a) Why is creativity is an important
component in the language classroom?
b) How can creativity be developed
and exploited in the language class?
Think about your own answers before scrolling down for the suggested answers. The links below may help.
References and Further Reading
If you've run out of ideas, see here, here, and here for more .
Note: The article is relevant to any EFL teacher. However, if you're reading the article in preparation for the DELTA Module One exam, at the end you'll find an analysis of how the points relate to the requirements for Task 2/3
Suggested Answer
Section a (Why important?)
1. Developing
cognitive skills : Creativity is the highest level in Bloom’staxonomy of thinking skills. This is important if we are teaching young
learners in particular, when it is arguable that we cannot be “just” language
teachers but must also be educators, and the development of cognitive skills
which they will need in later life is part of this role.
2. Affective
variables (1) Motivation : In all classrooms creative activities can
be extremely engaging and motivating – they’re fun. Learners are not just “using the language for
its own sake” but are having to think of solutions to problems, come up with
original ideas etc. This means they tend to become more involved in the task
and enjoy it more. This is an important factor in encouraging willingness
to study.
3. Increase in the
effectiveness of learning : Ls are also
working at a deeper cognitive level during open-ended creative activities
than is true of many standard EFL activities. This is important as the cognitive
element means that the language they are using is likely to processed more
effectively and retention improved.
4. Development of
collaborative skills : If the activities are done in PW/GW they can lead to
genuine co-operation and collaboration as learners have to listen to, evaluate
and build on each other’s ideas. Again, learning to do this is particularly important
for YLs who need to develop social as well as cognitive skills..
5. Affective
variables (2) Self-esteem : Creative activities allow scope for other intelligences/preferences than simply verbal-linguistic intelligence (Gardner) to be incorporated into
the lesson. This is important to maintain the motivation of
linguistically weaker learners. For
example, YLs could be asked, in groups, to design and draw their ideal bedroom. Ls
with high visual-spatial intelligence can be responsible for the drawing. This
involves them and improves self-esteem, because even if they are weaker
linguistically, they have made a valuable contribution to the activity.
6. Rehearsal for real
life situations : Some learners, eg Business English learners, may have
already developed the skills needed for collaborative, creative problem solving
and use them regularly in their everyday life – such as in meetings with
clients or colleagues. They may not, however, be used to doing the same in English. Simulation of
such situations in the classroom are therefore an important preparation
for using English as an International Language in their work.
Section B (How developed/exploited?)
i) How…developed?
7. The collaborative and cognitive skills involved
in creative activities can be developed by using them regularly at the
freer practice or fluency stages of the lesson. Eg At upper intermediate level
I often use ambiguous pictures, where Ls have to hypothesise about the
situation, the feelings of the people shown etc. (See here, point 5, for an example.) The follow up stage will focus not only on the
language used but also on specific collaborative/cognitive skills which I want
ls to develop. For example, collaborative
- the importance of effective turn taking for collaboration when performing the task.
Ls discuss the picture and the follow up focuses on whether everyone was
brought into the discussion (or allowed to self- select) and the linguistic
exponents used to do this.
8. The atmosphere
in the classroom needs to be positive and supportive so that creative
thinking is encouraged and therefore developed. Ls need to know that
their ideas, though they may be evaluated and ultimately discarded for
something better, will not be ridiculed and that in fact the “better” idea may
well have been inspired by what they originally said. This means that the T must monitor the group
dynamics carefully and either intervene to stop negative feedback from other Ls
or focus on it in the follow up stage – eg showing how ideas may have been
discarded too quickly (especially if due to personal relationships between
participants) but could have been valuable if explored more fully.
Costantinides suggests a “Yes and”
activity which could be adapted for this. The teacher lists a few ideas that
groups rejected or ridiculed, and asks each member of the group to reconsider
it and build on it starting “Yes and…” and adding eg an advantage or positive
result of the idea, a related suggestion etc.
9. Activities need to be scaffolded to ensure
that they are successful. All necessary language for an activity needs to be
pre-taught, while the cognitive
skills involved in creative thinking
(imagining, hypothesising, evaluating, elaborating etc) should be introduced and developed gradually
with easier activities preceding more difficult ones during the course.
ii) How… exploited?
10. Creative
activities can be exploited at various levels and with various age groups as
free practice for specific language
items. For example, from
elementary level (usually high A2)
onwards with teenage/adult learners, I use Edward de Bono’s Lateral Thinking (ie Creative Thinking) puzzles to practise Yes/No questions. The
learners are given a situation (eg There’s
a man in a field. He’s dead. There’s a bag beside him) and must ask
closed questions to the T. (receiving
only Yes/No answers) like Was there an
animal in the bag? Did somebody shoot him? until they solve the problem of
how he died. (Answer: The bag contained a parachute which failed to open when
he jumped out of a plane.)
11. Creative activities
like that in point 7 above can also be exploited to develop fluency using a task repetition format. The Ls
speak to a partner about the picture and there is then a follow up where the T
focuses on any useful language (eg looks
as if; might have done etc) and any emergent language that has come up.
Learners then change partners and repeat the discussion, repeating their own
ideas and hearing new ones. The follow up and the repetition of the task helps
them express their ideas more fluently. If the learners are still engaged
enough with the activity, a second follow up /change of partners /task
repetition can complete the process. Alternatively a different picture can be
used.
12. Creative
activities can be exploited to
practise all four skills
by eg using a project based approach. For example, learners can be asked to create
a modern day fairy tale. This could involve them in reading and
analysing some traditional fairy tales,; listening to an example told by
the teacher of a modern day fairy tale and discussing the similarities
and differences to the traditional tale; planning their own tale and writing
it – either as a story or in dialogue form to be acted out.
Are you doing Delta Module One?
If this came up as a question on Paper Two Task One, how would it score? Well, I'm not an examiner, but based on the information Cambridge have included in their various documents, here are my suggestions.
This answer is an example of an answer that would gain 30
marks and therefore contribute to a merit average
(ie if all your other tasks scored equally highly, your exam result would be
merit).
It makes 12 points – 12x2 = 24/30 for the basic (breadth) marks. This
alone would contribute to a pass average.
However, many of the points are elaborated and so at least another 6 marks
should be scored for depth. This puts the total mark up to about 30/40 – at least a merit average mark.
Note what the depth marks would be gained for :
·
Reference to theories/sources (points 1, 5, 8)
·
Reference to learner types (points 1, 4, 6)
·
Example activities (points 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12)
·
Full explanation – most of the points are
explained fairly fully
For a full description of what depth marks are awarded for,
see the Cambridge Handbook
p.16.
