100 ISSN: 2527-8037 Proceedings of the 1 st English Education International Conference (EEIC) in conjunction with the 2 nd Reciprocal Graduate Research Symposium (RGRS) of the Consortium of Asia-Pacific Education Universities (CAPEU) between Sultan Idris Education University and Syiah Kuala University November 12-13, 2016, Banda Aceh, Indonesia TEACHING OF CREATIVE WRITING IN PAKISTANI SCHOOLS Humaira Irfan University of Education, Lahore, PAKISTAN Email: drhumairakhan2015@gmail.com Abstract The paper discusses creative writing and its pedagogy in a Pakistani classroom. The quantitative and qualitative data collected from the postgraduate students of a large public sector university– who are also in-service school teachers – determines that English teachers in Pakistan do not teach to develop the creative writing of pupils. The findings confirm that English teachers are confused about strategies required for rousing learners’ interest in creative writing. The teachers make their students memorise compositions from the textbooks to be reproduced in class. English teachers must be interested and trained to participate in activities that are vital for boosting creative writing in schools. Keywords: Creative writing, teaching creative writing, textbooks. INTRODUCTION It is important to know the significance of creative writing in the western educational setting for appraisal of the situation in a Pakistani classroom. There are many perceptions associated with creative writing as it is an original composition, expressive art and intellectual profession (Evernett, 2005).The writers are involved in their imaginative world having a dialogue with their ‘writerly’ self (O’Rourke, 2005, p. 174). Therefore, in an educational scheme, there must be support for the dreams and visualisations of youth (Irfan, 2012). It should be remembered that creative writing cultivates where there is an organised plan to promote it (Robinson, 2001, p. 12).The primary focus of authentic writers is on expressing, communicating or some exploration of an idea or issue (Arnold, 1991, p. 9). Bishop and Ostrom (1994), Moxley (1989), and Meyers (1996) acknowledged the emergence of creative writing as an academic pursuit. It is emphasised that teachers should stimulate the creativity of their students to share their ideas using language. The creative process of writing develops their literacy and critical thinking skills (Fay, 2007; Griva, 2007). The learners exhibit ‘energy, vitality and authenticity which reflect their creative engagement’ (Grainger, et al., 2005, p. 7). Leahy (2005) perceives that the maturity and development of writing programmes lead to re-thinking of its pedagogy. Creative writing classrooms are articulating current practices and are suggesting new possibilities. The expertise of the teacher or of the students, in various ways is striving to accomplish things, as a set of mutually beneficial or agreed-upon guidelines for fostering success, as a set of evaluation criteria, as seemingly inherent forces in writing and teaching, and even as authorship itself. Ritter and Vanderslice (2007) also assert that creative writing’s pedagogy is based on undocumented and naïve experience. The editors and authors examine this lore and argue for reframing the discipline and most importantly its pedagogy in relation to intellect rather than ego.