How Learning English Helps Develop Creativity

English makes it possible to compose

In the classroom, the child has to constantly come up with something: stories about his life, skits, dialogues. Many tasks need to be done in pairs or groups – this is a great practice for joint creativity. At the same time, it is not necessary to tell the truth – the main thing is to work out a new rule or word. You can let your imagination run wild.

And unusual examples are also better remembered: the phrase “If my third hand grew, I could eat and play on the computer at the same time” will help you master the second type of conditional sentences better than “If I got up earlier, I would have time to have breakfast.” There is a synergy: creativity helps to learn English, and English helps to develop creativity.

English teaches to find non-standard solutions

Let’s say on vacation your child wanted to order mineral water, but forgot how “water with gas” would be. He will have to get out: for example, say “water with bubbles”, “water that boils” or even show pantomime. There is no single solution to such a problem, so you will need to apply a creative approach.

When learning a language, such situations will happen all the time – you can’t know all the words. You will have to rephrase and come up with unusual associations, if only the interlocutor understands. A good teacher will only support such an approach, because the main thing is to speak the language.

English gives a new perspective on the world

Each new foreign language expands our picture of the world. Why is there no word for “boiling water” in English, but thirsty in Russian, that is, “thirsty”? Why do we say “good night” while the British say “good night”? Such discrepancies help to see familiar things in an unusual light.

English also opens up access to the latest trends and ideas – in music, painting, stand-up. The child will be the first to learn about new products and join the global community of creators.

English helps to better speak your native language

The study of a foreign language inevitably draws attention to the very structure of the language: what parts of speech are there, how sentences are built, how one idea can be expressed in different ways. And if in our native language we often do not notice such things, in a foreign language they become visible.

A better understanding of the language will help you speak and write more freely, especially in your native language, where all the words and constructions are familiar. Perhaps the child wants to combine Russian and English in speech – he will have another tool for creativity.

English teaches not to be afraid of failure

Being a creative person is difficult – most of the ideas usually go to the table. To continue to create, you need to take failure calmly.

This child will learn in English classes. Not the first time it will be possible to pronounce the sound th. Instead of Present Perfect, he will use Future Simple or instead of “delicious soup” he will say “funny soup”. And that’s okay – that’s the learning process.

Here are some exercises to help practice English and creativity:

• Come up with headlines. Take a photo from a magazine or a picture from the Internet and come up with a caption for it – in English, of course. If it turns out funny, you can publish the result on social networks.
• Sound films. While watching, turn off the sound and subtitles and try to think of what the characters are saying. If it’s hard to compose on the go, watch an excerpt, write down the text, and then read it out – like in karaoke, only with a movie.
• Have a debate. Does your child think eating ice cream for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is a great idea? Ask to prepare a reasoned speech, and take the opposite position yourself. And then try to defend someone else’s point of view.
• Think of the etymology of the words. Why is a butterfly called “flying oil” in English? Surely the child will compose a plausible answer. Just don’t forget to find out the real version later.