Encouraging Engagement in Academic Reading by Destroying the Source

Rachel Gippetti | Plymouth College of Art


As a learning developer and a poet, I find it impossible not to find synergy between creative writing practices and more conventional academic practices/literacies. Through the development and delivery of extracurricular and in-programme workshops that employ creative writing techniques, I have found that a creative and impactful way to initiate and encourage academic reading is to deface, dismantle and appropriate the original text using the practice of cut-up poetry. This workshop will present some of the experiences and discoveries that have emerged through this activity. These include the negation of initial hurdles that students can stumble upon with academic reading, such as, avoidance, negative association and discouragement. It also has demonstrated the power to make way for new, literal and intuitive understandings and the development of a familiarity with the voice, vocabulary and themes within the source material. It provides a fresh, often playful, way of relating to the text, one which involves far less intimidation and a more personal and joyful association. Delegates will be invited to take part in a cut-up poetry activity themselves during the hour; allowing them to experience the pleasure and surprise of this practice and invite discussion and reflection on possible further benefits/uses and how this could be employed and/or adapted within different institutions and contexts.

NB Participating delegates are asked to please come prepared with one photocopied or digitably editable page of text (and scissors if using a photocopied page) that they find ‘difficult’ to read/understand/engage with.