The Magic of Creativity: From Robust Theories to Delicate Use
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| Year of publication | 2015 |
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| Description | It seems evident that teaching is an enormously creative profession. It will come to no surprise that also learning is an enormously creative activity. However, the fact that “our undeniably flexible use of language through which we craft an infinite variety of novel constructions using a relatively small set of rules” (Chomsky, 1972, Pinker,1982 in Sternberg, 1999) is a great example of enormous creativity in our everyday lives passes almost unnoticed. This may be one of the reasons why creativity has become a centre of attention in educational sector in general and in language education in particular only recently. In this paper, I will introduce some theories and approaches that have made it possible to improve our understanding of how creativity can contribute to the processes of effective language teaching and learning. I will present strategies that allow educators to maintain creative approach to teaching in diverse circumstances. And finally, I will show examples of activities that combine local and international setting, authentic and adapted materials, synchronous and asynchronous modes of communication, and ICT-enhanced and traditional techniques in order to demonstrate how subtle changes in teaching may equip learners with strategies that can help them solve a wider variety of linguistic and cultural challenges they may face in the future. |