The Effects of Creative Instruction on Creative Thinking and English Poem Writing

This study investigates the effects of creative instruction on creative thinking and English poem writing with low level Korean EFL college students. The process of creative instruction was guided through divergent thinking techniques such as brainstorming, brainwriting, mind mapping, forced relationships, synetics, and open inquiries for cultivating creativity. The present study employed a mixed method approach which was comprised of both quantitative and qualitative instruments including a background questionnaire, pretest and posttest evaluations for creativity using the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, evaluations of writing quality, and in-depth interviews to seek the answers for the research purpose. The results demonstrated that there was no significant difference between the creativity group and the non-creativity group in terms of the development of their ability to write English poems. However, creative thinking itself significantly improved only in the creativity group based on the pre- and post-tests analyses, pointing to the positive effects of creative instruction on the development of creative thinking. In addition, through interviews and surveys, the students with low English language proficiency exhibited increased confidence in writing English poems and showed positive attitudes toward the usefulness of creative instruction when they are learning English in classroom settings.