Teachers’ Perspectives in the Primary Schools

The newly emerging data on the role of the creative approach of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) is indicative of the fact that a multitude of measures can be undertaken to invoke the creative learning process among the target students (Song, Kim, and Zhao, 2019). The current literature clearly suggests that the use of poetry and even technology-based games can improve creative thinking among learners, which can lead to a high degree of engagement and improved outcomes. For example, a study on Asian students showed poetry being an effective tool for creativity (Cahnmann-Taylor and Hwang, 2019). Such approaches are especially effective in the selected context because TESOL educators need to be aware of the ethnographic differences of students.

The given research will aim to use a questionnaire to assess 50 TESOL teachers on their creative strategies and engagement levels of students as well as compare the learning outcomes. The assessment will be comprised of a series of questions to ensure that quantitative aspects are analyzed, and the primary focus will be put on the use of poetry, and technology are the main catalyzers of creative engagement of students. The research will also aim to investigate the degree and complexity of the use of these measures in relation to the learning outcomes in order to evaluate their effectiveness.

The main research aim：The research will explore the function of creativity in motivating children to learn English in Chinese primary school and the degree and complexity of the use of these measures in relation to the learning outcomes in order to evaluate their effectiveness (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, 2020).

Therefore, the key research questions are:

1. To what extent do TESOL teachers in Chinese primary schools invoke the creative learning process?
2. What functional purposes do these creative strategies, such as poetry and technology, serve in regards to key aspects of English learning?
3. What is the relationship between the learning outcomes of Chinese primary school students and creative approaches?
4. What are the challenges of implementing creative teaching and learning in the Chinese primary school?

The field of TESOL clearly shows that using and incorporating creative strategies, such as art, poetry, and technology, can lead to major improvements in the metrics of student engagement and learning outcomes. The use of teaching videos and VoiceThread can be useful for both students and educators, where the latter is able to critically assess their own teaching styles in regards to effectiveness. The use of traditional poetry can also enhance the creative learning process among learners by not only elevating engagement but also overcoming various cultural and ethnographic barriers since students are able to use their perception, mindset, and insight to enrich the learning process. In terms of outcomes, the evidence is indicative of the fact that creative teaching can lead to a higher degree of originality, flexibility, and fluency, which can also act as functional elements to facilitate further learning.

The proposed context will primarily revolve around Chinese primary school students who are being taught English by TESOL educators. Since the eastern culture is drastically different from the western one, a wide range of cultural barriers might exist, which can be overcome by a creative learning process utilizing art, poetry, and technology. The literature clearly suggests that these measures are the most effective and common, which is why the research will primarily target the analysis of these strategies in particular (Song, Kim, and Zhao, 2019).

The sample will comprise of TESOL teachers working in Chine and teaching the language to Chinese primary school students. The method will focus on a questionnaire, which will aim to comprehensively assess the creative elements of the teaching process as well as identify the core strategies utilized by the educators. It is important to note that ethical considerations will be made, where the anonymity of educators and data will be ensured. Lastly, the information will be used to compare the identified strategies with the learning outcomes and determine whether or not there is a strong relationship between creativity and improved learning.

Selected References

Cahnmann-Taylor, M., and Hwang, Y. (2019) ‘Poetic habits of mind in TESOL teacher preparation’, Language and Education, 33(5), pp. 399-415. Web.

Cahnmann-Taylor, M., and Zhang, K. (2018) ‘The arts and TESOL’, The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, 1, pp. 1–6.

Cahnmann-Taylor, M., Bleyle, S., Hwang, Y., and Zhang, K. (2016) ‘Teaching poetry in TESOL teacher education: heightened attention to language as well as to cultural and political critique through poetry writing’, TESOL Journal, 8(1), pp. 70–101.

Cho, H., and Kim, H. K. (2018) ‘Promoting creativity through language play in EFL classrooms’, TESOL Journal, 9(4), pp. 1-9. Web.

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (2020) Sentencing statistics quarterly brief: July to September 2010, England and Wales (Provisional data). Web.

Eda Hancı-Azizoğlu, B. (2018) ‘Creative writing as a second language: what is creativity for second language writers?’, TESOL Journal, 9(4), pp. 1-13. Web.

Huh, K., and Lee, J. (2019) ‘Fostering creativity and language skills of foreign language learners through SMART learning environments: evidence from fifth‐grade Korean EFL learners’, TESOL Journal, 11(2), pp. 1-17. Web.

Kohnke, L. (2018) ‘Using comic strips to stimulate student creativity in language learning’, TESOL Journal, 10, pp. 1-5. doi:10.1002/tesj.419

Song, K., Kim, S., and Zhao, Y. (2019) ‘Manifesting multidimensional creativity in a technology-mediated online TESOL practicum course’, TESOL Journal, 11(2), pp. 1-17. Web.

Wong, K. M., and Moorhouse, B. L. (2018) ‘Writing for an audience: inciting creativity among young English language bloggers through scaffolded comments’, TESOL Journal, 9(4), pp. 1-6.