28 The Linguist Vol/65 No/3
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Creativity in language learning is about much more than
games and role play, says Anna Rioland, and it's now vital
C
reativity in education is often
associated with games, drama and
role play. Yet creativity is far more
fundamental than occasional 'fun' classroom
activities. Language itself is an inherently
creative system: we can produce an infinite
number of new utterances using a finite set
of grammatical rules and lexical items. In the
age of AI, when grammatically accurate texts
can be generated within seconds, creativity is
becoming one of the defining goals of
language education.
Language is inherently creative. Often
creativity is associated with spontaneity, but
in the context of language learning, creative
activities and their learning outcomes should
be carefully planned.
1
Moreover, teachers
themselves should develop creative habits to
deliver impactful and engaging lessons.
2
Literature and theatre are the first examples
of creative language use which come to mind,
but our everyday language is also creative.
Learners constantly adapt to new situations,
using previously learned 'building blocks',
drawing on their vocabulary and grammar
knowledge. In a language lesson, they face
multiple choices and challenges, including
which style to adopt and how to express their
idea in a clear and appropriate way. Thus,
creativity exists as a continuum, whether it is
a conversation or a piece of writing.
More advanced learners are able to use
language in order to convey nuance. As
Ronald Carter demonstrates,
3
creativity is not
restricted to literary language but is also
present in everyday speech, where speakers
constantly create meaning through interaction,
humour, metaphor and word choice.
Language learning is not just memorising
grammar and vocabulary, but creating
meaningful conversations or written content.
Creativity in language learning involves both
divergent and convergent thinking. Divergent
thinking enables learners to generate ideas,
experiment with alternative ways of expressing
themselves and explore different meanings,
while convergent thinking allows them to
evaluate their choices and select the most
appropriate vocabulary, structures and
registers for a particular context. Effective
language learning requires a balance between
freedom and precision: learners need
opportunities to express their own ideas, but
also guidance in refining their language
choices. Thus, creativity does not replace
explicit language teaching; it enables learners
to transform declarative knowledge into
active communicative ability.
Creativity promotes learner autonomy and
problem-solving. Controlled practice activities
The art of teaching
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