Creativity in the language classroom

The excellent TeachingEnglish.org.uk website has started a new series today, the first of which is Creativity in the language classroom.

Among other questions the first article raises is why creativity is important in your classroom, including:

• The fact that "some people cannot learn at all if they are not allowed to be creative. They do not understand the point in doing a language activity for its own sake, for only practising the language without a real content, purpose, outcome or even a product"
• "(...) most people become more motivated, inspired or challenged if they can create something of value"

Apart from creativity, another thing which is important for teachers is that we continue to question what we are doing, and don't just settle into a routine. "Am I creative?" the article asks us, "Are my students ever creative in my classroom?"

It looks like an interesting series...

Updates

>> Article 2, Features of creativity
>> Article 3, The essence of creativity
>> Article 4, Creative Environment