Creative Writing: Exploring the RAFT Task

Designing assessments and tasks in a thoughtful way can not only assess students' knowledge and understanding but also foster creativity, critical thinking, and engagement. Creative and fun assessments make learning enjoyable and provide students with opportunities to express themselves and demonstrate their understanding in unique ways. One such task that I often go to to achieve this is the RAFT task.

RAFT is an acronym that stands for Role, Audience, Format, and Topic, and is a creative writing strategy that prompts students to approach writing tasks from various perspectives. When implementing the RAFT task, students take on a specific role or persona, identify their audience, select a format or genre, and choose a relevant topic within the context of their role and audience. This approach not only allows students to demonstrate their understanding of the content but also encourages them to think critically and creatively.

For instance, in my classroom, I often use the RAFT task when teaching about complex topics like climate change. Here is an example. You can add whichever roles, audiences, formats, and topics you want based on the topic you are teaching.

Role	Audience	Format	Topic
Environmentalist Climate Scientist Politician Business Leader Lawyer Youth Activist	Children High School Students Business Owners Residents of a Community Global Leaders Government Official	Letter Essay Documentary Infographic Children’s Story Book Short Story Presentation Proposal	Urging International Climate Action The Importance of Local Recycling Programs Explaining the Science of Climate Change Transitioning to Renewable Energy Sources

A few months ago, I did this with my Grade 8 students and saw nice work come out of them. One student, assuming the role of a climate change activist, wrote a persuasive letter to a local company urging them to reduce their carbon footprint. Another student crafted a children's book advocating for the importance of recycling.

The RAFT task fosters creativity, critical thinking, and empathy among students as they delve into different perspectives and writing styles while addressing specific prompts or assignments. By providing a structured framework for writing tasks, the RAFT approach gives students ownership of their learning and gets them to explore diverse viewpoints. This not only enhances their motivation but also encourages them to engage more deeply with the subject matter.

What makes the RAFT task particularly effective is its flexibility and ability to accommodate a wide range of student interests and learning styles. Students have the freedom to choose roles, audiences, formats, and topics that resonate with them, allowing for personalized and meaningful learning experiences. An artistically inclined student may choose to create a poster, while one who prefers words may write an essay. This sense of agency increases student engagement and fosters a sense of ownership over the work.

The RAFT task is a valuable tool for educators seeking to enhance student engagement and foster creativity in the classroom. By encouraging students to explore different perspectives, think critically, and express themselves creatively, the RAFT task enriches learning experiences. Try it out!