What happens when we give students more freedom to respond to literature creatively? And what might the English classroom look like if we moved beyond the traditional analytical essay?

NATE is delighted to be a key partner in Beyond the Essay: Creative-Critical Teaching, a major international research project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and based at the University of East Anglia and the Institute of Education.

Over the next three years, the project will explore new possibilities for teaching literature, drawing on historical research and the experiences of teachers and students in classrooms today. Working alongside exam boards AQA, Eduqas, Pearson and OCR, as well as the English and Media Centre, English Association and University English, the project aims to open up fresh conversations about the relationship between creativity, critical thinking and literary study.

The project team wants to hear from you!

Whether you’re curious about creative-critical teaching, already experimenting with different approaches, or simply interested in contributing to the conversation, there are three easy ways to get involved.

1. Find out more and stay connected

You can sign up for project updates and discover more about the research at beyondtheessay.net.

2. Join the conversation

The project team is hosting two introductory Zoom meetings, offering teachers an opportunity to hear more about the research, share ideas and experiences, and explore ways to become involved.

• Wednesday 18th November, 4–5pm (register in advance)
• Saturday 21st November, 10–11am (register in advance).

Both meetings are free to attend, but advance registration is required. The sessions will not be recorded.

3. Try something different with your students

The team is inviting teachers to try a simple creative-critical activity with any class, using whatever literary text they’re currently studying.

Rather than asking students to write an analytical paragraph or answer comprehension questions, invite them to write a letter to the author:

Write a letter to the writer, giving your thoughts on what you’ve just been reading. Tell them what you particularly liked, and ask them any questions you might have.

The activity can focus on a whole text, a chapter, a scene or whatever students have read so far.

The researchers are particularly interested in what happens when students are given the freedom to respond without extensive modelling or guidance. What do they notice? What questions do they ask? What kinds of connections and interpretations emerge?

There’s no need for a lengthy write-up afterwards. The team would welcome a short reflection, examples of anonymised student work, or comments from students about their experience.

Please send feedback to beyondtheessay@uea.ac.uk, ideally by Tuesday 17th November.

Be part of the future of literature teaching

At the heart of Beyond the Essay is an important question: how can we make space for creativity, curiosity and personal engagement while developing students’ critical understanding of literature?

It’s a conversation in which classroom teachers have a vital part to play. NATE is excited to support the project and to help ensure that teachers’ experiences and insights inform its development.

Featured image: iStock/SolStock