Free writing activity: a suggested approach

1. Free writing activity: a suggested approach • Try using a free writing activity at beginning of a poetry workshop session to help your students to prepare themselves for writing by loosening up their minds and the flow of ideas. • Give your students a single word or a phrase which can be interpreted in different ways (e.g. “freeze”, “journey” ). • Ask them to write down everything that comes into their head when they hear that word. They must not worry what their writing looks like on the page. • Ask them to write without stopping until you tell them to… • After 3 -5 minutes tell them to stop and to read back through what they have written on their own. • Ask them to circle or highlight any words or phrases that surprise them or that they like. • Ask them to share any words or phrases aloud (that they feel comfortable sharing) with a partner and to save their bank of words for use later in the session or at another time if they wish.

2. Free writing (1)… • Write down everything that comes into your head when you hear me give you a word... • Don’t worry about what your writing looks like on the page. It could be single words, phrases or sentences… • Write in your notebooks without stopping until Itell you to stop • No-one will be able to read what you have written unless you let them

3. Free Writing (2)… • Read back through what you have written on your own • Circle or highlight any words or phrases that surprise you or that you like • Share any words or phrases aloud with your partner that you would like to • Save your bank of words - you could use them later in the session or at another time if you wish to get you started.

4. Free Writing (3)… • How did that feel? • When writing on your own you could use randomly selected words to get your poetry brain flowing…