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ETD Abstract Container

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Adolescent Literacy Experiences in an After-School Creative Writing Club: Finding Space in a Narrowing English Language Arts Curriculum

Hellmann, Michael
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1721397171564958

Abstract Details

2024, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies.
The narrowing English language arts (ELA) curriculum in American public schools has negatively impacted students. Creative writing, specifically fictional narrative writing, has nearly vanished from ELA curriculum in the United States. This study focused on the literacies involved in creative writing to critically examine what is lost with a narrowing ELA curriculum. As an intermediate grade-level teacher and literacy researcher, I conducted this qualitative case study to better understand how 14 fifth-grade students experienced an after-school creative writing club while writing fictional narratives. By using process writing theory and expressivism as a conceptual framework, this study focused primarily on the writing processes and overall experiences that students had throughout the duration of the club. The analysis highlighted the literacies that students had access to, as well as the wide array of experiences they had within a creative writing club context. Findings showed that students must balance opposing experiences, broadly conceived as positive and negative, during all parts of the writing process so that they can make continued progress on their fictional narratives. These oppositions were grouped into three categories: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental. This act of balance was defined as “author equilibrium.” This writing experience provided students with a creative outlet, allowed students to participate in the writing process in an engaging way, provided students the opportunity to work alongside others, and showed students that writing can be enjoyable. While the narrowing of ELA curricula has prevented students from writing creatively in the classroom, this study highlighted the benefits of allowing space for creative writing within the ELA classroom.
Mark Sulzer, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Constance Kendall Theado, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Lauren Colley, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
160 p.
Education
English Language Arts; Creative Writing; Narrowing Curriculum; Literacies; Process Writing Theory; Expressivism

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hellmann, M. (2024). Adolescent Literacy Experiences in an After-School Creative Writing Club: Finding Space in a Narrowing English Language Arts Curriculum [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1721397171564958

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hellmann, Michael. Adolescent Literacy Experiences in an After-School Creative Writing Club: Finding Space in a Narrowing English Language Arts Curriculum. 2024. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1721397171564958.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hellmann, Michael. "Adolescent Literacy Experiences in an After-School Creative Writing Club: Finding Space in a Narrowing English Language Arts Curriculum." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2024. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1721397171564958

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1721397171564958
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© 2024, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.