Formal vs Informal Writing

At the beginning of the semester, my students requested to learn some different writing styles, as they have only written formal papers. So our first big paper was a creative writing assignment. I taught how to use diction to create tone, sensory description to achieve vivid imagery and how to employ figurative language, such as metaphors, similes, and personification. I used excerpts from famous American novels to exemplify great writing.

Unfortunately, half my students did not grasp the concept of creative writing. Each student chose a picture from which they were to construct a narrative using descriptive writing with the tools learned in class. They did not use any of the writing tools or did not describe the picture beyond it's colors. Moreover, many of them actually argued their opinion about what the picture was, turning the assignment into a sort of persuasive paper that lacked any story.

Notwithstanding, the other half of my students wrote beautifully crafted stories, which made me feel more positive about the results. Some great examples of description and figurative language:

"The park radiated with sunshine and was filled with an intoxicating aroma."

"The green grasses, like mischievous children, poked their heads above the Earth's soft, fertile soil."

"When I raise my head, a faint breeze touches my face, as soft as a mother's hands."

"The sunlight, shining through the looming trees, flickers across my eyes."

"Not far away, the zigzag path disappeared into the horizon, extending it's hands to the sky."

Initially, however, I was still frustrated, assuming my teaching was the sole root of the problem as to why so many students didn't successfully write a creative or descriptive story. After some inquiry, it became evident that writing persuasively as been drilled into them so much by their Chinese professors that it has impeded them from using their imaginations. They cannot break away from the habit of constructing an argument whenever they write any composition. With China's steadfast determination to grow economically, the education system does not provide much in the realm of liberal arts. Interestingly, lessons and encouragement in analytical thinking and the ability to "think outside the box" are limited - things that, as a Westerner, I consider necessary to produce a strong, solid argument in writing or speaking.

It seems that I would need an entire semester to successfully teach most students the art of creative writing or any informal writing style. It would take more than a few weeks to break down the barriers of a strictly technical education. Unfortunately, I do not have that time. I must move on to formal writing, which will benefit them more in the future. So research papers, business letters and resumes here we come!