The New Senior Secondary

Curriculum for Sierra Leone

Subject Syllabus for Creative Writing
Subject stream: Languages and Literatures

This subject syllabus is based on the National Curriculum

Framework for Senior Secondary Education. It was prepared
by national curriculum specialists and subject experts.
Building Young Futures
MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

Curriculum elements for Creative Writing - an applied subject

Subject Description

Creative Writing (CW) exposes pupils to a variety of genres and provide them opportunities for acquiring knowledge and skills to produce creative pieces
of their own. The subject aims to introduce pupils to the fundamental techniques of writing fiction, poems and plays as well as explore the techniques
used by established / well-known authors in different genres.

Rationale for Including Creative Writing on Senior Secondary (SS) Curriculum

Teaching CW is crucial because it provides opportunities for:
• training pupils to use their imagination in constructive ways
• giving learners fresh perspectives about life, the world and their place in it
• improving self-expression and figurative representation of real and imagined experiences through using the five senses in a story, play and poem
writing
• learning the skills of conscious sentence crafting, self and peer-editing for a more concise and effective communication
• acquiring basic Microsoft Word processing skills for writing, spell-checking, editing and track changing documents.
• Acquiring basic information communications technology (ICT) skills of publishing stories, poems and short plays through blogging, etc.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Pupils offering CW will be required to produce an imaginative piece of writing – a poem, a short story or a creative non-fiction that demonstrates artistic
potential. The work/s will portray:
• a voice and style original and unique to the pupil
• a subject matter representative of the writer’s real or /an imagined experience
• an understanding of the creative process as a forum for critical thinking as well as for problem solving
• an awareness that all kinds of creative works are anchored in social, cultural and historical contexts
• an ability to shape a poem in verses /stanzas and to effectively work within the parameters of poetic forms
• an ability to invent and organise ideas in a convincing structure; develop credible characters; create pictures with words; produce writing in
whole texts that are controlled and perceptively shaped
• the ability to establish a distinctive voice and a clear sense of purpose; provide insightful description of a subject matter; match a text to purpose,
form and audience

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MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

Suggest Content (Topics)

• Types of texts - fiction and non-fiction

• Differences between fiction (Imaginative) and non-fiction texts (factual, real, scientific)
• The creative writers’ toolkit
• Figures of speech
• Using the five senses in writing to enable readers to taste, smell, feel, hear and touch - creating pictures with words
• Figures of speech – anecdote, alliteration, repetition, chiasmus, pun, simile, metaphor, irony, personification, symbolism,
• Sentence Types – simple, compound and complex sentences
• Sentence Length, topic sentences, using sentence variety for impact
• Thesis statements
• Paragraphs lengths, using paragraph variety for impact
• The different genres of fiction – story, poetry, play
• Elements of each genre
Reading and writing poems – theme, tone, voice, rhyme, rhythm, performance poetry
Reading and writing a short story – character, point of view (1st, 2nd and 3rd person’s point of view), setting & atmosphere; plot (linear – exposition,
rising action, climax, falling action, resolution /denouement); modular/episodic, flashback
Reading and writing a short play – Elements of the play genre; characters in a play, acts and scenes, stage directions, plot, setting, writing
dialogue, turn taking, props, costumes, voice overs, etc.
• Writing workshop
Producing short paragraphs
Writing a short story
Writing a poem
Writing a scene of a play
Writing a short play
Basic computer skills – Microsoft word; spell-checking documents; Microsoft publisher; writing blogs; hyper texting

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MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

Structure of the Syllabus Over the Three Year Senior Secondary Cycle
SSS 1 SSS 2 SSS 3

Term 1 Introduction to Creative Writing Planning and writing a Short Story. Think Recap every unit covered from SS1 – SS2
Understand the overall outline of the about key moments. Sketch out a
course sequence of events (these might change) Introduce the key focus of the term:

Types of texts - Fiction and non-fiction Step 1 Basic computer skills – Microsoft word,
Make a comprehensive list of genres of Brainstorm spell-checking and track changing a
texts to be covered by CW one solid concept document a document, Microsoft Publisher,
Flesh it out: make note of any characters, blogging, hyper texting etc.
Differences between fiction setting and dialogue
(Imaginative) and non-fiction (factual, Writing workshops
real, scientific) Having a difficult time to start?
Reading non-fiction texts; Try writing a stream of consciousness - set During the Writing Workshops, pupils could
Identify and comment on the structure a timer for a minute or two, write whatever work independently, or in groups, on a
and organisation of texts, including comes to mind. project – writing or polishing a short story
grammatical and presentational they had already written. Mixed ability
features; Identify key characters groupings could be more productive at this
the main characters; the minor ones stage, with more-able pupils playing
Reading samples of Fiction texts What do they want? How do they change? supportive roles to the less-able ones.
Answers to these questions will form your
Comment on writers’ use of language; plot, and makeup the outline. Teacher interventions, which should be
Identify and comment on writers’ limited, should focus on Assessment for
purposes and viewpoints. Step 2 Learning for all the students. Also, teacher
The theme of your story e.g., Central should challenge the more-able pupils to
Relate texts to their social, cultural, and Conflict extend their learning through extension
historical contexts and literary traditions • Conflict/theme forms the rising action. activities that could progress their learning
Conflict can be internal/ external further.
Experiment with matching texts to form, • When to introduce your character
purpose and audience in short in a conflict situation /encountering an Motivational Talk by a Resource Person
paragraphs obstacle that will lead to the conflict. With availability of funds, a Resource
person (like a local publisher) could be
Outline your story invited for a motivational talk to the pupils on
An outline for a short story could be a brief the importance of writing and publishing.
overview of the plot. It can be bullet points
or a mind map. The idea is to know where

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MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

your story will go, so if you have a writer’s The outcome of the writing workshops for
block later, you can come back to the plan Term One is a polished short story ready
to move you forward. for publishing on a writer’s blog, or by a
local publisher.
The outline could be:
• A Sketch or flow chart of events
including interactions between the
characters and key moments.
• Make note of characteristics and traits
of your characters
• Think of a back story (a flashback
moment that will shed light on the
present situation).

Step 3
Pick a point of view
First person, second person, third person
(omniscient narrator), multiple points of
view.

Whichever POU you choose to use; ensure

you focus on the lead character to ensure a
consistent read.

Step 4
Select the right story structure
• Linear narrative (chronological)
1. You could begin your story in
media- res which means opening
the story in the middle of the
action
2. Draft
The point to remember about drafts is that
you do not stop! You have a chance to edit
it later and make it better. Push through the
bits that are sticky, or even skip them
entirely.

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MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

3. Editing
After finishing the draft, you have a chance
to go through carefully and correct mistakes
you might have made.
• Developmental edits- structural
changes
• Do your character motivations make
sense?
• Does your opening and ending make
sense?
• Copy edits - more technical,
grammatical changes, check
punctuation marks, dialogue tags.

4. Get a second opinion

To get the most of your feedback, give your
second readers specific questions.
• What they liked
• What they didn’t like
• How you could improve the aspects
they did not like.

5. Title
Either the first thing to think about, or the
last thing to ponder about. Usually, the
perfect title comes last.

Tips about titles

• Imagery - eye-catching images from the
story; descriptions that stand out. Write
these down
• Theme – overarching themes
• Tone

Read through the whole draft from the title

and submit story for assessment

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Building Young Futures
MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

Term 2 Introduction to Creative Writing Planning and writing poems. Recap every unit covered from SS1 – SS2
The creative writers’ toolkit A poem can be about anything- love, death,
grandpa’s grumpy car, mum’s favourite Introduce the key focus of the term:
Appropriate vocabulary, concise diction dish, the groaning house gate, our sonorous
figures of speech science Teacher, the Terrible Taxi driver. Basic computer skills – Microsoft word,
spell-checking and track changing a
Using the five senses in writing to Part 1 -Select an idea document a document, Microsoft
enable your readers to taste, smell, feel, Brainstorm Publisher, blogging, hyper texting etc.
hear and touch Love/Beauty
Blue eyes, like the ocean waters, colour, Writing workshops
Creating pictures with words skin-smooth, hair.
During the Writing Workshops, pupils could
Sentence types; sentence length; Use the world around you for inspiration work independently, or in groups, on a
sentence variety project – writing or polishing poems they
Brainstorming ideas had already written. Mixed ability groupings
Topic sentences; Thesis statements • A clean page, think for 5-10 minutes could be more productive at this stage, with
Identifying and composing different and start to write. the more-able pupils playing supportive
sentence types in a text. Using sentence • Lookup poem prompts online or come roles to the less-able ones.
variety in texts to create impact.
up with your own. Teacher interventions, which should be
Paragraphs – opening and closing • Make a list of mind map images. limited, should focus on Assessment for
paragraphs; using paragraph variety to • Think about a situation that is full of Learning for all the students. Also, teacher
create impact in a text emotion for you and write down a list of should challenge the more-able pupils to
images or ideas that you associate extend their learning through extension
Punctuation marks – capital letters and with the feelings. activities that could progress their learning
their uses; full stop, comma, semicolon, further.
colon, exclamation mark, apostrophe, Starting a poem
question mark Finding a topic Motivational Talk by another Resource
• Someone you love, someone you hate, Person
Advanced punctuation marks – a building that is an eyesore, a With availability of funds, a Resource
ellipses; brackets; ampersands; magnificent tree, someone you care person (like a local publisher) could be
consciously crafting sentences and about invited for a motivational talk to the pupils on
paragraphs to achieve impact the importance of writing and publishing.
• Love -heartbreak; romance, agape.
Experiment with conscious sentence The outcome of the writing workshops for
Pick a theme or idea
and paragraph crafting in a short story, Term Two is a collection of polished poems
• Narrow down what images and
a poem. ready for publishing on a writer’s blog, or by
adjectives to bring up.
a local publisher.

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Building Young Futures
MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

Practise Self-editing using established Choose a poetic form

criteria - A Haiku
- A Limerick
Practise Peer-editing using an - A Cinquain
established criterion - A shape poem

There are different forms to choose from:

free verse, sonnet, rhyming couplets, a
ballad, etc.

Read examples of poetry

You may read poems written in the same
poetic form you are interested in, or poems
about themes that could inspire you further.

Writing a poem
Show, don’t tell!
• Use concrete imagery of people,
places, and things.
• Describe something using the
senses: smell, taste, touch, sight,
and sound.

Make the images come alive.

• Use Simile – e.g., “Life without
dreams is like a broken winged
bird, that cannot fly.”
• Use Metaphor – “A dreamless life
is a broken winged bird.”
• Personification
• Alliteration – Avoid clichés - e.g.,
“busy as a bee”

Polishing the Poem

• Read your poem aloud to yourself
and to others.

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• Pay attention to how each line

flows into the next
• Get feedback from others
• Revise your poem.

Try writing another poem using the same

procedure

Always remember to self-edit and get your

peers to edit your drafts, do the corrections
they recommend before submitting your
poem for the final assessment.

Term 3 Introduction to Creative Writing Planning and writing a short play Recap every unit covered from SS1 –
SS2
Different types planning a piece of Before you even start, first things first:
writing Introduce the key focus of the term:
Get Inspired!
Before you begin to write, it is important Research about plays; watch plays and take Basic computer skills – Microsoft Word,
to have a rough idea (a plan) or a guide note of what other playwrights do. Take spell-checking and track changing a
to focus your thinking. some notes. document a document, Microsoft Publisher,
blogging, hyper texting etc.
Some examples of planning methods Choose a theme
Spider-gram / Visual plans / Mind Think of the genre – tragedy, comedy, Writing Workshops & Exam Preparation
Mapping / Brainstorming tragicomedy, historical, etc.
During the Writing Workshops, pupils could
Begin with a small circle on the centre of Create a plot work independently, or in groups, on a
a page, draw arrows from the centre Plot constitutes the events that will take project – writing or polishing a play script
circle with other smaller circles at the place in your play and will drive the action in they had already written. Mixed ability
end of each, as shown in the sample the entire story groupings could be more productive at this
attached. Fill each of them with relevant Your plot does not have to be linear, but stage, with the more-able pupils playing
key words or phrases the reader or audience should be able to supportive roles to the less-able ones.
follow it.
Mind mapping – see image of a mind Teacher interventions, which should be
map on time management attached. Decide on characters – major and minor limited, should focus on Assessment for
The relationship between the characters Learning for all the students. Also, teacher
Other types of planning (love / conflict) should challenge the more-able pupils to
Bullet Points / Linear plans extend their learning through extension

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MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

Plan using a list Make your characters credible, believable. activities that could progress their learning
Plan using a flow chart You could also have minor characters who further.
Plan using a writing frame support or challenge the lead character/s
Motivational Talk by a Resource Person
Format & Style - matching texts to Personality of the characters - character With availability of funds, a Resource
purpose, form and audience profiles or traits person (like a local publisher) could be
invited for a motivational talk to the pupils on
Writing workshop Consider the relationship between all your the importance of writing and publishing.
characters, especially the ones that have
Choose one from the following titles conflict – conflict creates tension, and this The outcome of the writing workshops for
and develop a plan for a Newspaper will interest your audience. Term Three is a collection of a polished play
Article, a poem or short story. script ready for publishing on a writer’s blog,
Setting – the physical place and time. or by a local publisher.
• My Worst Nightmare Stage directions offer opportunities to
• Dream Lover create setting Exam / Assessment Preparations
• An Accident Waiting to Happen
• A Time Bomb Limit the number of settings, it improves CW is better assessed by continuous
• A Dickensian School Teacher produce ability - consider how a production assessment of pupils’ progress, through an
crew can quickly transform one setting into evaluation of portfolios built on short story
Write the opening paragraph of your another. Creating new settings can slow writing, on a collection of poems and a play
article / story or the first stanza of your down production and flow of the play script written over the three-year cycle. The
poem. /production. portfolio could be internally and externally
assessed by the teacher and external
Historical context – at what time in history is examining body - West African
your story set? Examinations Council.

Time – this information could be conveyed

through costume choices, narration or
through dialogue

Decide your structure – many plays follow

a structure of exposition, rising action and
resolution

Exposition – at the beginning of the play,

establish who, what, where, when, and why
of your plot. If there is a central conflict, you
could hint at it at this stage

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Rising action – middle of the play, more

problems may arise. The conflict may
deepen until it reaches a climax

Resolution – tension lessens after the

climax. During this stage, characters may
overcome their conflict or learn to live with
them. At this stage in the play, your readers
or audience should be able to make out the
moral lesson of the play

Pick a structure
A one-act play – runs all the way through
without an intermission
Two-act play – has two parts and a break
(Intermission) in between the acts. The
audience prefer such breaks, they could use
the toilet or simply stretch themselves and
chat

Three-act play - much longer with two

intermissions and require two rising actions

Note! Whereas Novels can have different

locations or settings, plays do not lend
themselves to this because the more
settings you have, the more difficult it
becomes to translate it on stage.

An Outline of your play

• Acts
• Scenes
• When characters appear
• Narrative arc
• General stage actions

When writing the script, stay within the

general outline. Very helpful!

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MBSSE’s Senior Secondary School Curriculum

Start writing following these components!

Dialogue – the words (lines) uttered by

each character

Action – what the character does; the stage

direction should be explicit on this
Technical elements – costume changes,
lighting props and change in setting

Know your audience!

As with writing a story, match your play to
age, gender, demographic, background,
education, etc.

Edit and rewrite your script.

Seek the opinion of second reader.

Do all corrections and

amendments/recommendations by your
editors/second readers

Submit your play for assessment

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