*This improvement initiative was under the supervision of peer coaches
The Arabic Language Department at the Lebanese International School had many questions regarding the difficulties and challenges that the learners faced while writing. The team studied the performance results of the learners and found weakness in the students’ abilities in creative writing. The team also evaluated their students’ participation in writing competitions outside the school and noticed their weak performance. They also listened to parents’ concerns and the difficulties their children are facing while writing Arabic essays. Hence, the need for the Arabic Language Department at the Lebanese International School was identified, developing learners’ abilities in creative writing. Creative writing is a form of writing that can be revised, amended and evaluated, and in which the learner uses his linguistic wealth and mental capabilities to express his thoughts, feelings, and needs, to embody his real and fictional experiences by following the necessary steps for creative writing in an accurate manner according to the writing techniques. After that, the team developed an improvement plan to develop the level of creative writing of the learners and proceeded with the implementation and monitoring plans. The plan included different monitoring stations. The first station was at the end of the academic year 2018-2019, when it was found that approximately 60% of the improvement objectives were fulfilled. The team decided to continue the work and focus on the remaining objectives for the academic year 2019-2020.
The head of the department is currently training teachers specially the new ones during the weekly departmental meetings. More follow up with the teachers will take place during coordination sessions and through classroom observations.