what is the status of creative writing in pakistani english classroom

CREATIVE WRITING IN CLASSROOM: A REAL STORY

• Ghulam HAIDER Deputy Director (Planning & Development) National Vocational & Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5457-5286
• Rabia SALEEM Civil Judge-I High Courts, Lahore, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1124-9624

The article discusses the real story of creative writing in Pakistan creative writing in Pakistan lacks a big work both inside a class room and outside a class room. In Pakistan writing instruction still depends on a typical product oriented approach. That is why the trends in the pedagogical setting support product-oriented approach to writing. Pakistan possesses a rich heritage of all sorts of genres that are supporting features for creative writing yet lack of research in this area has pushed it at the secondary place. Teaching of literature is a much focused area in colleges but it lacks creative writing. The role of examination board(s) is also not so much effective .There is no any systematic program of evaluating the written product. Rather non standardized scoring guides are used to evaluate the written pieces of the students. That is why error is considered a mistake in spite of a way to learning.  This condition can be made better if writing teachers start considering that ‘creativity flourishes where there is a systematic strategy to promote it. In addition, they must suggest approaches to teaching such as the genre approach or the process approach for developing creative writing.

Keywords: Creative writing; Process Model of Writing; Diversity in Writing Style; Assessment of writing

Arnold, R. (1991). Writing Development . Philadelphia: Open University Press.

Barnes, J. (2001). Creativity and Composition. In C. Philpott, & C. Plummeridge (Eds.), Issues in Music Teaching . London: Routledge.

Brown, S., & Pickford, R. (2006). Assessing skills and Practice. London: Routledge.

English Grammar and Composition for Matriculation. (2009). Lahore: Punjab Textbook Board.

Evernett, N. (2005). Creative Writing and English. The Cambridge Quarterly, 34(3), 231-242.

Grainger, T., Goouch, K., & Lambirth, A. (2005). Creativity and Writing: Developing voice and verve in the classroom . London: Routledge.

Hanke, V. (2002). Improvisations around the National Literacy Strategy. Reading Literacy and Language, 36(2), 80-7.

Hooker, J. (1997). Developing creativity: The place of the imagination in the academy. Writing in Education , 11, 4-7.

HMIE Report. (2006). Emerging Good Practice in Promoting Creativity. Available:                 http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/hmieegpipc.html (March 3, 2009)

HMIE Report. (2006). Promoting Creativity in Education: Overview of National Policy. Available: http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/hmiepcie.html (April 25, 2009)

Humaira, Khan. (2011). Testing Creative Writing in Pakistan: Tensions and Potential in    Classroom Practice. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1 (15) 111-119 .      Retrievedfrom http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_1_No_15_Special_Issue_October_2                011/14.pdf

Laevers, F. (2000). Forward to basics: deep level learning and the experimental approach. Early years , 20(2), 20-9.

Marshall, S. (1974). Creative Writing . London: Macmillan Education Ltd.

Model Test Papers of English for Class Tenth. (2009). Lahore: Kashmir Kitab Ghar.

Moss, P. (2001). The Otherness of Reggio. In L. Abbott, & C. Nutbrown (Eds.) Experiencing Reggio Emilia, Implications for Pre-school Provision . Buckingham: Open University Press.

Myhill, D. (2001). Crafting and Creating. English in Education, 35(3), 13-20.

Nadeem, M. (2007). Pakistan Land of Rich Literary Heritage. Available: http://www.uelowermall.edu.pk.com (August14, 2009)

National Education Policy. (1992). Islamabad: Ministry of Education Press.

O’Rourke, R. (2005). Creative Writing: Education, Culture and Community. Plymouth: Latimer Trend. Past English Papers. (2008). Lahore: Urdu Bazar Publishers.

Robinson, K. (2001). Out of our Minds: Learning to be creative . Oxford: Capstone: Publishing.

Siddiqui, S. (2007). Rethinking Education in Pakistan: Perceptions, Practices, and Possibilities. Lahore: Paramount Publishing Press.

Warsi, J. (2004). Conditions under which English is taught in Pakistan: An Applied Linguistic Perspective. Sarid Journal . Available: http:// www. sarid.net/sarid-journal (May 10, 2009)

Wilson, S. and Ball, D.L. (1997). Helping teachers meet the standards: new challenges for teacher educators. The Elementary School Journal, 97(2), 121-138.

• Full Text PDF

Copyright (c) 2021 International Online Journal of Primary Education (IOJPE) ISSN: 1300-915X

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License .

Most read articles by the same author(s)

• Muneeba Tahira, Ghulam Haider, THE ROLE OF CRITICAL THINKING IN ACADEMIC WRITING: AN INVESTIGATION OF EFL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND WRITING EXPERIENCES , International Online Journal of Primary Education (IOJPE) ISSN: 1300-915X: Vol. 8 No. 1 (2019): June 2019
• Ghulam HAIDER, Tariq Nadeem KHAN, SPECIAL EDUCATIONTEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS ABOUT PROJECT-BASED TEACHING: IMPLICATIONS FORTEACHING OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING (CALL) FORHEARING IMPAIRED (HI) CHILDREN , International Online Journal of Primary Education (IOJPE) ISSN: 1300-915X: Vol. 5 No. 1 (2016): June 2016
• Ghulam HAIDER, AN INVESTIGATION OF THE WRITING PROCESSSES OF STUDENTS WITH HEARING LOSS: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING OF WRITING , International Online Journal of Primary Education (IOJPE) ISSN: 1300-915X: Vol. 5 No. 1 (2016): June 2016

Make a Submission

Creative Commons Licenses

All articles published in International Online Journal of Primary Education's content is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

(Counter start: February 28, 2021 )

Exploring the Features of Pakistani English Creative Writing: An In-depth Study of Language use, Reader Engagement, Voice, Quality, Originality and universality in the Works of Akhtar, Tahir, and Sidhwa

• Amna Waheed PhD Scholar, Department of English, Division of Arts & Social Sciences, University of Education, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
• Dr. Humaira Irfan Associate Professor, Department of English, Division of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Education, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
• Dr. Ahsan Bashir Professor, Department of English, Division of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Education, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

This research explores the distinctive features of Pakistani creative writing and its important role in developing creativity, promoting critical thinking, crafting uniqueness, shaping and developing the structure of Pakistani English (PakE). PakE has evolved into a unique linguistic form by blending English with indigenous vocabulary, idioms, themes, and linguistic features. Through creative writing Pakistani writers are promoting their rich cultural heritage and enriching the language, making it a vibrant medium for literary and linguistic expressions. This study explores features of Pakistani creative writing through a qualitative analysis of select texts—poems by Rizwan Akhtar, short stories by M. Athar Tahir, and Bapsi Sidhwa's novel “The Bride”—this research applies a theoretical framework for assessing creativity in writing. The study uncovers the use of language, reader engagement, distinctiveness, voice, originality, and universality among other aspects. The findings reveal a dynamic interplay of language techniques, emotive engagement, and thematic depth across the selected works, presents the uniqueness and versatility of PakE in capturing the essence of Pakistani culture and heritage. Pakistani English creative writing reflects postcolonial identity, linguistic creativity, and cultural diversity. It affirms the contribution of creative writing in shaping the structure and development of Pakistani English.

How to Cite

• Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)

Copyright (c) 2024 Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License .

ORIENTS SOCIAL RESEARCH CONSULTANCY (OSRC)  &  PAKISTAN LANGUAGES AND HUMANITIES REVIEW (PLHR)  adheres to  Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License . The authors submitting and publishing in  PLHR  agree to the  copyright policy  under  creative common license 4.0 (Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International license) . Under this license, the authors published in  PLHR  retain the copyright including publishing rights of their scholarly work and agree to let others remix, tweak, and build upon their work non-commercially. All other authors using the content of  PLHR  are required to cite author(s) and publisher in their work. Therefore,  ORIENTS SOCIAL RESEARCH CONSULTANCY (OSRC)  &  PAKISTAN LANGUAGES AND HUMANITIES REVIEW (PLHR)  follow an  Open Access  Policy for copyright and licensing.

Similar Articles

• Dr. Fakhar Hussain Malik, Khizar Abbas, Dr. Adnan Tahir, Decoding Meaning through Language Choices: A Systemic Functional Analysis of Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s Poem “Captivity” , Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review: Vol. 8 No. 1 (2024): January to March

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Most read articles by the same author(s)

• Syed Kamran Ali Shah, Dr. Muqaddas Butt, Dr. Humaira Irfan, Exploring the Relationship between Student Achievement and Extrovert School Leadership , Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review: Vol. 6 No. 2 (2022): April to June

Current Issue

Information.

• For Readers
• For Authors
• For Librarians

Make a Submission

Print ISSN:     2708-6453

Online ISSN:  2708-6461

This work is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License .

International Online Journal of Primary Education

Kütüphaneme ekle.

CREATIVE WRITING IN CLASSROOM: A REAL STORY

Rabia Saleem Ghulam Haıder

The article discusses the real story of creative writing in Pakistan creative writing in Pakistan lacks a big work both inside a class room and outside a class room. In Pakistan writing instruction still depends on a typical product oriented approach. That is why the trends in the pedagogical setting support product-oriented approach to writing. Pakistan possesses a rich heritage of all sorts of genres that are supporting features for creative writing yet lack of research in this area has pushed it at the secondary place. Teaching of literature is a much focused area in colleges but it lacks creative writing. The role of examination board(s) is also not so much effective .There is no any systematic program of evaluating the written product. Rather non standardized scoring guides are used to evaluate the written pieces of the students. That is why error is considered a mistake in spite of a way to learning. This condition can be made better if writing teachers start considering that ‘creativity flourishes where there is a systematic strategy to promote it. In addition, they must suggest approaches to teaching such as the genre approach or the process approach for developing creative writing.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Creative writing , process model of writing , diversity in writing style , assessment of writing.

• Arnold, R. (1991). Writing Development. Philadelphia: Open University Press.
• Barnes, J. (2001). Creativity and Composition. In C. Philpott, & C. Plummeridge (Eds.), Issues in Music Teaching. London: Routledge.
• Brown, S., & Pickford, R. (2006). Assessing skills and Practice. London: Routledge.
• English Grammar and Composition for Matriculation. (2009). Lahore: Punjab Textbook Board.
• Evernett, N. (2005). Creative Writing and English. The Cambridge Quarterly, 34(3), 231-242.
• Grainger, T., Goouch, K., & Lambirth, A. (2005). Creativity and Writing: Developing voice and verve in the classroom. London: Routledge.
• Hanke, V. (2002). Improvisations around the National Literacy Strategy. Reading Literacy and Language, 36(2), 80-7.
• Hooker, J. (1997). Developing creativity: The place of the imagination in the academy. Writing in Education, 11, 4-7.
• HMIE Report. (2006). Emerging Good Practice in Promoting Creativity. Available: http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/hmieegpipc.html (March 3, 2009)
• HMIE Report. (2006). Promoting Creativity in Education: Overview of National Policy. Available: http://www.hmie.gov.uk/documents/publication/hmiepcie.html (April 25, 2009)
• Humaira, K. (2011). Testing Creative Writing in Pakistan: Tensions and Potential in Classroom Practice. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1 (15) 111-119. Retrievedfromhttp://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_1_No_15_Special_Issue_October_2 011/14.pdf
• Laevers, F. (2000). Forward to basics: deep level learning and the experimental approach. Early years, 20(2), 20-9.
• Marshall, S. (1974). Creative Writing. London: Macmillan Education Ltd.
• Model Test Papers of English for Class Tenth. (2009). Lahore: Kashmir Kitab Ghar.
• Moss, P. (2001). The Otherness of Reggio. In L. Abbott, & C. Nutbrown (Eds.) Experiencing Reggio Emilia, Implications for Pre-school Provision. Buckingham: Open University Press.
• Myhill, D. (2001). Crafting and Creating. English in Education, 35(3), 13-20.
• Nadeem, M. (2007). Pakistan Land of Rich Literary Heritage. Available: http://www.uelowermall.edu.pk.com (August14, 2009)
• National Education Policy. (1992). Islamabad: Ministry of Education Press.
• O’Rourke, R. (2005). Creative Writing: Education, Culture and Community. Plymouth: Latimer Trend. Past English Papers. (2008). Lahore: Urdu Bazar Publishers.
• Robinson, K. (2001). Out of our Minds: Learning to be creative. Oxford: Capstone: Publishing.
• Siddiqui, S. (2007). Rethinking Education in Pakistan: Perceptions, Practices, and Possibilities. Lahore: Paramount Publishing Press.
• Warsi, J. (2004). Conditions under which English is taught in Pakistan: An Applied Linguistic Perspective. Sarid Journal. Available: http:// www. sarid.net/sarid-journal (May 10, 2009)
• Wilson, S. and Ball, D.L. (1997). Helping teachers meet the standards: new challenges for teacher educators. The Elementary School Journal, 97(2), 121-138.

Kaynak Göster

• Makale Dosyaları
• Dergi Ana Sayfası
• Cilt: 7 Sayı: 2
• Cilt: 8 Sayı: 1
• Cilt: 8 Sayı: 2
• Cilt: 9 Sayı: 1
• Cilt: 9 Sayı: 2

  Creative Commons Licenses

All articles published in International Online Journal of Primary Education's content is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

(Counter start: February 28, 2021 )          

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Download Free PDF

The Effect of Teaching English through Literature on Creative Writing at HSSC Level in Pakistan

2017, International Journal of English Linguistics

Creative writing means the ESL/EFL learners’ capacity to respond vividly and spontaneously, and to convey responses freely in their writing. This study brings to light the fact that teaching English through literature does not render any positive pay off in developing and honing the EFL/ESL learners’ creative writing. In the Pakistani context, literature seems to be inadequate and improper language teaching tool at HSSC level. To achieve the set objectives of this study, the researcher went for the quantitative research methodology. So, a questionnaire comprising of 15 items encompassing the different aspects of creative writing was designed to collect data from 600 subjects (male/female) of intermediate level. The researcher also conducted an achievement test so that a correlation might be drawn between their attitude towards “developing creative writing through literature” and the score of their achievement test. The collected data were analyzed through software package (SPSS XX)....

Related topics

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

Volume Introduction: English Language Teaching in Pakistan: Theory, Research, and Pedagogy

• First Online: 05 February 2022

Cite this chapter

• Naziha Ali Raza 4 &
• Christine Coombe 5  

Part of the book series: English Language Teaching: Theory, Research and Pedagogy ((ELTTRP))

328 Accesses

Since the conceptualization of this book some 3 years ago, much research has been conducted and published on various topics within the Pakistani context. There has been a re-examination of the place and role of English and its prominence in the world, in general, and in Pakistan, in particular. This volume is a compilation of chapters related to all aspects of teaching, learning, assessment, and teacher training in Pakistan and in Pakistani institutions around the world. Chapters in the publication feature the latest research in English language teaching, learning and assessment, empirical developments, and major professional development initiatives from all over Pakistan. Considering that contributions are included from all levels of the educational spectrum including primary, secondary, higher education, and adult or vocational education, the work is aimed at English language teachers, assessors, researchers, and academics interested in gaining insight into the practice of ELT in Pakistan.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save.

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime
• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Research on English Language Teaching in Higher Education in the United Arab Emirates, 2010–2020: An Overview of Journal Articles

English Language Teaching in Moroccan Higher Education

English Language Teaching and English Language Education—History and Methods

Aneja, G. A. (2016). (Non) native speakers: Rethinking (non) nativeness and teacher identity in TESOL teacher education. TESOL Quarterly, 50 (3), 572–596.

Article   Google Scholar  

Corder, S. P. (1973). Introducing Applied Linguistics. UK: Penguin Education.

Google Scholar  

Kachru, B. (1985). Standards, Codification and Sociolinguistic Realism: The English Language in the Outer Circle. In R. Quirk & H. Widdowson (Eds.), English in the World: Teaching and Learning the Language and the Literatures (pp. 11–30). Cambridge University Press.

Knowles, R. N. (2006). The process enneagram: A tool from the leadership dance part 1. Perspectives, 20 (1), 1–8.

McGrath, I. (2002). Materials evaluation and design for language teaching . Edinburgh University Press.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

General Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Naziha Ali Raza

Dubai Men’s College, Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Christine Coombe

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christine Coombe .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

General Civil Aviation Authority, International Aviation Consulting and Training, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai Men's College, Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Raza, N.A., Coombe, C. (2022). Volume Introduction: English Language Teaching in Pakistan: Theory, Research, and Pedagogy. In: Ali Raza, N., Coombe, C. (eds) English Language Teaching in Pakistan. English Language Teaching: Theory, Research and Pedagogy. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7826-4_1

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-7826-4_1

Published : 05 February 2022

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-16-7825-7

Online ISBN : 978-981-16-7826-4

eBook Packages : Education Education (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Improving University Students’ Writing Skills in Pakistan

• ASER. (2015). Annual status of education report. Retrieved from http:// http://aserpakistan.org/report
• ASER (2014) Annual status of education report. Retrieved from http: http://aserpakistan.org/report
• Adam, J. (2009). Engaging Students in Writing Labs: An Empirical Study of Reading and Commenting on Student Papers. International Journal of Education, 1(1), 1-9.
• Bacha, N. N. (2002). Developing learners' academic writing skills in higher education: A study for educational reform. Language and Education, 16 (3), 161-177.
• Blau, S. & Hall, J. (2002). Guilt-Free Tutoring: Rethinking How We Tutor Non-Native-English-Speaking Students. The Writing Center Journal, 23(1), 23-44.
• Braine, G. (1988). A reader reacts… TESOL Quarterly, 22 (4), 700–709.
• Britton, J. et al. (1975). The Development of Writing Abilities. Houndmills: Schools Council Research Studies, Macmillan Education. 11–18
• Clark, I. L., Healy, D. (1996). Are writing centers ethical? WPA. 20 (1/ 2).
• Choudhry, M. A. (2006). Pakistan: where and who are the world’s illiterates. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Paper commissioned for the EFA Global Monitoring Report 2006, Literacy for Life.5.
• Crusius, T.W. (1989). Discourse: A Critique and Synthesis of Major Theories. New York: Modern Language Association of America.
• Dixon, C. N., & Nessel, D. D. (1983). Language experience approach to reading and writing: Language experience reading for second language learners. Hayward, CA: Alemany Press.
• Farooq, M. S., Uzair-Ul-Hassan, M. & Wahid, S. (2012). Opinion of Second Language Learners about Writing Difficulties in English Language. A Research Journal of South Asian Studies, 27 (1), 183-194.
• Grabe, W. and Kaplan, R. (1996). Theory and Practice of Writing. London: Addison Wesley Longman.
• Geiser, S., & Studley, R. (2001). UC and the SAT: Predictive validity and differential impact of the SAT and SAT II at the University of California. Retrieved from http://web.stanford. edu/~rag/ed351B/sat _study .pdf
• Gopang, I. B., Ansari, S., Kulsoom, U., & Laghari, A. (2017). An Empirical Investigation of Foreign Language Anxiety in Pakistani University. International Journal of English Linguistics, 7(2), 21.
• Haider, G. (2012). Teaching of Writing in Pakistan: A Review of Major Pedagogical Trends and Issues in Teaching of Writing. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 2(3), 215-25.
• Halliday, M.A.K. and Martin, J.R. (1993). Writing Science: Literacy and Discursive Power. London: Falmer.
• Harmer, J. (2001). The Practice of English Language Teaching (3rd ed.). Essex: Pearson Education.
• Henry, J. (2000). Writing workplace cultures: An archeology of professional writing. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.
• Horowitz, D.M. (1986). What Professors Actually Require: Academic Tasks for the ESL Classroom. TESOL Quarterly, 20 (3), 445–62.
• Imran, M., Asgher, T., & Ghani, M. (2016). A Study on Science Students’ Understanding of Three Lemmas: State Verb, Action Verb and Noun in the State Run Colleges in Pakistan. International Journal of English Linguistics, 6(5), 121.
• Javed, M., Xiao Juan, W. & Nazli, S. (2013). A Study of Students’ Assessment in Writing Skills of the English Language. International Journal of Instruction, 6 (2), 129-144.
• Johns, A.M. (1988). Another reader reacts . . . TESOL Quarterly, 22 (4), 705–7.
• Jordan, R.R. (1997). English for Academic Purposes: A Guide and Resource Book for Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Khan, H. I. (2011). Testing Creative Writing in Pakistan: Tensions and Potential in Classroom Practice. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1 (15), 111-119.
• Kinneavy, J.L. (1980). A Theory of Discourse. New York: Norton.
• Fritzsche, B., Young. R. , Hickson, B., Kara C. (2003). Individual differences in academic procrastination tendency and writing success. Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 1549-1557.
• Linville, C. (2009). Editing line by line. In S. Bruce & B. Rafoth (Eds.)., ESL writers: A guide for writing center tutors (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook Publishers. 116–131
• Maldonado García, M. I. (2015). Reforming the National Curriculum: Teaching the National and Provincial Languages of Pakistan. Journal of Elementary Education, 25 (2), 73-87.
• Maldonado García, M. I. (2016). Debate on Urdu as the Official Language of Pakistan: English versus Urdu. Almas 18, 700-712.
• Moffet, J. (1968). Teaching the Universe of Discourse. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
• North, S. M. (1984). The Idea of a Writing Center. College English, 46 (5), 433-446.
• Panhwar, A. H., Baloch, S., & Khan, S. (2017). Making Communicative Language Teaching Work in Pakistan. International Journal of English Linguistics, 7(3)., 226.
• Rafoth, B. (2010). Why Visit Your Campus Writing Center? Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, 1, 146-155.
• Rasheed, S., Zeeshan, M., & Zaidi, N. A. (2017). Challenges of Teaching English Language in a Multilingual Setting: An Investigation at Government Girls Secondary Schools of Quetta, Baluchistan, Pakistan. International Journal of English Linguistics, 7(4), 149.
• Sarfraz, S. (2011). Error Analysis of the Written English Essays of Pakistani Undergraduate Students: A Case Study. Asian Transactions on Basic & Applied Sciences, 1 (3), 38.
• Sparck, R. (1988a). Initiating ESL students into the academic discourse community; How far should we go? TESOL Quarterly, 22 (1), 29–51.
• Sparck, R. (1988b). The author responds to Johns . . . TESOL Quarterly, 22 (4), 707–8.
• Swales, J. (1990). Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Tangpermpoon, T. (2008). Integrated Approaches to Improve Students Writing Skills for English Major Students. ABAC Journal, 28 (2), 1-9.
• Thonus, T. (2004). What are the differences? Tutor interactions with first- and second- language writers. Journal of Second Language Writing, 13, 227-242.
• Ziegler, N. (2009). Launching a Writing Center: A Practical Possibility. Language Arts Journal of Michigan, 25 (1), 8.

Comparison of English Writing Skill between Public and Private Sector Schools Students at Secondary Level: In Pakistani Perspective

• Umm e Habiba Punjab School Education Department, Lahore, Pakistan
• Tahira Batool Assistant professor, Department of STEM Education, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan
• Sayeda Ayesha Punjab School Education Department, Lahore, Pakistan

Purpose: The objective of the study was to compare the English writing skills of English in the classroom at secondary level.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was carried on sample of hundred students of secondary level drawn from simple randomly selected from five private and five public secondary schools of Lahore. Self-structured test was used to compare English writing skill at secondary level. There were two sections of test, essay type and translation of ten sentences into English. The data collected was analyzed by using percentage and results obtained were converted to descriptive findings.

Findings: The result showed English writing skill of private school students is better than public schools students because majority of the private school students have correct sentence structure, Subject verb agreement in essay writing, correct Translations of Urdu sentences into English as compared to the public school students. In addition, most of the public schools student’s spelling, use of tenses and uses of auxiliaries are good and correct in essay writing rather than the private school students.

Implications/Originality/Value: So it is concluded that exercises for the English writing skill may be maximized in both public and private schools by using various teaching techniques.

Ahmed, A. (2010).Students’ problems with cohesion and coherence in EFL essay writing in DOI: https://doi.org/10.20533/licej.2040.2589.2010.0030

Egypt: Different perspectives. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), 9(1), 219-221

Ayodele, V., Akinkurolere, S., Ariyo, K., Mahmud, O., & Abuya, E. (2017). The Teaching of

Essays, Articles and Letter Writing: Cooperative Teaching Approach. Asian Research Journal of Arts & Social Sciences, 4(2), 1-7. doi: 10.9734/ARJA SS/ 2017/35161 DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/ARJASS/2017/35161

Arifa, R. (2009). College teachers’ perceptions of ELT: Relevance to teacher training, in

Mansoor, S, Sikandar, A, Hussain, N, & Ahsan N. M. (eds.) Emerging Issues in TEFL Challenges for Asia, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ali, S., Ahmad, N., Manzoor, N., & Naseer, S. (2014). Students’ Perceptions about Teaching

English as Compulsory Subject at Secondary Level in Punjab, Pakistan. Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), 3(1), 21-33.

Aqeel, R. M., & Sajid, M. A. (2014). A study of organizational problems faced by Pakistani

student writers. International Journal of Science and Research, 3(11), 258-261

Awan, G. A., & Shafi, M. (2016). Analysis of teaching methods of English language at

government secondary school level in D.G. khan city Pakistan. Global Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 2(2), 29-46.

Bashiruddin, A. (2009). Learning English and learning to teach English: The case of two

teachers in Pakistan, in Mansoor, S, Sikandar, A, Hussain, N, & Ahsan N. M. (eds.) Emerging Issues in TEFL Challenges for Asia, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Bowen, J. D., Madsen, H., & Hilforty, A. (1985). TESOL techniques & procedures learning.

Cambridge: Newbury House Publisher.

Himdambaram, K. (2005, December). A study on the process of English by higher secondary

students. Retrieved December, 2005, from http://www.languageinindia . com/dec2005 /chi mdambaramthesis1.html

Chandio, H. J., Khan, A. M. H., & Samiullah, M. (2013). Condition of Creative Writing in the

North and South Punjab. Pakistan Journal of Commerce and Social Sciences, 7(2), 321- 330.

Dar, M. F., & Khan, I. (2015). Writing Anxiety among Public and Private Sectors Pakistani

Undergraduate University Students. Pakistan Journal of Gender Studies, 10(5), 157-172

Emmitt, M., Zbarackiet, M., Komesaroff , L., & Pollock, J. (2003). Language and learning:

An introduction for teaching. (3rd ed). Oxford. University Press: New York

Farooq, M. (2012). Opinion of second language learners about writing difficulties in English

language. A research Journal of South Asian Studies, 27(1), 183-194

Fareed, M., Jawad, S., & Awan, S. (2018). Teaching English Language at SSC Level in

Private Non-Elite Schools in Pakistan: Practices and Problems. Journal of Education

and Educational Development, 5(1), 80-95.

Fatima, Q., & Akbar, A. R. (2017). Comparison of Teaching Practices in English Writing

Classrooms of Secondary School Certificate and General Certificate of Education

Ordinary Level. Journal of Educational Research, Dept. of Education, 20(2), 15-27.

Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007).A Meta-analysis of writing instruction for adolescent DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.99.3.445

students. Journal of education research, Vol. 99,445-476

Hassan, I. M., Rehman, M., & Masum, A. A. (2015). An Analysis and Evaluation of English

Writing Skills of Class Five Students at Government Primary Schools in Dhaka City.

International Journal of Science and Research, 5(4), 921-927. Retrieved from,

www.ijsr.net

Hussain, A. (2013). A process approach in improving grade VIII students' writing skills in a

government school of District Kech Turbat. (Unpublished master's dissertation). Aga

Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan

Khan, H. I. (2011). Testing creative writing in Pakistan: Tensions and potential in classroom

practice. International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(15), 111-119.

Komba, C. S., & John, D. (2015). Investigation of Pupils’ English Language Abilities in

Tanzania: The Case of English Medium Primary Schools. World Journal of English

Language, 5(1), 56-64. doi:10.5430/wjel.v5n1p56 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v5n1p56

Lloyd, J., Blaus, E., & Sousa, H. (2017). An investigation of Portuguese students’ attitudes

to assessment and Cambridge English exams. Research Notes, issue 65(7), 24-38.

Moore, N., Knight, G. & Kiburz. (2014). Developing an assessed reading portfolio to

improve reading habits and raise test result. Retrieved fro http://shura.shu.ac .

uk/9780/1/Moore-Knight-Kibburz-inEmery-Moo TLRReadingin ELTTESOL Ar14.pdf

Mohite, M. (2014). An Investigation into the English Language Writing Strategies Used by

Polish EFL Secondary School Learners. Unpublished master’s thesis. London

Metropolitan University

Msanjila, P. Y. (2005). Problems of Writing in Kiswahili: A Case Study of Kigurunyembe

and Morogoro Secondary Schools in Tanzania. Nordic Journal of African Studies,

Muhammad, N., Masum, R., Ali, Z., & Baksh, K. (2017). Teaching Practices of English

Language in Te Schools of Lasbela District, Pakistan. International Journal of

Experiential Learning & Case Studies, 2(2), 34-39. Retrieved from,

www.journals.iobmresearch.com/index.php/JELCS/article/download/1942/349

Mukulu, E., Indangasi, H., Mwangi, P., Gecaga, C. & Okanga, N. (2006.) KCSE revision

English. Nairobi.Kenya Literature Bureau.

Naeem, M. I. (2011). A comparative study of secondary school certificate (SSC) and

General Certificate of Education- Ordinary level (GCE- O level) English language

course. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). International Islamic University, Islamabad,

Nawab, A. (2012). Is it the way to teach language the way we teach language? English

language teaching in rural Pakistan. Research International, 2(2), 696-705. Retrieved

from, htp://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_ied_pdcc/9

Njabili, F. A., Kafanabo, J. E., Komba, C. S., & Kira, S. E. (2012). Comparison between

students’ academic performance and their abilities in written English language skills: A

Tanzanian perspective. International Journal of Development and Sustainability, 1(2),

-325. Retrieved from, www.isdsnet.com/ijds

Nyasimi, B. N. (2014). Challenges students face in learning essay writing skills in English

language in secondary schools in manga district, nyamira county, Kenya. Unpublished

masters thesis. School of Education Kenyatta University

Okwara, M. O. (2012). A study of factors related to achievement in written composition

among secondary school students in Busia district. Unpublished masters thesis.

Kenyatta University

Philomina, M. J. (2015). Diagnosis of reading and writing skills in primary school

Students. International Journal of English Language Teaching, 3(7), 1-7. Retrieved

from, www.eajournals.org.

Rahman, T. (2002). Language, ideology, and power: Language learning among the

Muslims of Pakistan and North India, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Rahman, T. (2007). Denizens of alien worlds a study of education, inequality, and

polarization in Pakistan, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Rao.Z. (2007).Training in brainstorming and developing writing skills. ETL Journal, 61(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccm002

Shah, K. S., Rani, R., Mehmood, R., & Irm, R. (2013). An investigation of critical thinking

levels of examination questions for B.A. compulsory English at university of Punjab.

International Journal of Linguistics, 5(2), 252-261.

Sahu, B. K. (2004). Principals of teaching English.Kalyani Publishers: New Delhi.

Siddiqui, S. (2007). Rethinking education in Pakistan: Perceptions, practices, and

possibilities, Karachi: Paramount Publishing Enterprise.

Singapore’s Ministry of Education. (2010). English language syllabus 2010: Primary &

secondary. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/education /syllabuses /english-

languagandliterature/files/english-primary-secondary-express-normal-academic.pdf

Villanueva, A. (2008). An international comparative study on English writing proficiency

in two secondary school settings. Essay. University of Gavle. Retrieved from,

http://www.div portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid =diva2%3 A211250&dswid=5793

Yigzaw, A. (2013). Students’ first language writing skills and their English language

proficiency as predictors of their English language writing performance. Academic

Journals, 4(6), 109-114. Retrieved from, http://www. Academic journals.org/JLC

• Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)

Copyright (c) 2020 Umm e Habiba, Tahira Batool, Sayeda Ayesha

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License .

CSRC Publishing and RELATE adhere to Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License. The authors, submitting and publishing in the journal Responsibel Education, Learning and Teaching in Emerging Economies published by CSRC Publishing, retain the copyright of their work and give the journal right to publish their work agreeing to the licensing policy under Creative Common Attribution-Non Commercial (NC-BY-NC 4.0) International. Under this license, the published authors let others remix, tweak, and build upon their work non-commercially. Yet all the other authors using the content of CSRC Publishing are required to cite author(s), journal name and publisher in their work.

Most read articles by the same author(s)

• Tahira Batool, Umm e Habiba, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD): Awareness of the Pakistani Prospective Teachers , Sustainable Business and Society in Emerging Economies: Vol 3 No 2 (2021): Sustainable Business and Society in Emerging Economies
• Tahira Batool, Umm e Habiba, Sayeda Ayesha, Study of Conflict Management Styles of University Teachers at Post-graduate Level: The Impact of Gender and Marital Status , Responsible Education, Learning and Teaching in Emerging Economies: Vol 3 No 1 (2021): Responsible Education, Learning and Teaching in Emerging Economies
• For Readers
• For Authors
• For Librarians

Responsible Education, Learning and Teaching in Emerging Economies (RELATE) CSRC Publishing | Center for Sustainability Research and Consultancy Pakistan

E-Paper | October 25, 2024

Essay: pakistan’s english writing: who is it for.

In the preface to his masterpiece of poetry, Madojazr-i-Islam [Flow and Ebb of Islam], the acclaimed Urdu poet Maulana Altaf Hussain Hali writes that everything — even poetry — gets divided into castes and classes when it reaches the Indian Subcontinent. Initially, this assertion did not seem very well-founded, or applicable for that matter, vis-à-vis Pakistan’s English literature, but the changing dynamics of Pakistan’s society and literary outlook are proving it to be correct. English-language fiction produced by Pakistani writers often finds itself a subject of debates on language, storytelling, target audiences, representation, class and identity.

While numerous Pakistani writers producing English-language writing have garnered international fame and recognition through their published works of prose and poetry, there is still a very large percentage of the Pakistani population that remains unaware of who these writers are and what they have written. The other, smaller, group in the population that is aware of English-language fiction and its authors also has mixed reactions to this literature being produced — some run to literature festivals to listen to their favourite authors speak, while others don’t pay attention to such events and talks even in the news or their social circles.

Author Kamila Shamsie said in an interview that “even the most engaged readers in Pakistan would be hard-pressed to name more than a dozen writers writing in English.” On the other hand, Maniza Naqvi, another Pakistani English-language fiction writer, holds that “the numbers are increasing exponentially and about 100 Pakistani writers have over 150 novels and many anthologies.” Both these observations are nothing but true and, when taken collectively, are indicative of a number of realities.

English-language fiction from writers of Pakistani origin has certainly seen a boom in the last two decades, with more and more novels, short stories and anthologies being produced, but it is not something new. Fiction has been emerging from Pakistanis writing in English for more than 50 years, with authors such as Zulfikar Ghose and Bapsi Sidhwa writing The Murder of Aziz Khan (1967) and The Crow Eaters (1978) respectively. However, it also remains a fact that, to this day, a large portion of the Pakistani population does not know many of these writers or their writings.

English-language writers of Pakistani origin may very well be receiving awards for their books, becoming fellows of literary programmes and teaching writing to students in English-speaking countries, but they remain unknown in the very country whose name they use in their writings as well as in their introductions across the globe. Some analysts also claim that the awards and recognition that Pakistani-origin English-language writers get are more because of their celebrity status and less for their writings.

Why are the country’s English-language fiction writers more celebrated abroad than at home?

What is a Pakistani-origin English-language fiction writer? Who are these writers? Who reads the fiction written by them? Can these writings be categorised as Pakistani fiction? Does this fiction matter to audiences in Pakistan? If yes, to what strata of the population? If no, then to whom does it matter? Who are the intended target audiences of this fiction? Does this fiction give a true picture of Pakistan? Does fiction have to give a true picture of any place? Is this fiction a form of art or a tool for information? Do these fiction writers come from a specific social class? And, most of all, why is English increasingly being chosen as a creative medium by Pakistani or Pakistani-origin writers?

Writers producing fiction in English and getting read in the West but not in their own countries are using narratives that are not purely for artistic engagement, but for portraying a society or a nation in a certain way. When these writers are asked why their writings are overtly dominated by the contemporary or historical, social and political issues of the country and why they are using English solely as the medium of expression, they take refuge in the historical aspect of the language being used effectively to counter narratives, bend stereotypes and act as a bridge. Whether this attempt has been able to simplify the complex realities or has, instead, further complicated simple things remains a question to be explored.

The question of getting to a wider audience appears very simple to Pakistani-origin writers of English-language fiction; they speak of it as a normal phenomenon to want their voice heard by as many people as possible. However, to the readers of fiction in particular and to the people of Pakistan (irrespective of them being avid readers or not) in general, it is not as easy or simple, an issue from which they can shrug responsibility by a wave of the hand. This has numerous intended and unintended causes and effects.

In his book Writing Pakistan: Conversations on Identity, Nationhood and Fiction, Mushtaq Bilal states that “there exists a huge gap between the expectations of Pakistani readers of English fiction and the works of Pakistani writers.” It does not need an in-depth study to tell what Pakistani readers expect and what they get. Pakistan is just another country in the world, with ordinary people living the same lives as others on this planet. They get a morning, they get up, they do their work; they get a night, they sleep and the cycle repeats.

Every country has its own geo-political, socio-cultural, religious and economic realities, but that doesn’t necessarily reflect as frequently and overtly when it comes to Pakistani English-language fiction. Pakistanis read Jane Austen and Harper Lee the same way as people from other countries do and they enjoy the nuances, quibbles, romance and dialogues the same way as other people do. They can relate to the thought processes of Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice and with the lovable relationship of siblings Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. It pains them when they cannot relate to characters in Pakistani English-language fiction.

Karachi, for example, has much more to its city life than robberies and bombs; people from urban places don’t necessarily get involved with the spouses of their best friends; every feudal family does not abuse its female servants and the separation of the Subcontinent, the fall of East Pakistan and the so-called war on terror are not the only things affecting the lives of Pakistanis. The people of Pakistan expect artistic engagements with literature as much as people of other countries do. They also expect their fiction to be relatable to them. They also want to experience fiction as a storytelling phenomenon instead of an information providing medium.

The unintended — and, to some extent, unwanted — consequences of the current wave of Pakistani English-language fiction outnumber the direct benefits of the same, if any in the first place. The only benefits of this fiction being produced have been to the authors in them being recognised and known internationally. Some of the books have been widely translated and some are now part of university curricula in the West and at limited institutes in Pakistan.

The writers claim to have brought Pakistan and its culture, society, politics and people to the international spotlight by writing extensively on them. This, however, is highly debatable if this spotlight has done more harm than good to Pakistan and its people, and if this extensive mention has improved the stereotypes about Pakistan by any degree.

When one looks at the number of writers that have now emerged and the number of years that have passed since the initial Pakistani-written English-language fiction came out, it is a pity that there is still no proper publisher of works of fiction in the English language in the country. None of the world renowned writers of ‘Pakistani fiction’ — after getting all the recognition from the world — worked towards establishing such an industry in Pakistan. Similarly, any and all literary journals to which these writers and scholars regularly contribute are also not available in Pakistan for the Pakistanis about whom the books are being published. More and more writers are looking to Indian publishers and some analysts fear that Pakistan might as well become a colony of India as far as the publishing industry is concerned.

The current production of English-language fiction is resonating with Hali’s words. It is coming from the urban elite of the country who have roots and orientation elsewhere in the global world; it is neither representative of the common people nor is it reaching the general public. There are more literary gatherings, more book festivals, more books and more writing workshops, but the level of speaking, reading and writing English among the general population has not increased, their chances of being part of the literary milieu have not improved and their dissociation and disparity from the elite has not decreased.

Thus, literature — that has, in many cases, served as a binding force for nations and a means of bringing people from different strata of society closer — seems to have been drawn on further division on economic, social and ideological lines in Pakistani society; ie the niche of Pakistani English-language fiction.

The writer works with the federal government, is a Fulbright Grantee and will shortly be pursuing a doctoral degree in creative writing

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, July 12th, 2020

NON-FICTION: TECHNOLOGY AND THE FRACTURED WORLD

FICTION: EXORCISING DEMONS

NON-FICTION: PLATTERS OF CULTURAL JOY

Revolutionising reproductive health: Viya launches Viya Telehealth

‘عمران خان ایک ایسے ڈس آرڈر کا شکار ہیں جو ان کے دوبارہ وزیراعظم بننے کے امکان کو ختم کررہا ہے’

ڈاکٹر ذاکر نائیک کی ٹی وی چینلز پرکام کرنے والی خواتین سے متعلق گفتگو پر تنقید و تبصرے

72 دنوں تک اپنے دوستوں کا گوشت کھا کر زندہ رہنے والے نوجوانوں کی کہانی

26th Amendment: Judicial Capture?

Russia’s BRICS Summit: What To Expect?

The Digital Is Political: Pakistan’s Human Rights Review

Breaking News: Special Parliamentary Committee picks Justice Yahya Afridi as next CJP

Dissecting Pakistan’s 26th Constitutional Amendment Explained

“The 26th Constitutional Amendment”

Top Stories: Israel Bombs Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria

Latest stories.

Climate set to warm by 3.1°C without greater action, UN report warns

Mongolia failed to cooperate in Putin arrest: ICC

NayaPay recognised in 2024 CB Insights’ list of world’s 100 most innovative fintech startups

What drove Hamas on Oct 7 and what drives them still?

India approves $119m fund for space startups

Lahore-based coworking startup Colabs raises $2m in pre Series A funding round

Fact check: There was no recent book fair in Lahore that sold only 35 books

Donald Trump accused of groping model he met through Jeffrey Epstein

Vaginismus affects many Pakistani women but no one’s talking about it

Most popular.

Cartoon: 24 October, 2024

‘Tech-savvy’ robbers block cell signals, loot Rs15m from house in DHA Lahore

26th Amendment ‘seriously’ undermines judicial independence: UN rights chief

Will India support Pakistan’s bid to join BRICS?

Curtain call

Xi, Modi meet on Brics summit’s sidelines as India, China ties recover from 2020 clash

Christian leader concerned at Dr Zakir Naik’s remarks

SBP poised for fourth straight policy rate cut

Choice of new CJP splits legal community

Editorial: It is hoped under Justice Afridi, SC can heal fractures that developed under CJP Isa’s watch

What exactly did the independent judiciary do with expanded power post-lawyers’ movement?

Why IMF’s latest programme has inconsistencies and disconnects

Inconsistencies and disconnects

Economy under the gavel

Milk the public

Divisive canals

From conflict to cooperation

IMF’s estimate

Religious exchanges.

Unliveable cities

Ending polio, small relief, implementation of reserved seats verdict not binding, cjp isa says in detailed note.