Creative Expession in Language Learning Masaryk University, 2023
Alpcan Özışıkçılar

The “Creativity” itself has many meanings as it may refer to the end product of one’s activity, the cognitive processes involved in the creative act, the personality of a creative person, the development of creativity across the life span, and also the factors that either stimulate or inhibit the process of creation (Łukasik, 2015; Simonton, 2000). One of the most crucial factors impacting the success of language learning is learners’ intrinsic motivation. Furthermore, using learners’ creativity in language teaching helps them be part of the learning process by enhancing their intrinsic motivation. Low motivation for and uptake of language learning has been linked to low levels of proficiency, self-efficacy, L2 confidence, and enjoyment of learning the second language (Erler & Macaro, 2011; Graham, 2004)

When people learn a language, creativity plays an important role. Primarily, the more teachers use creative activities that facilitate learning. The more learners can be cognitively involved. All learners must first have sufficient faith in themselves to express their opinions in the target language. Moreover, using language requires expression, thus making creative expression a key concept. Hence, when I evaluate all the approaches discussed in the Methodology class, I want to present my teaching approach and highlight the characteristics that I like most among those approaches and how I implement them in my classes by making them creative.

Approach
My teaching approach is an eclectic approach that consists of creative expression, active participation, and using all language skills with suitable techniques according to the learner’s learning style. It is closely connected to communication and creative expression in communication. I mostly use “functional communication activities” and “social interaction activities,” the major activity types in Communicative Language Teaching. In Addition, I also use Direct Method. It is a fantastic technique to teach English to young students in that it consists of interacting with real-life objects and pictures. When it comes to creativity, real-life objects and pictures play a significant role. ALM, a technique for developing pronunciation and intonation, is another method I implement. ALM is advantageous for developing young speech abilities in Addition to being entertaining for young learners.

Theory of language
My approach is closely connected to communication and creative expression in communication. It has a rich, eclectic theoretical base. Learners use language to express their interests and creativity according to their preferences and topics. Some of the characteristics of the approach’s view of language follow,

1. Language is a tool for creative expression.
2. The primary function of language is interaction and communication.
3. The structure of language reflects its functional and communicative uses.
4. The primary units of language are interests, learning techniques, and learning style rather than a grammatical and structural focus.

Theory of learning

In contrast to traditional language teaching, such as GTM, my approach focuses on communicative purposes and language use in a creative way. Learners can learn the language with shorter grammatical practices. Instead, it focuses on activities that involve real communication, like CLT has language use that learners feel comfortable with. Hence, it promotes learning as learners can choose their expression style.
Krashen’s affective filter hypothesis plays an important role. Krashen sees the learner’s emotional state or attitudes as an adjustable filter that freely passes, impedes, or blocks input necessary for acquisition.

Three main elements are very crucial in learning.
I. Motivation (Learners with high motivation generally do better.)

2. Self-confidence (Learners with self-confidence and a good self·image tend to be more successful.)
3. Anxiety (Low personal anxiety and low classroom anxiety are more con- conducive to second language acquisition.)
   

So In the Creative Expression Approach, to motivate students, various activities should be used in order to learn students’ learning styles. It is important to know students and their interests to diversify activities. Also, activities should support multiple intelligence.

When it comes to self-confidence, when learners learn a language, they need to have self-confidence in that expressing themselves. Also, Asher’s learning theory influenced my teaching style. As he stated in explaining TPR, an essential condition for successful language learning is the absence of stress.

Moreover, anxiety decreases both self-confidence and motivation. Thus, it is better to get rid of things that students feel uncomfortable with so that they can express themselves better.

Objectives

The Creative Expression Approach is designed to help learners express themselves creatively without any emotional obstacles. It has the expectation that students will be able to express themselves with various use of language creatively. They will understand the speaker of the target language and will be able to convey meaning in various ways. They should be able to make the meaning clear but only sometimes be accurate in all details of grammar because the main focus is the expression in a unique way.

Learner Roles

In my approach, teaching focuses on the creative use of language and expressing opinions without hesitation rather than grammar and structure.

Learners play an active and primary role by participating in activities and thus have control over their own learning. They are encouraged to express their opinions without any negative emotion, which may lead to discouragement in using language verbally because of fear of making mistakes.

Teacher Roles

The Creative Expression Approach has six central roles for the teachers:

• The teacher needs to get to know students well.
• He needs to know the characteristics of the age group.
• He needs to know about the generation that he is teaching.
• The teacher should give students a chance to choose their expression style.
• Teachers should get to know learner(s) well to branch activities. The best way to keep their interest teachers should know learners’ learning styles, their interests to include them in the learning process.
• Teacher speaking time should be minimized as much as possible, and students should have the right to choose topics and activities that they need to use language. When it comes to getting to know students, CLT gives me an idea of need analysis in which the teacher assumes responsibility for determining and responding to learner language needs.

The Syllabus

Communication goals may be expressed regarding situations, functions, and topics. The purpose of a language course will vary according to the needs of the students and their particular interests, as in Natural Approach. (Krashen and Terrell 1983: 65) The situations in which students use the target language and the topics they will have to communicate and express themselves about should be determined. Content selection should seck to generate a low affective filter by being fascinating and encouraging a friendly, relaxed atmosphere, as well as give a broad exposure to essential daily life vocabulary that may be relevant to fundamental personal communication and expression.

Types of learning and teaching activities

The variety of exercise forms and activities is appropriate for CLT and Natural Approach activities, which emphasize many learning modalities and intelligence types. These activities encourage communication among students, help them meet the curriculum’s communicative goals, and push them to apply communication strategies, including information-sharing, meaning-negotiation, engagement, and creativity in various forms of expression.

Procedure

A variety of CLT classroom practices are related to approaches and classroom management processes (e.g., group activities, language games, role plays).

Dialogues are used to present new teaching ideas, followed by controlled practice of language patterns. Following that, the instructional concepts are contextualized through scenario practice.

Conclusion

The creative expression approach conclusion-ally deals with the expression of students’ communication and involvement. Each student should be part of their learning process and feel comfortable conveying the meaning when communicating. Various activities enable students to use their creative, cognitive, and problem-solving skills through real-life sitations and role plays.

Moreover, in contrast to traditional methods and approaches, creative expression focuses on the process-oriented evaluation, such as portfolios, projects, and products.

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