Project done by Nataliya Svystil’nyk, school №21

CREATIVITY IN MODERN FOREIGNLANGUAGES TEACHING AND LEARNING

Creativity is inventing, Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making risks, breaking rules, making

mistakes and having fun.mistakes and having fun.

Mary Lou Cook, American Mary Lou Cook, American community activist, authorcommunity activist, author

““The most powerful way The most powerful way to develop creativity in to develop creativity in

your pupils is to be a role your pupils is to be a role model. Children develop model. Children develop creativity not when you creativity not when you tell them to, but when tell them to, but when

you show them.” you show them.”

Robert J. Sternberg Robert J. Sternberg

Creativity is very much Creativity is very much like a muscle that needs like a muscle that needs to be exercisedto be exercised in order in order to consistently be there to consistently be there for you when you need it. for you when you need it. Practice makes perfect Practice makes perfect and, like Maya Angelou and, like Maya Angelou said, "The more said, "The more (creativity) you use, the (creativity) you use, the more you have."more you have."

Why is creativity important Why is creativity important in language classrooms?in language classrooms?

Language use is a Language use is a creative actcreative act

Compensation Compensation strategiesstrategies

some people cannot some people cannot learn at all if they learn at all if they are not allowed to are not allowed to be creativebe creative

Creativity improves Creativity improves self-esteemself-esteem

most people become most people become more motivated, more motivated, inspired or inspired or challengedchallenged

Creative work in the Creative work in the language classroom language classroom can lead to genuine can lead to genuine communication and communication and co-operationco-operation

Creative tasks enrich Creative tasks enrich classroom workclassroom work

Creative thinking is Creative thinking is an important skill in an important skill in real lifereal life

Conditions in the classroom that Conditions in the classroom that encourage and enable students and encourage and enable students and

teachers to be creativeteachers to be creative

• Attitude: commend what is differentAttitude: commend what is different• Resources; the unprecedented range available to Resources; the unprecedented range available to

some (but regrettably not all) learnerssome (but regrettably not all) learners• Student diversityStudent diversity• The provision of assistants from a different The provision of assistants from a different

educational backgroundeducational background• Allowing a sense of fun (not found in all education Allowing a sense of fun (not found in all education

systems)systems)• Teacher’s commitment to the methodTeacher’s commitment to the method• We do have the flexibility and freedom to have We do have the flexibility and freedom to have

significant input into module content and assessment, significant input into module content and assessment, although assessment word limits can constrain what although assessment word limits can constrain what is possible at times.is possible at times.

The teacher's responsibilitiesThe teacher's responsibilities Timing needs to be carefully thought out:Timing needs to be carefully thought out: Unlimited time, i.e. inner, personal time is needed for Unlimited time, i.e. inner, personal time is needed for

lateral (not focused) thinking and for reflection.lateral (not focused) thinking and for reflection. Limited time, i.e. time controlled from outside e.g. through Limited time, i.e. time controlled from outside e.g. through

(flexible) time limits is needed for brainstorming, selecting (flexible) time limits is needed for brainstorming, selecting the best idea, making decisions, researching and actions.the best idea, making decisions, researching and actions.

When we plan a creative activity, we may wish to give When we plan a creative activity, we may wish to give different learners different tasks matching the thinking roles. different learners different tasks matching the thinking roles. The positive and relaxed atmosphere needed for creative The positive and relaxed atmosphere needed for creative thinking is reinforced by establishing a tradition of thinking is reinforced by establishing a tradition of celebrating students’ work andcelebrating students’ work and performance. Clapping, performance. Clapping, praising, giving awards, smiling faces or any other signal .praising, giving awards, smiling faces or any other signal .

Why do teachers have to be creative in Why do teachers have to be creative in

designing lessons and teaching them?designing lessons and teaching them? CATER FOR different tastes of different types of students

REDUCE stress of both teacher and students

ENLIVEN the lessons and the activities

ADJUST the lessons to different levels of students

TEACH students to think creatively as well

INTEREST students in more exciting activities to practice English

VARY the classroom situations to teach functional language

ENCOURAGE the students to communicate more in English

When children are being When children are being creative in the classroom creative in the classroom

they are likely to:they are likely to: make connections make connections

and see relationshipsand see relationships envision want might envision want might

bebe explore ideas and explore ideas and

optionsoptions question and question and

challengechallenge reflect critically on reflect critically on

ideas, actions and ideas, actions and outcomesoutcomes

Creative teaching Creative teaching

teaching creativelyteaching creatively

might be described might be described as teachers using as teachers using imaginative imaginative approaches to approaches to make learning make learning more interesting, more interesting, engaging, exciting engaging, exciting and effective.and effective.

teaching for creativityteaching for creativity

might best be might best be described as using described as using forms of teaching forms of teaching that are intended that are intended

to develop to develop students own students own

creative thinking creative thinking and behaviourand behaviour..

Teaching with creativity and Teaching with creativity and teaching for creativity consist of the teaching for creativity consist of the

characteristics of good teachingcharacteristics of good teaching high motivationhigh motivation high expectationshigh expectations the ability to communicate and the ability to communicate and

listen listen the ability to interestthe ability to interest engage and inspireengage and inspire

Creative teachers are always Creative teachers are always willing to experiment but they recognize the need willing to experiment but they recognize the need

to learn from experience. There are many to learn from experience. There are many methodsmethods for teachers which help to develop the creativity of for teachers which help to develop the creativity of

pupils and they can be used in our work:pupils and they can be used in our work:

““Words triads”Words triads”

After a signal, the children are After a signal, the children are given three words and the given three words and the teacher writes these words teacher writes these words on board. The pupils are on board. The pupils are offered to write some offered to write some sentences with these three sentences with these three words as quickly as possible. words as quickly as possible. For example, we have three For example, we have three words words "rain, field, earth.""rain, field, earth." It is It is possible to make such possible to make such phrases : phrases : After the rain the After the rain the earth became wet and I did earth became wet and I did not go for a walk in the field.not go for a walk in the field.

"Pictogram""Pictogram" The pupils are given some words The pupils are given some words

and they draw the and they draw the picturepicture to every to every word that will help them to word that will help them to remember these words. They are remember these words. They are given 30 seconds for each picture. given 30 seconds for each picture. The pupils should put the number The pupils should put the number before every word or word-before every word or word-combination and then draw the combination and then draw the picture to it. They should not write picture to it. They should not write the words. As an example such the words. As an example such word combinations are offered: to word combinations are offered: to use the computeruse the computer

to sing English songsto sing English songs to read English booksto read English books to connect with different countriesto connect with different countries to make friends around the worldto make friends around the world

““Tell in other words”Tell in other words” The children are offered some The children are offered some

simple phrasessimple phrases and change them and change them into other ones saving the main into other ones saving the main meaning of the phrases. For meaning of the phrases. For example: example: Bill prepares for the Bill prepares for the lessons welllessons well

Bill does his home task in a proper Bill does his home task in a proper way.way.

This method helps to know how well This method helps to know how well pupils understand materials. As an pupils understand materials. As an example, there are such sentences example, there are such sentences as:as:

1) 1) My friend is from England.My friend is from England.2) 2) She sends me very interesting She sends me very interesting

letters with photos.letters with photos.3) 3) We have many different ways of life.We have many different ways of life.4) 4) More than 300 million people speak More than 300 million people speak

English as their first language.English as their first language.

““Make up (draw) Make up (draw) pictures”pictures”

There are cards with different There are cards with different elementselements and and symbolssymbols. For . For the fixed time (5 minutes) the fixed time (5 minutes) pupils are offered to make up pupils are offered to make up a picture from these elements a picture from these elements and describe it. This method and describe it. This method helps to develop the child's helps to develop the child's imagination and learn to imagination and learn to think more creative. This think more creative. This activity also works with small activity also works with small groups of pupils. Each group groups of pupils. Each group creates a storycreates a story to the picture to the picture and even can act it out in and even can act it out in front of the class. front of the class.

"What will happen if...""What will happen if..."

This method will help a child to develop This method will help a child to develop his/her creative potential, answering his/her creative potential, answering the question the question "what will happen if...""what will happen if..." The child can choose the question he The child can choose the question he or she wants to begin with. Pupils are or she wants to begin with. Pupils are asked to imagine this situation and asked to imagine this situation and describe itdescribe it . . It is great for language It is great for language practipractissing.ing.

References:References: Архипкіна Н. Креативність та її Архипкіна Н. Креативність та її

діагностика/Психолог.-2003.-№44діагностика/Психолог.-2003.-№44 Психолог.-2008.-№10Психолог.-2008.-№10 Sternberg Robert. How to develop student creativity.Sternberg Robert. How to develop student creativity. Margaret Anne Clarke, University of Margaret Anne Clarke, University of

Postmouth.Creativity in modern foreign languages Postmouth.Creativity in modern foreign languages teaching and learning.teaching and learning.

Maya Angelou – From the Creative Maya Angelou – From the Creative categorycategory//Quotations bookQuotations book

Mary Lou CookMary Lou Cook//Quotation bookQuotation book Creativity in the language classroom; written by Judit Creativity in the language classroom; written by Judit

Feher, Pilgrims, UKFeher, Pilgrims, UK Teachers as Creators. Vu My LanTeachers as Creators. Vu My Lan ““Креативний підхід до вивчення англійської Креативний підхід до вивчення англійської

мови”/матеріали семінару “Сучасний вчитель мови”/матеріали семінару “Сучасний вчитель англійської мови”. Черкаси 2009англійської мови”. Черкаси 2009