Dream writing: A new creative writing technique for Secondary Schools?

Abstract

Writer and academic Gilly Smith examines the use of a new creative writing technique for school children inspired by the Automatic Writing of the Surrealists and the Free Writing of novelists and poets. Set within the discourse of Sir Ken Robinson, her argument is that Dream Writing can free expression, raising morale and standards in creative writing in schools while enabling children to see the originality of their own imaginations on the page. Analysing the results of a year‐long trial with Year 7 students, she finds evidence of significant impact on creative writing and a helpful settling exercise for the teacher.

Key words:

• Dream Writing
• creativity
• Robinson
• schools
• original
• imagination

Notes

1. All names have been changed to protect identity.

2. Compare this with the 23% who answered the same question, ‘I write what I think will sound good when I read it out afterwards.’