom and Home Scholars.

Structured Step-by-Step Learning Approach

Bite-Sized Lessons for Enhanced Learning

Engaging Lessons Modeled by Experienced Educators

Which Level is Right for your Student?

Use our handy Level Selection Wizard as your guide.

Set a time to chat with an expert!

What Makes Us Different?

Dyslexia-Friendly: Guided Learning in Manageable Steps

Autonomous Learning: Direct Engagement in Every Lesson

“Effortless Progression”

Student Centered

Not Parent Intensive (Low Prep Time)

Complete Writing Program

Free Parent/Teacher Support

Grading is a Breeze

Certified Instruction

Word on the street.

See What The EIW Social Media Group Members Are Saying

🎓💡 Innovating K-12 Online Education 🌐 Lifelong learning, Critical Thinking, and Creativity! 🚀

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

2 weeks ago

I have kids using level 3 and level 6 writing and both are loving it, which makes me love it too.

I just have to say, this program has been life changing for my older son with dysgraphia and other struggles. He actually was saying at dinner last night he LIKED writing and wanted to use EIW again! Huge win!

We absolutely love this curriculum! I was so nervous tackling this with my 6th grade daughter and this helped her push start her writing and she TOOK OFF! Highly recommend. I cannot wait to use it for my other kids.

This is our first year using this program and so far, my reluctant writer has been doing well! There has been a lot less frustration on both ends and I can already see an improvement in his writing. Thanks so much!

Try Before You Buy

Still unsure whether Essentials in Writing is a good fit or not? Try it before you buy it!

Writing Courses

• Level 1 (ages 6-7)
• Level 2 (ages 7-8)
• Level 3 (ages 8-9)
• Level 4 (ages 9-10)
• Level 5 (ages 10-11)
• Level 6 (ages 11-12)
• Level 7 (ages 12-13)
• Level 8 (ages 13-14)
• Level 9 (ages 14-15)
• Level 10 (ages 15-16)
• Level 11 (ages 16-17)
• Level 12 (ages 17-18)

Literature Courses

• Level 7 (ages 12–13)
• Level 8 (ages 13–14)
• Level 9 (ages 14–15)
• Level 10 (ages 15–16)

Other Services

• Scoring Services
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Home School Resource Center
• Supplemental Writing Program (18-week plan)
• Summer Writing Program (10-week plan)
• Charter Schools
• Giving Back
• International Customers
• Terms of Use

(417) 256-4191

Concentration Requirements

Students in creative writing select either Poetry or Fiction as their primary specialization and the other genre as their secondary specialization.

No more than one month after passing comprehensive written examinations, a student must submit to the dissertation director, and to the Director of Creative Writing, a written proposal that describes the dissertation project. The creative writing dissertation must be a minimum of 50 pages of creative writing for a manuscript of poems or a minimum of 150 pages of creative writing for a manuscript of prose fiction. In addition, the dissertation must include a critical introduction that discusses the student’s approaches, styles, methods, and influences and which is acceptable to the Department of English and to the Office of Graduate Services of the College of Arts and Sciences.

All Poetry and Fiction workshops (ENGL 8020 - Poetry Writing, ENGL 8030 - Fiction Writing), creative writing craft courses (ENGL 8201 - Contemporary Poetry, ENGL 8202 - Contemporary Fiction Craft) and form and theory coursework (ENGL 8160 - Form and Theory of Literary Craft) must be completed at Georgia State University during the degree program.

• ENGL 8020 - Poetry Writing 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8030 - Fiction Writing 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8201 - Contemporary Poetry 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8202 - Contemporary Fiction Craft 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8160 - Form and Theory of Literary Craft 3 Credit Hours

Fiction Writers

In the interests of facilitating professional specialization within the field of creative writing, the following are required:

The Ph.D. student in Fiction must complete satisfactorily at least 36 hours of graduate coursework beyond the M.A. or M.F.A. (12 courses), plus 20 hours of thesis research credit. Any student who receives more than one C during the program will be dropped from the Ph.D. program.

For fiction writers, the following courses and research hours are required:

• Twelve hours of   ENGL 8030 - Fiction Writing 3 Credit Hours

(Fiction or Poetry)

• Three hours of courses in or strongly related to area of primary specialty
• Six hours of courses in or strongly related to an area or areas of secondary specialty (may include a maximum of one Creative Writing workshop in a secondary genre and/or a maximum of one course offered by another department);

Language Study

• ENGL 8005 - Practical Grammar 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8090 - History of the English Language 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8210 - Old English 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8250 - Middle English 3 Credit Hours

Literary Theory/ Critical Methodology/ Cultural Studies

Three hours of literary theory/critical methodology/cultural studies, unless satisfied at the M.A. level:

• FOLK 6020 - America’s Folk Crafts 3 Credit Hours
• FOLK 6100 - British Folk Culture 3 Credit Hours
• FOLK 6110 - Irish Folk Culture 3 Credit Hours
• FOLK 8200 - Folklore 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8060 - Literary Criticism 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8065 - Foundations of Modern Critical Theory 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8070 - Contemporary Literary Theory 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 8075 - Feminist Literary Theory 3 Credit Hours
• ENGL 9050 - Topics in Contemporary Literary Theory and Criticism 3 Credit Hours

At Least Twenty Hours of

• ENGL 8999 - Thesis Research 1 to 9 Credit Hours

The Ph.D. student in Poetry must complete satisfactorily at least 36 hours of graduate coursework beyond the M.A. or M.F.A. (13 courses), plus 20 hours of thesis research credit. Any student who receives more than one C during the program will be dropped from the Ph.D. program.

For poets, the following courses and research hours are required:

• Twelve hours of  ENGL 8020 - Poetry Writing    
• ENGL 8160 - Form and Theory of Literary Craft 3 Credit Hours  (Poetry or Fiction)
• Six hours of courses in or strongly related to an area or areas of secondary specialty (may include a maximum of one Creative Writing workshop in a secondary genre and/or a maximum of one course offered by another department).

Literary Theory/Critical Methodology/Cultural Studies

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed.

IELTS Exam Preparation: Free IELTS Tips, 2024

• elektrostal'

Take IELTS test in or nearby Elektrostal'

There is no IELTS test center listed for Elektrostal' but you may be able to take your test in an alternative test center nearby. Please choose an appropriate test center that is closer to you or is most suitable for your test depending upon location or availability of test.

Closest test centers are:

Make sure to prepare for the IELTS exam using our Free IELTS practice tests .

Moscow, Russia

British council bkc-ih moscow, students international - moscow cb, students international - moscow, vladimir, vladimir oblast, russia, students international vladimir, obninsk, kaluga oblast, russia, british council bkc-ih obninsk, nizhny novgorod, nizhny novgorod oblast, russia, students international - nizhny novgorod, british council bkc-ih nizhny novgorod, voronezh, voronezh oblast, russia, british council bkc-ih voronezh, veliky novgorod, novgorod oblast, russia, lt pro - veliky novgorod, kazan, tatarstan, russia, british council bkc-ih kazan, students international - kazan, st petersburg, russia, lt pro - saint petersburg, students international - st petersburg, saratov, saratov oblast, russia, students international - saratov, british council bkc-ih saratov, petrozavodsk, republic of karelia, russia, lt pro - petrozavodsk, students international - petrozavodsk, kirov, kirov oblast, russia, students international - kirov, samara, samara oblast, russia, students international - samara, british council bkc-ih samara, volgograd, volgograd oblast, russia, students international - volgograd, british council bkc-ih volgograd, rostov-on-don, rostov oblast, russia, students international - rostov-on-don, syktyvkar, komi republic, russia, students international - syktyvkar, perm, perm krai, russia, british council bkc-ih perm, students international - perm, ufa, republic of bashkortostan, russia, students international - ufa, british council bkc-ih ufa, kaliningrad, kaliningrad oblast, russia, students international - kaliningrad, lt pro - kaliningrad, krasnodar, krasnodar krai, russia, students international - krasnodar, stavropol, stavropol krai, russia, students international - stavropol, astrakhan, astrakhan oblast, russia, students international - astrakhan, magnitogorsk, chelyabinsk oblast, russia, ru069 students international - magintogorsk, yekaterinburg, sverdlovsk oblast, russia, british council bkc-ih ekaterinburg, students international - ekaterinburg, chelyabinsk, chelyabinsk oblast, russia, students international - chelyabinsk, british council bkc-ih chelyabinsk, murmansk, murmansk oblast, russia, students international - murmansk, tyumen, tyumen oblast, russia, students international - tyumen, omsk, omsk oblast, russia, students international - omsk, novosibirsk, novosibirsk oblast, russia, british council bkc-ih novosibirsk, students international - novosibirsk, tomsk, tomsk oblast, russia, british council bkc-ih tomsk, students international - tomsk, barnaul, altai krai, russia, students international - barnaul, other locations nearby elektrostal'.

• Zheleznodorozhnyy
• Orekhovo-Zuyevo
• Sergiyev Posad
• Podol'sk
• Novo-Peredelkino
• Ryazan'

An Overview of the IELTS

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is designed to measure English proficiency for educational, vocational and immigration purposes. The IELTS measures an individual's ability to communicate in English across four areas of language: listening , reading , writing and speaking . The IELTS is administered jointly by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment at over 1,100 test centres and 140 countries. These test centres supervise the local administration of the test and recruit, train and monitor IELTS examiners.

IELTS tests are available on 48 fixed dates each year, usually Saturdays and sometimes Thursdays, and may be offered up to four times a month at any test centre, including Elektrostal' depending on local needs. Go to IELTS test locations to find a test centre in or nearby Elektrostal' and to check for upcoming test dates at your test centre.

Test results are available online 13 days after your test date. You can either receive your Test Report Form by post or collect it from the Test Centre. You will normally only receive one copy of the Test Report Form, though you may ask for a second copy if you are applying to the UK or Canada for immigration purposes - be sure to specify this when you register for IELTS. You may ask for up to 5 copies of your Test Report Form to be sent directly to other organisations, such as universities.

There are no restrictions on re-sitting the IELTS. However, you would need to allow sufficient time to complete the registration procedures again and find a suitable test date.

SHARE THIS PAGE

The reading, writing and listening practice tests on this website have been designed to resemble the format of the IELTS test as closely as possible. They are not, however, real IELTS tests; they are designed to practise exam technique to help students to face the IELTS test with confidence and to perform to the best of their ability.

While using this site, you agree to have read and accepted our terms of use, cookie and privacy policy.

Category : Boys of Russia

Definitions [ edit ].

• Babies (birth to 24 months)
• Boys (2–13 years [puberty])
• Adolescent boys (13–17 years)
• Young men (18–39 years)
• Middle-aged men (40–59 years)
• Old men (60+ years)

Definitions come from, but are slightly modified from, the Physical stages of human life as found at Wikipedia:Human development (biology) .

Subcategories

This category has the following 14 subcategories, out of 14 total.

• Boys of Russia by year ‎ (13 C)
• Boys of Tyumen Oblast ‎ (4 C)
• 2 boys in Russia ‎ (22 F)
• 3 boys in Russia ‎ (3 F)
• Male child actors from Russia ‎ (3 C, 5 F)
• Adolescent boys of Russia ‎ (1 C, 40 F)
• Alexander I as a child ‎ (2 C, 6 F)
• Boys of the Soviet Union ‎ (2 C, 48 F)
• Boys of Kalmykia ‎ (8 F)
• Matrang ‎ (1 F)
• Mothers and sons in Russia ‎ (43 F)
• Portrait paintings of boys from Russia ‎ (9 C, 105 F)
• School boys of Russia ‎ (21 F)
• Smiling boys in Russia ‎ (13 F)

Media in category "Boys of Russia"

The following 200 files are in this category, out of 343 total.

• Boys by country
• Children of Russia
• Male humans of Russia
• Men of Russia by age

Navigation menu

mobile phone labh hani essay in hindi