College and University Educators General Practice-Oriented Short Workshop
Visual Storytelling in Creative Writing
Maloney (2019) states that creative writing is perhaps "the most under-used tool in the ELT box." Research shows that the benefits of using creative writing in the EFL classroom include raised critical consciousness (Stillar 2013), increased motivation (Smith 2013), and improved acquisition of grammatical structures (Pelcova 2015). This practice-based presentation will outline how one particular aspect of creative writing, screenwriting, can be successfully utilized in the Japanese university classroom. ‘Visual storytelling’ is a form of writing used by screenwriters to communicate on the page images and information that will be seen on screen. The presenter will begin by explaining what visual storytelling is. He will then describe how he teaches a course for university 3rd- and 4th-year students that utilizes visual storytelling techniques to introduce students to creative writing. The presenter will explain how he makes use of short films, feature film clips, and screenplay extracts to foster student creativity. Samples of work done by students will be introduced.
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Alec McAulay is Professor in the Graduate School of International Social Sciences at Yokohama National University, where he teaches EFL, Film Studies and Screenwriting. He has a PhD in Screenwriting from The Media School Bournemouth University. He has scripted three award-winning Japanese-language short films; The Neighbour (2003), The Errand (2006) and Three Days in Kamakura (2012), and worked as Script Consultant on various Japanese and international productions. His publications include “Based on a true story: Negotiating collaboration, compromise and authorship in the script development process” in Screenwriters and Screenwriting: Putting Practice into Context (Ed. Craig Batty, 2014).