Suggestions for Language Learners: Creativity Development in EFL Classrooms

Creativity has been granted national recognition as one of the crucial goals of the national English curriculum in Korea; it has also been supported by English language policy. The curriculum, therefore, should provide teachers with opportunities to enhance the creative abilities of their students, and to equip them for their future careers. The curriculum is taught by teachers in language classrooms, and the teachers’ understanding of the concept of creativity has a large influence on the development of students’ creativity and successful language learning. Given the importance of creativity in the language classroom, in this study, some suggestions for creativity development in ESL or EFL classrooms were developed from a literature review of the concept of creativity with respect to second language teaching and learning. From the literature reviewed for this article, eight suggestions were produced for language teachers, and two for educational policy makers and educational administrators. Based on the results of the study, suggestions are discussed that utilize more effective ways of developing creativity as well as language proficiency in the ESL classrooms of primary and secondary schools.