Welcome to the firstELTeCs session

this academic year

Today’s session is about

Creativity in the Classroom

Outcomes:To gain a greater awareness of what creativity is, its features and the implications for the classroom.

To have hands-on experience of language learning activities with transitions.To discuss the ELTeCs programme

Creativity in the Classroom

What is creativity?

Why is creativity important?

What is creativity?

What is creativity?Did you think your colleagues answered thesequestions the same way as you did? Peoplehold very different views of creativity. Somethink they aren’t creative at all and it is only the privileged and artistically talented, whocan be considered creative. Others think that to cook a good dinner is already a clear sign ofcreativity.

Why is creativity important?• Language use is a creative act.

• Compensation strategies use creative and often imaginative ways of expression.

• Some people cannot learn at all if they are not allowed to be creative.

• Most people become more motivated, inspired or challenged if they can create something of value.

Why is creativity important?• Creativity improves self-esteem.

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

• Creative tasks enrich classroom work

• Creative thinking is an important skill in real life.

Am I ever creative?Have you ever found that you wanted to do something but you did not have the right tool /material to do it, and then you found some way ofusing another object / material and managedsomehow? E.g. You opened a bottle or a tin without abottle or tin opener or substituted an ingredient in arecipe with another ingredient. Have you everychanged an activity in your course book or a resourcebook to match the needs of a particular group youteach? YES? There you go, you are creative!

Do I ever get my students to do anythingcreative in my lessons?

Do you ever get your students to speak about, write about,draw about or mime what they think? Do your studentssay things in the foreign language they never heard or read? Do you ever get them to think about rules, problemsAnd how things and language work instead of just tellingthem? Do you sometimes give them tasks where there isno one possible answer and the answers will vary from onelearner to another? YES? There you go, your students haveopportunities to think creatively in your classes already!

Features of Creativity

• Imaginative• Purposeful • Original • Of value

We need to give the activity a purposethat is something outside practising acertain language point.

Systemic impact

We need to organise the learningprocess in a way that gives time, spaceand freedom to learners so that they canuse their imagination and originality.

We need to make evaluation an integralpart of the creative process.

What is the essential, indispensablecomponent of creativity?

Creative thinking guru, Roger von Oech:

“Creativity is transforming one thing into another.”

1 Transforming personality

2 Shifting points of view

3 Changing the degree offreedom

4 Transition from the known to the unknown

5 Shifting genres or media

6 Transitions between the whole and its parts

• 21 October ELTeCS meeting withpotential trainers

• 25 November ELTeCS 2• 23 December ELTeCS 3• 20 JanuaryELTeCS 4• 17 February ELTeCS 5• 17 March ELTeCS 6• 14 April ELTeCS 7• 12 May ELTeCS 8

Are you interested in being oneof the trainers at a future ELTeCssession?

If your answer is Yes, please come tothe meeting next Wednesday withsome ideas on what you couldinclude in one of the following

sessions:

Creativity in the ClassroomProject work (e.g. magazines/ radio)Drama/ music/ visual artsCreative writingAuthentic materialsExploiting your coursebookCreativity outside the classroom (learners)Communication games and activitiesICT/IWBs

http://www.britishcouncil.org/new