Embedding creative thinking

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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 ideasFLEXIBILITY Ability to produce diverse ideas (not the same kind)ELABORATION Ability to add on to and embellish an already existing ideaORIGINALITY Ability to produce uncommon, 'clever' ideasCreative 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.___________________________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.

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Marisa ConstantinidesMarisa ConstantinidesDip.RSA, M.A. App LingDip.RSA, M.A. App Ling

Teacher Educator & DirectorTeacher Educator & DirectorCELT Athens CELT Athens

Teacher Development CentreTeacher Development Centre

@Marisa Constantinides CELT Athens - info@celt.edu.gr – IATEFL Harrogate 2010

Original images replaced with own from Second Life

Activities may includeActivities may include

• What’s on the other half of the picture?What’s on the other half of the picture?• Improvise conversations amongst people in picsImprovise conversations amongst people in pics• Write speech bubbles & thought bubblesWrite speech bubbles & thought bubbles• Write a crazy caption (original idea in blog post here)Write a crazy caption (original idea in blog post here)

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Elements of creative

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Relationship to Language Production

FluencyFluency Ability to produce large numbers of ideas

Easy & ready flow of talk; production of sustained talk

FlexibilityFlexibility Ability to produce diverse ideas (not the same kind)

Ability to follow changes in the direction of the talk and respond to them; ability to initiate such changes

ElaborationElaboration Ability to add on to and embellish an already existing idea

Ability to avoid simplistic responses; ability to improve set phrases and embellish them; useful for writing

OriginalityOriginality Ability to produce uncommon, 'clever' ideas

Ability to produce novel utterances; avoidance of clichés

Activity explained in handoutActivity explained in handout

You were seen chewing the chewing You were seen chewing the chewing the corner of a carpet in a furniture the corner of a carpet in a furniture shopshop

You were seen gluing apples to a tree You were seen gluing apples to a tree outside your house at midnightoutside your house at midnight

You were seen sticking knives and You were seen sticking knives and forks into your front lawn forks into your front lawn

Activity explained in handoutActivity explained in handout

DrillingDrilling roleplaysroleplays

Activity explained in handoutActivity explained in handout

Related blog post:

The Art of Being Creative http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/2010/04/13/the-art-of-being-creative/

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.

My email My email info@celt.edu.grinfo@celt.edu.gr

My Twitter IDMy Twitter IDhttp://twitter.com/Marisa_Chttp://twitter.com/Marisa_C

My Centre My Centre www.celt.edu.grwww.celt.edu.gr

My BlogsMy Blogshttp://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/

http://celtathens.wordpress.com/http://celtathens.wordpress.com/http://celt-athens-tefl-courses.blogspot.comhttp://celt-athens-tefl-courses.blogspot.com

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