The word “visualising” in this blog’s title is no coincidence. I’m quite mesmerised by the power of visual images and the sheer joy of experimenting with them (or should I say playing?!). I admit to shamelessly informing my eldest son, who’s interest in photography has been steadily growing over the past two years, which of his pictures I need for my blog or for class. It works for the way words evoke visual images too – remember James Thurber’s delightful story “My Secret World of Idioms”?
So you would think I would be able to figure out how “list making” could possibly be connected to “creativity”. But I can’t!
At the IATEFL conference in Liverpool I, naturally, attended Keiran Donaghy (Film English) and Jamie Keddies’s (lessonstream) excellent talks. I missed Ceri Jones’ talk (Close Up) because it was (thoughtlessly!) scheduled too close to my own talk. AND, it turns out that all these speakers (and more!) will be at the upcoming Image Conference in Barcelona. I certainly hope the talks will be recorded and not just streamed – we only have a one day weekend here and I can’t spend Saturday attending virtually!
Anyway, back to list making.
I’ve been thinking about these talks as part of a “mining for ideas plan” for my upcoming course with hearing adults. More about that when I start the course and try them out. But lets forget about students for a minute (gasp!) . In one of the clips Keiran Donaghy showed, called “29 ways to stay creative” (so creative, B.T.W), why is “list making” number one? Running around with a notebook makes sense (recording your ideas before they are lost). But list making (which I’m really trying to do now) connects to the non-creative side of people, its just about making sure what needs to be done gets done. Isn’t it?
Can you explain it to me?
Hi Naomi,
One of the IATEFL talks I went to was called ‘Thinking skills for IELTS Students’. Students who take the exam often have problems thinking of things to write or talk about, especially ifthey come from an education system where critical thinking is not encouraged. The speaker (Sue O’Connell)gave us a lot of ideas for encouraging students to think, one of which was to encourage them to make a list, but to keep going for five minutes or more. She said (and we experienced!) that the first few ideas will be quite run-of-the-mill, but as you continue the ideas become more creative and unusual because you have to keep thinking.
Does that help? 🙂
Sandy
Interesting indeed, Sandy!
It does help. I’m really investing in list making at the moment (using Wunderlist!!) and its all about being organized and focused. I feel it as the opposite of where my creative part is.
Don’t the students simply get stuck after a few ideas? Shouldn’t they do that in groups?
Hmmm….
Naomi