On the future of writing

Professor Ann Dobie, keynote speaker for the Malta Writing Programme convention, talks to Peter Farrugia about the application of American teaching techniques in Malta and the importance of educated writing.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the Malta Writing Programme presented a teacher’s convention on the theme, ‘Developing Writing Skills across the Curriculum’.

Ann Dobie was invited to participate as keynote speaker at the convention, and share her expert feedback with organisers and participants.

Dobie taught at the University of Louisiana, US, for over 30 years and currently directs graduate studies in rhetoric and the university’s writing-across-the-curriculum programme.

As the author of several college-level textbooks, she is perfectly placed to give guidance to Malta’s reinterpretation of this American initiative.

“The project is based on a national writing programme in the States,” Dobie said, “and applying it to a different culture has proved that it’s an easily adaptable model. Basically, it’s all about teachers teaching teachers. This isn’t a remedial effort. It’s about creating a time to write and reflect, to share ideas with each other and exchange a repertoire of teaching practices.”

Fundamental to the programme’s success is this dynamic mix, a tested template for sharing writing of all kinds – be it academic, personal or creative writing.

“It’s the writer’s choice to share and explore key themes in writing that can be applied across the curriculum in all subject areas,” she said.

A broad mix of Maltese teachers from state, Church and private schools in many levels of education have participate.

“Many nurses are interested in participating too,” Dobie said; “perhaps it’s the caring side of their profession that attracts them to writing.”

More women than men attend the programme but Dobie said that the men who did attend were among the best teachers and writers. The profession “attracts more women at the levels we’re dealing with, but that might be changing”.

Participants are encouraged to write continuously for four weeks. “It’s empowering and exciting for teachers,” she said. And through these techniques, new perspectives become apparent, fostering the development of an essentially student-centred class room.

Educators create ways by which students can become responsible for their own learning. By pushing students to take ownership of their education, a shift in power that sees the teacher become a guide and mentor, comes into play with benefits all round.

Since her last visit to Malta, Dobie has noticed a higher level of sophistication in writing and a new understanding of the unlimited possibilities in teaching practice.

“When I was here in 2004 there was a more rigid, play by the rules attitude. Now, educators seem more experimental and open to ideas.”

The convention concluded with a 90-minute presentation by each teacher, in English and/or Maltese, synthesising the knowledge they’d acquired over the course.

Dobie’s critical review of the programme in Malta includes her observations of teaching practice itself. “There are not many differences between teachers in the US and Malta, but over time the writing process gets deeper. It makes children think, gets kids to be more reflective,” she said.

Initiatives are in place to encourage writing with children themselves, asking students to “think about their writing and their lives. The emphasis is on developing their craft and forging an equality between poetics and rhetoric.”

During the 19th century, academia saw literature become a dominant concern at the expense of linguistics and language. Dobie and her colleagues would see a new way forward, with the two working together as a united discipline.

“Reading is what teachers already know how to teach,” she smiles; “We need to make writing accessible, not an elitist pursuit but open to everyone.”

Even at university level, the teaching of English has taken some strange turns. The study of literary theory, Dobie said, has gone beyond being useful. “We’ve got to get back to the craftsmanship of writing and that will teach its own skills of thinking, ways to understand problems.”

Indeed, the next step will be forming a writing niche in the community with family and parent writing groups. By helping students at home there is a valuable opportunity to engage parents, to let them see themselves as writers.

Events planned at Girgenti Palace have already begun inspiring participants, creating a dynamic where connections between reading and writing, both in and out of the classroom, are allowed to mature organically.

“Writing doesn’t just take place in classrooms and reading can be a fun activity. We must demystify writing and give children practical ways of applying these lessons to their academic and life writing,” Dobie said.

Working towards this end are events led by Clare Azzopardi and Adrian Grima. Azzopardi meets with students and discusses their stories, creating spaces for young writers who show talent.

The programme releases anthologies of work from students and teachers and periodically presents the work in ways that validate their effort. The Maltese programme has been supported by the government, and this has helped it grow over the years.

Although the programme has been characterised as an exercise in amateur psychoanalysis by some critics in the US, Dobie is not so sure that’s a bad thing.

“There is a therapeutic element to the workshops but that only means the end results are stronger and the whole person is being addressed.”

The fundamental concern is that participants, whether they’re teachers or parents, students or members of the public, are made to feel relaxed when working with words.

The more comfortable we are when communicating, the easier it is to make meaningful connections with one another. And ultimately, that is what’s at the heart of this programme’s message.

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If you wish to contribute an article or would like a particular subject tackled in the Education section, call Davinia Hamilton on 2559 4513 or e-mail dhamilton@timesofmalta.com.