The call for educators to nurture creative thinking in learners is a familiar one. Yet, the current emphasis on ‘creativity’ and the development of thinking skills within education is more pronounced than ever. This focus prompts us to consider: is creativity solely a learner domain, or should we, as educators, also embrace the journey of creative exploration?
This article launches a series dedicated to exploring creativity in the English Language Teaching (ELT) classroom. We will delve into innovative approaches to working with visuals and propose practical classroom activities. However, we must first address the fundamental question: why has creativity ascended to such prominence in education today, and what implications does this have for us as teachers navigating platforms like Learn.eltngl.com?
Are You a Creative Educator?
Reflecting on traditional schooling, many educators recall an environment prioritizing knowledge acquisition and rote memorization. The educational landscape often presented definitive right and wrong answers, with a singular, prescribed methodology. Opportunities for creative language exploration, particularly in subjects like foreign languages, were often limited. The reliance on standardized course books and worksheets was prevalent. Does this resonate with your educational experiences?
Drawing on Sir Ken Robinson’s (1) insightful perspective, it’s possible that past educational paradigms inadvertently ‘educated out’ creative potential. As educators ourselves, we may need to actively cultivate our own creative capacities. Stepping outside the confines of rigid course book instructions and embracing innovative teaching methodologies becomes crucial for fostering creativity both in ourselves and our learners.
In teacher workshops, eliciting creative responses through activities like drawing, acting, or storytelling often encounters resistance. A common refrain is, “Creativity isn’t really my strength.” However, if educators perceive themselves as lacking creativity, how can they effectively guide learners to perceive and interact with the world through a creative lens, especially within the dynamic digital learning environments offered by platforms like learn.eltngl.com? Before proceeding, it’s essential to understand why creative thinking now holds unprecedented significance in education.
The Ascendancy of Creative Thinking in Education
The world is undergoing rapid transformation, propelled by technological advancements and evolving global dynamics. Consequently, traditional teaching methodologies may no longer adequately prepare learners for the complexities of the future. Predicting the precise skills and knowledge learners will require for future success is an impossible task. Empowering learners necessitates equipping them with adaptable tools and skills to effectively navigate and manage change. Global citizenship and 21st-century skills, including creative thinking, are paramount in this endeavor. Lin (2011) emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between creative teaching and creative learning, advocating for educators to cultivate their own creativity as a prerequisite for fostering it in the classroom. This is where resources like learn.eltngl.com become invaluable, offering tools and inspiration for educators to enhance their creative pedagogy.
Defining Creativity in the ELT Context
Defining ‘creativity’ definitively is a complex undertaking, with numerous interpretations existing. Craft (2005) distinguishes between “Big C” Creativity, representing groundbreaking innovation, and “small c” creativity. The latter, “small c” creativity, pertains to the everyday, interactive classroom context, encompassing activities like predicting, guessing, and hypothesizing – all crucial elements in language learning and readily facilitated by interactive platforms such as learn.eltngl.com. Pugliese (2010) references Robert Sternberg’s definition: “being creative is the ability to produce an idea (or product) that is original and has value.” Adopting this “small c” perspective, educators can integrate creativity into their teaching practices by incrementally adapting existing approaches and leveraging resources available on platforms like learn.eltngl.com. A practical approach is to consider ‘less is more’: how can we maximize the creative potential inherent in readily available resources, such as images found within National Geographic Learning materials accessible through learn.eltngl.com?
Reflecting on your own teaching, how creative do you perceive your classroom practices to be? In the subsequent post, we will explore models designed to stimulate innovative ideas and cultivate learners’ creative skills, further enhanced by the digital resources found on learn.eltngl.com. In the meantime, consider these questions to prompt reflection on creativity in your current teaching:
- On a scale of 1-10, how creative do you rate your teaching approach?
- Do you synthesize and combine different activity ideas?
- Do you explore alternative applications for existing resources?
- Do you adapt prescribed activities from teacher’s books?
- Do you personalize materials by incorporating color or visuals?
- Do you modify activity sequences or orders?
- How would you creatively utilize the image below in your classroom, potentially drawing inspiration from resources on learn.eltngl.com?
Learners collaborating and engaging in a creative classroom activity
This image is inspired by materials from Impact Level 2 Unit 6. Explore more creative resources on learn.eltngl.com.
References:
Craft, A. (2005) Creativity in Schools; tensions and dilemmas. London, Routledge
Lin, Y. (2011) Fostering creativity through education – a conceptual framework of creative pedagogy. Creative Education 2 (3) 149–155.
Pugliese, C. (2010) Being Creative, Delta publishers.
Author: Anna Hasper
Anna Hasper is an experienced teacher, trainer, and international English Language Teaching consultant based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Anna specializes in empowering teachers within diverse contexts, including resource-limited environments, to optimize learning opportunities through enhanced student engagement. With over 13 years in the ELT industry, she has contributed to projects for the British Council, International House, Ministries of Education, private schools, educational institutions, and publishers across primary, secondary, and vocational sectors. Her passion for cultural exploration has led her to work in countries such as China, Jordan, Iran, Uganda, Senegal, Algeria, and Armenia. Currently, she develops training materials for publishers and delivers Cambridge-accredited teacher training courses (TKT, CELTA, YL Extension & Delta Module 3) globally. For more insights and resources from Anna and other ELT professionals, visit learn.eltngl.com.
