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Developing creativity in the language classroom

 


This article looks at  encouraging creativity in the EFL classroom and asks

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. 

 

An ELT Glossary : Types of Coverage

Coverage refers to the extent to which a test adequately samples or represents the content, skills, or abilities it is intended to measure. The quality of the coverage of a test will also affect the validity of the test and the reliability of the results.

Types of coverage include:

  • Test content coverage: How well the test items reflect the range of linguistic knowledge (e.g. vocabulary, grammar, discourse features) and skills (e.g., reading, writing, listening, speaking) that the test claims to assess. A test with poor content coverage would automatically lack content validity. Examples:

    1. A test that intended to assess overall grammatical competence but which mainly contains items testing verb forms, while ignoring other grammatical features such as articles, prepositions, and word order, has poor overall content coverage of grammar. A more balanced grammar test would sample a wide range of grammatical forms and structures.

    2. Suppose a speaking test claims to assess discourse competence (the ability to organize speech beyond the sentence). If all the tasks only require short turn-taking (e.g. giving single responses in an interview format), then the test is missing coverage of other discourse features such as turn taking, coherence and cohesion across multiple turns, managing topic shifts or repairs, etc. This weak coverage directly undermines construct validity as well as content validity

  • Curriculum coverage: How well the test represents the objectives, topics, items and subskills specified by the syllabus or taught in any preceding course. Examples: 

    1. A proficiency test  is intended to certify proficiency at a specific level - eg Cambridge First evaluates the candidates' performance at CEFR B2 level. It should therefore include balanced assessment of all the items  on the syllabus for that level. (See the EAQUALS/British Council Core Inventory for General English.)  If a B2 proficiency test was heavily oriented to assessment of functions/subskills/language items/topics etc specified for lower levels, it would have poor curriculum coverage and therefore the results would be less reliable.
    2. A progress test or achievement test should provide balanced assessment of all the items taught during the course (or in the case of a progress test all those included in the course up to that point). For example,  imagine a course which provided progress tests every five units. The second test should therefore provide balanced assessment of what was taught in units 6-10. If on the other hand it emphasised items from only units 9 and 10, it would lack curriculum coverage and content validity. If some learners had missed lessons during these units the results would also be unreliable, as they would do badly in comparison with learners who had been present. If, on the other hand, the test items were drawn from all five units equally, it would be more accurately apparent what they had fully assimilated during the course and what not. Again, coverage has a direct influence on result reliability.

  • Domain coverage: How comprehensively the test represents the real-life language use situations or communicative tasks that learners are expected to perform. If not, the test would lack construct validity and also predictive validity. Examples:

    1. Suppose a test claims to measure academic writing ability. If the test only asks students to fill in sentence-level gaps, then its domain coverage is very limited. It leaves out important aspects of academic writing such as organizing ideas, developing arguments, using academic style and technical vocabulary or maintaining coherence and cohesion across paragraphs.

    2. If a general purpose test is administered to a Business English student as a diagnostic test, it will not include the competencies that the learner needs - eg describing a product, dealing with complaints, giving presentations, participating in meetings etc. It therefore has weak domain coverage. On the other hand, a test based on an analysis of the learner's needs would cover all of these areas (and others) which are relevant to the specific learner and the test would therefore have strong domain coverage.


Text Based Teaching



This post takes a critical look at Text Based Teaching - perhaps the most common format for current coursebooks. It's from our Delta Module One Course, so in the presentation there are frequent references to information found in previous units of the course - but don't worry, they're all then discussed in detail in terms of their relationship to TBT.

You can access the information in two ways - either by looking at the article You don't need to understand everything - or do you? or by watching the presentation below.




Preliminary task

Think about the textbooks you use on your courses at the moment. What do you/don't you like about them? How many texts (reading and listening) does the average unit contain?  What lesson format is used to deal with them? How is language focus built in? How do your learners react to them? What percentage of the text do they fully understand by the end of the lesson? Are you/they happy with this?

Click on the link below (not the photo) to watch the presentation (approx. 34 mins) which considers these questions:

Text Based Teaching



Further Reading 


The First Lesson of the Course

Introduction


At the beginning of the academic year, you are often faced with new classes.. This is not always true - for example in the later years of a secondary school, the learners may have been together, with you as their teacher the previous year. But if it's their first lesson in a new school - for instance if they've just moved up from a primary to a secondary school, or if you teach in a private language school, the situation may be quite different. It may be a completely new intake of students who don't know each other, you or the school. First lessons in these  situations will be partially different - for instance, in the first case "Getting to Know You" (GTKY) activities will be irrelevant, as the learners already know each other well. In determining the aims of your first lesson, the situation is crucial.

The article that follows was originally used on our Delta Module One course and the questions  and suggested answer layout reflect the typical format of  the task for Paper 2/3 on this topic. If you're not working towards this exam, you can skip the next section and go straight to the section containing the task - things to think about. And as you read the suggested answer, ignore the highlighted numbers and "+depth" comment. These are there to show Delta  candidates how the answer relates to the marks they might get in the exam. However, all the points are those which any teacher needs to think about when designing the first lesson of a course.

If you are doing Delta Module One... 

The questions in this section are designed..


a) to ensure that you have done adequate reading and research on the topic to “pull out” the most important points, which can then be adapted to answer any question on that topic

b)  to provide you with points that might be relevant to a completely different topic. For example, several of the points made would be adaptable for a task focusing on effective classroom management.

The reading references provided immediately after the task give you the necessary points which answer the questions and  should be drawn on in your own answers. These tasks are not intended to be done to time, but to be done thoroughly enough that you will remember an adequate number of points that you could make in the exam.


Notice how below I have underlined the key words in the questions. You should have used these as headings in your answer (or a synonymous expression, as I have with Solutions for how do you deal with these – which is quicker to write). Always do this in the exam, as it ensures you are really answering the question and not wandering off track

 

The task

Could you make 10/15 fully explained points detailing...

1.       the aims you would build into first lessons

2.       problems that might arise during first lessons

and could you illustrate the aims you identify with  references to specific learning contexts where they would be more or less important? Could you describe example activities which would achieve them? Could you illustrate the problems, again with reference to specific learning contexts and/or with reference to your own teaching experience? All this information would contribute to the ten depth marks available for the task (see the Handbook p.15 for the explanation of the depth criteria).

Try and then see  here, here, here and here for more ideas. Add any new points before you look at the suggested answer below.


Suggested answer

a)  Aims for first lessons

In the first two hours of the course (the usual length of my first lessons),and presuming adult/teenage learners unless otherwise specified, I would want to :

1. Establish positive rapport between the learners (presuming a group which did not know each other), and between the teacher and learners (presuming the group was new to the teacher) ensuring that learners perceived a focus on them as individuals. 2 This would be done using “getting to know you” (GTKY) activities which would depend on level. Even in a complete beginners class, teaching I’m (name) , I’m from (place). I’m a (job) – And you? would contribute to this, while subsequent levels could use a range of activities from “Find someone who” mingles  (using structures relevant to the level) to open ended discussions like “Talk to your partner and see if you can find three things you have in common”.  +depth

2a. If it was an “in-school” course in a language school, ensure that learners knew the layout of the school (eg where the toilets/coffee bar was – this can be done by a tour during the break) and who they should ask for in reception if they have any problems. 2 Again, even in a complete beginners class this can be done in English if “This is…” is taught first. The meaning of the lexis /coffee machine, bathroom etc) can be made clear by pointing to the thing described, and revised when you get back into the classroom. +depth

Or

2b. If it is an on-line course, start familiarising learners with the features of the platform you are using – eg the “hands up “ function or the breakout rooms. 2 This would be done gradually – each stage of the lesson would be planned so as to introduce one new feature at a time and not  confuse the learners. +depth

3. Ensure the learners knew the aims of the course and the main areas covered by the syllabus 2  Eg : If we were using a coursebook, I would explain how much of it would be covered, if we were going to negotiate the syllabus and if so how, etc; if it was an exam course, I would find out how much they know about the exam and “fill in the gaps”.   In monolingual low level classes this might well be done towards the end of the lesson and in their L1 – if the T can speak  it. If not, a short written summary might be pre-prepared and handed to the learners. +depth

4. Start establishing the “classroom culture” that I expect – which might  cover everything from  expecting phones to be turned off, to the fact that learners will change seats and partners frequently during the lesson, to my expectation that learners will listen to each others’ contributions etc. Establishing the "ground rules from the beginning is essential, as it is far harder to change established behaviour later. 2  For example, if Ls get used to always sitting in the same place, a sense of “territory” develops; if they get used to shouting out answers in full-class  mode, after a while the T. may find that only the stronger, more confident Ls are really participating.  +depth

5. Conduct a needs/wants analysis to discover the learners’ communicative needs, learning wants and preferences, and their expectations for the course. 2 This is something that could be done on-line before the lesson, but I prefer to do it in the lesson itself if possible, getting the Ls to complete it individually while I am on-hand to clarify any questions they may not understand. PW/GW comparison of answers afterwards is also a good GTKY activity, as well as showing me where expectations of learners may differ from those of the majority or of my own.  +depth

6.  Conduct a diagnostic test to find out which of the areas from the previous level they need remedial work on before moving on. 2  If time was very short this could, of course, be done on- line before the lesson. However, again, this is not ideal due to reliability problems. Have the Ls         consulted dictionaries or other reference sources while doing the test? Have they actually got someone else to do it for them? For this reason I would prefer to do it in class. +depth

7.  Teach them something new – which is of course what they have enrolled in the course for and  will be expecting. 2 If the lesson is long enough, a specific systems aim may be planned in which, at the same time, achieves a “getting to know you aim” – eg in an A2 class by focusing on expressions of likes and dislikes. If the lesson is shorter, however, this can be built into the follow-up to any of the GTKY activities, where emergent language can be focused on, and learners' output can be "upgraded" by using Demand High techniques or those suggested by Thornbury in his article "P is for Push".  +depth

b)  Problems which might arise during the lesson

8.  It might become apparent that one or more learners had been misplaced by the level test and        were too weak or strong for the group. 2 I would speak to the learner privately during the break or after the lesson and suggest a change of course. +depth

9.  Learners who were not used to a communicative methodology might be “surprised” by the use           of techniques, activities etc such as changing partners (and therefore seats), guided discovery activities rather than T-led “lectures” etc, and might initially be resistant to them. 2 For this reason, I would ensure that all activities planned for the lesson were well scaffolded and “doable” to give the Ls experience of “success” when taking part. However, I would also leave time at the end of the lesson to ask Ls what they did/didn’t like about the lesson we had done. This would give me the chance to explain the rationale behind the activities, and know what needed to be used “with caution” in future. +depth

10.  It might become apparent that some learners had “difficult” personalities (eg were very dominant or very shy) or simply did not get on well with other specific individuals in the group. 2          The solution would obviously depend on the nature of the difficulty but eg – if I noticed a L was dominating the group, I might use nomination rather than “open” elicitation in full class stages, and in PW/GW, change partners often but try to ensure s/he was with the Ls who seemed to be the strongest/most confident.   +depth

11.  In an on-line course, some learners might have technological problems. 2  If these were “their end” there is not much the T. can do except ask them to get someone more technologically knowledgeable to set everything up before the next lesson; if they are just having difficulty understanding how to use the platform (aim 5) the teacher can arrange an individual meeting with them after the lesson to go through the details again, more slowly.  +depth

12.  In a class of very young learners, the children may be overwhelmed by the situation – a strange place, new faces, a strange adult teacher using a different language – become upset and start crying. 2    This can be resolved by letting parents/carers sit in on the first class(es) until the child has “settled”, but also by ensuring that the lesson(s) are fun oriented and involving – using games, stories, puppets and soft toys, etc. The child needs to see the English lesson as an opportunity to play.   +depth


Language Matters: Genre Analysis - Cover Letters for Job Applications

Look at the three cover letters for job applications which you will find here. Cover letters are a genre within the general category of transactional written text. 

a) What is the communicative purpose of the genre?  

b) How many typical genre features can you identify? Think about:

  • Content and organisation
  • Layout
  • Linguistic features including style. Which of these linguistic features are typical specifically of this genre, which ones are typical of written discourse in general, and which are typical of transactional letters in general?

Then scroll down for the suggested answer.



The Suggested Answer

Ø   The communicative purpose: To persuade

Ø   The text type:  Persuasive

Ø   The layout

1.  The writer's address is top right, and the receiver's name and address top left, starting on the same line as the final line of the writer's address. NB: These would not be included if the correspondence were by email.

2.   The letter starts with an opening salutation - Dear  + receiver's title + surname - and ends with the closing salutation Yours sincerely. If the receiver's name is unknown, the opening salutation is Dear Sir or Madam, and the closing salutation Your's faithfully. Both the opening and closing salutations are followed by a comma. After the closing salutation, there is  a space for a handwritten signature, after which the writer's name is typed and a note of any enclosures is added.

3. Despite the comma after the opening salutation, the first sentence (on the following line) starts with a capital letter.

4. The text is divided into paragraphs.


Ø The content and organisational structure of the content:

1.  Each paragraph of the text covers a specific topic

2. Clear organisational progression from introduction – middle – conclusion : 

a) Introduction: Where the writer saw the advertisement; plus an optional statement of suitability and/or reference to an  enclosed CV

b)  Middle : the applicant's current/past experience and its relevance to the post; reason for wanting the new post

c)   Conclusion : invitation to contact; thanks

 

Various "moves" are evident within these three sections. The following analysis of the moves contained in the letters draws on Bhatia’s (1993) analysis of sales  letters. In a job application letter the writer is effectively trying to “sell” him/herself, and not surprisingly there is a certain amount of overlap in the move structure.

  • Establishing credentials (ie why the writer has the right to apply) – eg  letter 1 paras 1+2.
  • Introducing candidature – eg letter 1 para 3 sentence 1
  • Offering the candidature – eg letter 1 para 3, sentences 2 + 3
  • Essential detailing of the candidature – eg letter 1, para 4
  • Indicating the value of the candidature – eg letter 1, para 5
  • Enclosing documents - eg letter 1 para. 2
  • Soliciting response - eg letter 1 para. 6
  • Ending politely -  eg letter 1 para. 6
(see : Bhatia, V.K. 1993: Analysing Genre: Language Use in Professional Settings. Longman)

Ø   The typical linguistic features of the genre include

1. Constant use of first person singular/second person personal pronouns and possessive adjectives : I have researched your excellent record... ; I am attracted to Lewis and Holton by your recent rapid growth...; Please contact me if you should require...

2. Predominance of present tense verbs (simple, continuous and perfect): ... the new challenges which I am seeking...; The position relates clearly to my practical knowledge and experience; I have seen your advertisement...

3. Use of adjectives with positive connotations : excellent, superior, enthusiastic, meaningful, significant


Ø Typical features of written discourse include :

1) Syntax: variation in sentence length and construction. Eg letter 1, para 3: sentence 1 = complex; sentence 2 = simple; sentence 3 = compound-complex.

2) Lexis: occurrence of heavily pre-modified noun phrases - MiniCo’s Human Resources career strategies; a very strong and competent in-house advertising team; significant customer service experience

 

Ø Typical linguistic features of transactional letters include :

1) Style 

    a) use of semi formal lexis such as wish rather than want, and Latinate vocabulary – require, consideration, relate, concluded, fundamental etc 

    b) use of full forms rather than contractions : I have seen... I am  enclosing

2) Use of fixed lexical chunks, such as I look forward to hearing from you; with reference to...; Please do not hesitate to ...

 





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