Research Purpose

The aim of this study is to explore the methods and approaches used by teachers to foster students' creative writing skills during literature lessons.

Research Questions

Main question:

How do Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools teachers facilitate the development of students' creative writing skills?

Sub-questions:

1) How do teachers conceptualize the notion “creative writing”?

2) In what ways do teachers integrate audio-visual materials into L iterature classes?

3) How do audio-visual materials impact on enhancing students' creative writing works?

Relevance of the study

While creative writing has been extensively studied by foreign scholars, the majority of studies have focused on its application within the second language teaching contexts. Researchers have explored the impact of literature and artistic texts on fostering students’ creativity within language learning processes. However, the exploration of creative writing within the realm of literature subjects has received limited attention. It can be observed that domestic methodologists and scientists in Kazakhstan have not undertaken research on creative writing. Consequently, the absence of attention to this topic among Kazakhstani researchers has hindered the generalization of empirical findings. This shows the significance of investigating creative writing within the context of literature education.

Literature review

An analysis of the results of students’ annual summative works shows that students’ creative writing cannot deeply describe a place and time, a landscape, a portrait, or tell a story. The purpose of this research is to find effective ways to develop creative writing skills in students. NIS literature teachers will participate in the research.

According to the international study of PISA creative thinking is the ability to accumulate, evaluate, and improve an idea, which leads to an effective solution, the advancement of knowledge, and the amazing manifestation of imagination. The study found that the skill of creative thinking accounts for 80% of the content of the curriculum "reading, writing and literature". For the development of creative thinking, the adequacy of the curriculum is not enough, the training of teachers, the adequacy of the knowledge assessment system must also be taken into account. (OECD, 2023)

Creative writing involves imaginative and artistic expression. Unlike other types of writing, it is not strictly based on facts, information, or news. Harmer (2007) defines creative writing as the composition of poems, short stories, and plays. Creative writing not only conveys information but also reflects the author’s thoughts, emotions, and mood in a figurative way. Maley (2009) associates creative writing with intuition, imagination, and memory.

Millard (2019), in his study "Creative Writing at School," analyzed the organization of creative writing lessons and surveyed teachers on their instructional strategies. The study identified the following strategies:

• Providing visual materials to support students;
• Allowing free writing without strict adherence to structure;
• Conducting class discussions on a given topic;
• Presenting teacher-created model compositions.

Adam (2015) argues that listening to music, displaying images, and showing film excerpts during creative writing exercises enhance students' creativity. He suggests that visual materials increase students’ motivation and enthusiasm for the subject.

According to Kirbash (2017), writing with visual materials enhances the quality of students’ creative compositions compared to free writing. His research highlights the role of visual materials in expanding students' knowledge, fostering critical thinking, and improving imagination. Kirbash compared traditional and creative writing approaches, proving the effectiveness of using visual materials in writing assignments.

Maley (2012) connects creativity with Gardner’s theory of intelligence and advocates for creative teaching methods. He suggests using diverse materials, such as maps, drawings, newspaper clippings, and magazines, to enhance students' writing skills. For example, students might create stories by connecting 8–10 images with music, integrating visual, auditory, and emotional stimuli to inspire creativity.

Participants and selection Participants: teachers of Kazakh literature Estimated number of participants: About 15-20 teachers of Kazakh literature from Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools will take part in the research Site: Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools Selection criteria: Teachers participating in the research work have 7-15 years of work experience, work in Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools during this period, as they can be experienced enough to answer research questions. Four NIS schools from different regions (South-East, West, Central, and North) was included. Since this study focuses on "creative writing" within the NIS Kazakh literature curriculum, selecting NIS schools ensures relevance and consistency. Data collection method Research method: qualitative research Research instruments: 1) individual interviews with teachers; 2) lesson observations; 3) analysis of written students’ works. This research paper employs a qualitative research approach. Individual interviews with teachers, observation of lessons, and written works of students participating in the interviews are used as methods of data collection. Research procedure The interview were conducted with teachers who teach in secondary schools, at least three years of work experience at the NIS, because the research questions are related to the NIS curriculum. A research invitation sent to literature teachers. The researchers were send a letter to the teachers who agree to participate in the research and interviews. This letter indicates the topic, purpose of the study, and ethical requirements of the interview. Confidentiality of the answers of the person participating in the interview is guaranteed and informed consent is obtained. The interview were conducted online via the Microsoft Teams platform at a time convenient for teachers to avoid disrupting the educational process. A transcript is sent to confirm and correct what the interviewer said. Since the research work is the implementation of the NIS curriculum, the study of the practice of teachers, the participants are not compensated. As a result of the interview, a lesson checklist were compiled. Data from interviews, lesson monitoring and student subscription work was triangulated.

Results Personal Interviews with Teachers: Most teachers are familiar with creative writing and its stages (pre-writing, writing, and post-writing). However, many do not actively employ strategies to develop students’ creative writing skills. Approximately 70% of teachers use audio-visual materials in class but not specifically for creative writing tasks. In most cases, teachers assign writing topics and allocate time without structured pre-writing or editing activities. Classroom observations confirmed these findings. Classroom Observations: Lesson plans were developed in collaboration with teachers. Writing tasks incorporated audio, video, and visual materials. Twelve lessons were observed and analyzed. It was noted that presenting audio-visual materials before creative writing tasks helped students generate ideas and increased their engagement. For example, students discussed themes and characters using image fragments. In another exercise, film reels were used as prompts for creative writing. Students analyzed the content of these reels and completed unfinished narratives. Group discussions preceded individual writing tasks. Analysis of Students’ Written Works: A comparative analysis of 30 student compositions was conducted. Among them, 22 students demonstrated improved writing when audio-visual materials were used as prompts. Their compositions showed deeper engagement with the topic, preserved genre originality, and demonstrated artistic narration. However, the remaining students struggled with topic adherence, had limited vocabulary, and did not observe genre conventions. Conclusion The study concludes that audio-visual materials positively influence the quality of students’ creative writing. Incorporating these materials during the writing process enhances student engagement and creativity. Based on these findings, a set of tasks aimed at fostering creative writing skills will be developed.

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