Creative Thinking and the workplace By Ben Goldstein
Ben Goldstein is a teacher, teacher trainer, materials writer and international conference speaker. He has co-authored the secondary coursebook series Eyes Open and the adult series English Unlimited and Evolve.
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he idea behind the Cambridge Life Competencies is that they prepare learners with skills which will not only be useful in the English language classroom but also in their future work environment. This article looks at how the creative thinking competency can be first incorporated in classroom activities for teens and then how this practice could then directly impact on a given work situation.
Thinking outside the box One of the essential concepts behind Creative Thinking is the ability to “think outside the box”, to solve problems by coming up with new and original solutions or by taking a different angle on things. This requires us to be openminded, organized, communicative
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(being a good listener is essential) and curious (feeling the need to enquire and ask questions about a topic). However, it doesn’t necessarily require an amazing imagination; this is a common misconception with regard to Creative Thinking. In fact, it is all to do with honing the skills, resources and prior knowledge that particular students may have at their disposal.
From classroom tasks… To show the connection between the classroom world and that of the work environment, consider the current topic of the climate crisis and climate strikes and what we can do in our daily lives to help save the planet.
