Embedding creative thinking skills training into our EFL practice
ABSTRACT:
Creative thinking, or divergent production potential is present in all learners but many of the standard classroom activities stunt rather than develop it. This presentation aims to point out opportunities for making this part of our design including activities that have the potential of developing the different facets of this composite aspect of human intellect.
SUMMARY:
It has been suggested that creativity (or, as it is also termed, divergent production) is not a single unifying ability but is viewed as a composite of intellectual abilities. The four main facets I will be looking at are:
FLUENCY Ability to produce large numbers of ideas
FLEXIBILITY Ability to produce diverse ideas (not the same kind)
ELABORATION Ability to add on to and embellish an already existing idea
ORIGINALITY Ability to produce uncommon, 'clever' ideas
Creative thinking, or divergent production, facilitates problem solving, and in a problem solving approach oriented classroom, enhancing creative thinking potential can facilitate discovery learning as well as enhance language production.
This talk will outline the thinking and relationship of divergent versus convergent production relating them to specific language activities encouraging one or the other kind.
I will be suggesting a range of activities which can develop aspects of creative thinking singly or in combination.
The four facets listed do not refer specifically to language learning but to any kind of intellectual challenge, language learning being one of them.
Depending on the type of audience, some references may also be made as to how the concept can be used in the TEFL training classroom.
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Related blog post:
The Art of Being Creative http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/2010/04/13/the-art-of-being-cre...
This post may be of interest to teacher educators but the activities and ideas were also used in my talk at Harrogate with a language learning focus.
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Hello!
This is the first time I will be presenting at an IATEFL conference and I am really very excited about it.
The topic I have selected to present is one I have been interested in for a long time and the ideas for creative thinking skills training are now a regular part of my teaching as well as part of my design in the teacher education programmes I run.
Do connect with me and the many other educators with whom I communicate on a daily basis, mainly through Twitter and blogs.
On Twitter I am Marisa_C but you can also find me on Facebook.
I also recently joined the IATEFL Learning Technologies Special Interest Group and you, too, can join the ning created by Graham Stanley and take part in some great discussions here: http://iatefl-ltsig.ning.com/
My blog is here: http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/ and I hope you will pay a visit and leave a comment or see you on Twitter!
14 March 2010
2 years 5 weeks
Hi Marisa!
Wish I could be going to the IATEFL conference, but unfortunately not possible. As your #1 fan, am very disappointed that I won't be there for your talk. But will be following all the excitement both here & on twitter. So make sure you get everyone tweeting over there!
Anna
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Thank you so much Anna!
Wifi now officially confirmed for all at the Harrogate conference and so expect a deluge of tweets from all the presenters in our PLN!
I am so sorry you won't be there! I did get a lot out of following Cardiff online last year though and this year it looks even more exciting!
Marisa
21 March 2010
2 years 5 weeks
Ditto Anna really...sounds fabulous. But we can't both be your #1 fan, so I'll take any other number after that!
I look forward to following everything online.
10 March 2009
2 years 5 weeks
Hi Marissa
Nice theme!! Sounds interesting!
I think most of the conference is going to be very inspiring - have a feeling I am going to miss a treat :-(
See you soon
Carol
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Hello dear Carol!
I was hoping you would be able to come even for a flying visit!!!
Sounds as if you aren't!
:-(
But thanks for comment here and I hope I will see you inworld before I leave Greece.
31 March 2010
2 years 5 weeks
Hi Marisa,
I won't be able to be present at the IATEFL conference but I'll follow your presentation here and on Twitter. I'm sure it'll be highly insightful.
Regards,
Marisa
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Hi Marisa!
I do so hope that some of my fellow tweeters will choose to come to my talk, although there is so much exciting stuff on at the same time, I am sorely tempted to go to other talks myself!!!!
Thank you for your very kind comments.
Marisa
2 April 2010
2 years 6 weeks
Hi Marisa,
What a fab topic. I wish I could be there. I'm sure it will be great.
Eva
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Promise to do something about it if I can after Harrogate :-)
20 March 2010
2 years 6 weeks
Can't wait to attend your talk Marisa, and meet you in person!
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Me too!
1 April 2010
2 years 5 weeks
Hi, Marisa.
Presentation sounds very exciting!!!
I'll definitely watch it online!!!
c u soon. ;)
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
This one won't be streamed, Alexander but all the plenaries will, so there will be lots of good stuff to watch!
If I can get anyone to hold up a camera, I will try to record it but can't promise.
3 April 2010
2 years 6 weeks
Hi Marisa!
Have you uploaded the materials somewhere or just the abstract?
Don't seem to be able to find it :) lol
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Hi Alexandra,
Sorry, no powerpoint uploads from me! I may upload it after the conference but I am still working on it!!!
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Here is a blog post about one of the activities I will be mentioning during my presentation.
It's called "Yes,and...." and you can read about it here:
http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/2009/11/02/yes-and/
The activity attempts to train in one of the four facets of creative thinking listed in my abstract, that of elaboration.
10 March 2009
1 year 48 weeks
Hello , Marisa
so from what I ve gathered I am not the only one to finish up my PPT only now! I am still sprucing it up. Instead of chucking irrelevant stuff, I am still cluttering! :(
Natasha
Belgrade, Serbia
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Hi Natasha!
At last we get to meet! Wonderful! It's going to be a major tweet-up!!
24 March 2010
2 years 6 weeks
good luck with your presentation....i am pretty much sure that it would be an inspiring, authentic talk....keep up the sword!!
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Thank you all for words of encouragement. I enjoyed the conference tremendously, and have now uploaded my powerpoint and handout.
12 March 2010
1 year 49 weeks
Dear Marisa,
thanks for making all your materials available! I'm going to make a talk at a conference in Moscow State University where I'm going to explain the beauties of providing on-line support for the conferences, and I'm going to show-case your presentation :) Hope, you are ok with that!
Thanks!
29 March 2009
1 year 35 weeks
Hi Vera,
I am very OK with that! Even if this response is very late!
Marisa
26 April 2010
1 year 30 weeks
Salom Marisa, I wonder how many hats do you have!
Dear Marisa,
I've created a Ning "uzbekespteachers" too,the related link is:
http://uzbekespteachers.ning.com/
we are 28 now ,2 are from Germany,1 from Kazakhstan, others- mostly from Tashkent.
Some Ning Events are fulfilled and therefore made away by Ning administration, We cannot pay for platform/server hosting services and must soon migrate.I like your presentation about"creativity as a divergent production"...really, it becomes "a composite of intellectual abilities of four main facets:
FLUENCY Ability to produce large numbers of ideas
FLEXIBILITY Ability to produce diverse ideas (not the same kind)
ELABORATION Ability to add on to and embellish an already existing idea
ORIGINALITY Ability to produce uncommon, 'clever' ideas"...
In our case it can be made easy, bcs our Uzbek ESP trainers/learners are from very different areas,
A proper managed Brainstorming will help to create this composite of intellectual abilities..
After creating another Uzbek Ning I'd post there the related links to your presentation and some of my thoughts about it more detailed ,
Halima
11 October 2010
1 year 32 weeks
I believe that creative thinking skills is an important factor in having a good masterpiece.It's something that we should have in order to create the art that is perfectly made.I made to research several designs that will be of great help in my art.I know that when you make something,you should have a careful study on how its made and the necessary things that will eventually lead to something beautiful.Agree?Well I guess,if you really wanna make things done,you should be dedicated to it and be able to put your heart to whatever you are doing.