Unlocking Creativity for Adult Language Learning

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ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION FALL 2023
Unlocking Creativity for Adult Language
Learning
Natalia Balyasnikova, York University
http://doi.org/10.35847/NBalyasnikova.5.3.59
e use of creative tasks—such as storytelling,
drama, and art projects—in the language learning
classroom can have numerous benefits. While
creative activities are widely used in working with
younger learners, playful and creative language
learning is not as common in adult learning
contexts, which are more often framed within a
pragmatic approach to language use. However,
learning through creativity does not have to end
in adulthood. Creativity is a human impulse that
just won’t quit (Kastenbaum, 1991), a desire that
ebbs and flows throughout the life course. Being
creative opens up spaces for self-expression (Zeilig
& Almila, 2018), political activism (Sawchuk,
2009), and construction of new powerful identities
(Balyasnikova & Gillard, 2021). Being creative in
the language use is natural and adult language
learners are often able to express themselves
more creatively drawing on their plurilingual and
pluricultural repertoires (Bernaus & European
Centre for Modern Languages, 2007).
In this paper, I suggest that use of creative and
playful tasks in the English as an Additional
Language (EAL)1 classroom is an eective
way to support adult language learning and
1 I will be using the term EAL (English as an additional language) instead of ESL (English as a second language) because it is a more inclusive
term that recognizes the diverse linguistic backgrounds of language learners. Some students may already speak multiple languages and are
adding English as another language to their repertoire. Using EAL acknowledges and respects the plurilingual contexts of language learning and
emphasizes the importance of recognizing the multitude of linguistic resources that learners bring to the classroom (see García & Otheguy (2020)
for further elaboration and Flores (2013) for pointed critique).
promote learner engagement. I use the term
plurilingualism to refer to the learners’ ability to
use multiple languages in context, often mixing
and blending dierent languages. I pose that in
such contexts, creating conditions for the playful
use of non-standard language or many languages
should be an intentional pedagogical practice that
arms one’s plurilingual repertoire and their
plurilingual and cultural identities (Galante, 2019;
Piccardo, 2013; Piccardo & Ortega, 2018).
I came to appreciate the potency of integrating
creativity in language learning as a practitioner-
researcher within an interdisciplinary program
in Vancouver, Canada, called Seniors rive.
is arts-based EAL program helped immigrant
seniors learn English, build social connections,
and strengthen their leadership beyond the
classroom. Most of the programming in Seniors
rive merged arts-based learning, leadership
opportunities, and targeted language learning
(see more about the program: Balyasnikova et al.,
2018; Balyasnikova & Gillard, 2018, 2021), thus
providing a comprehensive and holistic approach
to foster active language use by senior learners.
(Part 4 of 4)
Forum: Social Justice, Creativity, and Adult Literacy
Correspondence: natbal@edu.yorku.ca

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Creativity in Language Learning
and Use
My experience as a language instructor prompted
deep reflection on how to approach the task of
encouraging creativity in language learning
classroom. is endeavor proved to be challenging,
as the concept of creativity is simultaneously
ever-present and elusive. Many language
scholars dierentiate between the Big C and the
little c creativity (Jones, 2016). Big C creativity
is easily recognized in language use because it
refers to highly original language products of
famous writers, poets, and playwrights who
create monumental works of art such as poetry
and prose. Little c creativity refers to everyday
language use, being playful with language
through creating puns, metaphors, and other
forms of wordplay. Regardless of the discussions
around definitions, there is a growing consensus
that creativity is “innate to all human beings,
which can be manifested in all types of discourse”
(Hidalgo-Downing, 2016, p. 108). Keeping this
understanding at the forefront, I will approach the
rest of the paper with the intention of exploring
how classroom practices can work towards
unlocking learners’ creativity(ies) in EAL classes.
Similar to other colleagues, I found that
in additional language classrooms playful
engagement with the target language “is vital
to target language development and growth,
mainly because of its inherent potential for
‘failing forward’” (Kurtz, 2015, p.73), or learning
from failures, seeing them as opportunities for
growth. Such growth mindset can be encouraged
in dierent contexts; however, I would pose
that it will flourish in classrooms that are
playful by design. Playful classrooms encourage
learners to draw on diverse modes of expression
(multilingual, multimodal) without strict rules
of correctness or expectations of excellence.
Playfulness is intellectually stimulating and can
act as a catalyst for further creative expression
(Luria et al., 2019). Some psychological studies
have identified a correlation between playful
teaching and students’ linguistic creativity
(Chang, Hsu & Chen, 2013) as well as higher
creativity in how learners themselves co-construct
the process of learning the target language
(Barabadi et al., 2022). In a way, by fostering an
environment of not taking things ‘too seriously’
and taking risks, playfulness in the classroom
might serve as a fertile context for a more creative
and experimental engagement with language in
the classroom and beyond.
Seniors Storytelling Club
As part of my doctoral research, I developed a
project called the Seniors Storytelling Club within
the broader framework of Seniors rive. rough
10 weekly gatherings, I guided storytelling
sessions where older immigrants shared their
experiences related to language learning upon
immigration, and actively practiced language
skills in a supportive and engaging environment.
e Seniors Storytelling Club was intentionally
designed prioritizing creativity in all modes of
expression, including creative use of multiple
languages. Creating a playful context was of
utmost importance, ensuring that participants
felt comfortable in their language use and
empowered to take creative risks throughout the
time we spent together. For example, they were
encouraged to experiment with dierent words
(both in English and their primary language),
create new sentence structures, and use dierent
modes, thus celebrating the vibrancy of their self-
expression. By arming and accepting learners’
use of multiple modes of expression (both verbal
and not), the Seniors Storytelling Club aimed to
create an environment where participants could

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confidently express themselves leveraging their
creative abilities.
Seniors Storytelling Club also fostered an
atmosphere of respect and understanding by
encouraging learners to engage in storytelling on
their own terms and according to their unique
linguistic backgrounds. It was emphasized to
the learners that their stories could be as concise
or extensive as desired. It was also explicitly
communicated that there was no obligation to
write or share a story if they did not feel connection
to any particular prompt, granting them the
freedom to explore topics of personal interest.
Inspired by the success of Seniors Storytelling
Club project, but restricted by COVID-19 closures,
I conducted an online study in another literacy
program for older adults this time in Toronto,
Canada. In this study, I employed digital
storytelling as an informal language practice,
leveraging the participants’ creative impulse to
foster meaningful language learning experiences
in a virtual space. e success of this project
further reinforced my belief in the eectiveness
of incorporating storytelling as a creative practice
in EAL programming regardless of the mode of
delivery. Further in the paper, drawing on my
teaching experience and research, I discuss the
benefits unlocking learners’ creativity for EAL
learning by sharing my experience facilitating the
two Storytelling Clubs.
Unlocking Creativity for Language
Learning
Integration of creative elements into the classroom
practice can transform the learning experience
into a more dynamic and engaging process. In
today’s adult EAL classrooms, the emphasis
is often placed on pragmatic competence that
leads to certain eciency of communication.
While this approach has its merits, it tends to
prioritize the mechanical aspects of language
learning, often neglecting the exploration and
utilization of language as a creative medium.
Moreover, a prevailing focus on measurable
outcomes may inadvertently overshadow the
significance of embracing the full potential of
learners’ creativity, thus denying them this
inherent trait. By incorporating creative tasks
into language instruction—encouraging learners
to come up with multilingual puns, metaphors,
and other forms of wordplay—educators might
have an opportunity to redirect learners’ attention
towards a more playful exploration of language
and thus arm their creative impulse. Such
an approach not only fosters a more engaging
learning environment, but also acts as a
catalyst for cultivating a sense of curiosity and
appreciation for the rich tapestry of modes of
expression available to humans. By encouraging
learners to playfully explore the target language
and tap into their creative impulse without
fear of making mistakes, educators can foster a
deeper understanding of language and its creative
significance. is brings me to my first insight:
we should move away from focusing on pure
eciency and productivity of language use and
towards a more creative language use in the
classroom and beyond.
Seniors Storytelling Club was an EAL class in both
its purpose and desire of the participants. is
is why, we wanted to make sure that learners
engaged in active language production both with
the facilitators and each other. We structured our
session through a series of storytelling prompts
that encouraged learners to create written and
multimodal texts.
• Reminiscence prompts: recalling any
stories about people, places, or events in
their community (e.g., tell me about your
community).

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ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION FALL 2023
• Evaluative prompts: comparing experiences in
dierent contexts (e.g., compare your first day
in Canada to today).
• Multimodal prompts: using multiple modes in
their writing/speaking (e.g., draw your story
and tell about the image).
In response to these prompts, learners often drew
on the many languages and modes available to
them, creatively adapting and merging them
into new linguistic forms. While some might
see such texts as ungrammatical, I saw them as
artifacts of creative process, representing learners’
agency and engagement with multiple modes of
expression. In addition, I interpreted reliance on
multimodal and plurilingual forms of expression
exhibited by several learners as a self-defining act
of taking ownership of their own learning. Similar
to the findings of the seminal work on identity
texts by Cummins and Early (2011), I found that
many learners not only actively engaged with the
prompts, but also transformed their narrations into
more familiar, accessible modes. is plurilingual
and multimodal approach to storytelling resulted
in deeper learning experiences and the emergence
of creative language use. e plurilingual context
of the classroom, coupled with the intentional
use of storytelling prompts, created valuable
opportunities for playfulness with the language.
Most learners embraced and celebrated the diverse
linguistic resources at their disposal, employing
multiple codes to participate actively in the
language learning process. Such dynamic not only
enhanced the learners’ communicative abilities
but also reshaped the power dynamics within
the classroom. e learners became confident,
creative communicators, actively co-constructing
a productive playful learning environment. is
brings me to my second insight: We should not shy
away from multiple language use in the classroom,
albeit seemingly chaotic and ungrammatical. On
the contrary, by intentionally incorporating
plurilingual creative prompts, we can foster
a learning environment where learners act as
agentive and confidant communicators.
Creating a learning environment in which
learners see themselves as stakeholders and
valuable members of the community was one of
the goals of the Seniors Storytelling Club. is is
why all stories – short, long, plurilingual, and
multimodal – were published in an illustrated
book entitled Exchanging Stories that was launched
at the end of the course. English and Irving (2015)
write that the creation of a physical artifact as
a product of creative practices has the potential
to generate “social transformation and change”
(p. 49). Indeed, creating an artifact together
was incredibly arming for language learners.
At the book launch party, the participants each
received a copy of the book and got an opportunity
to share their thoughts and feelings about this
publication. e book launch was attended not
only by the Seniors Storytelling Club members
but also by their friends, relatives, and the sta
of the learning centre. During the event, some
participants expressed their pride and excitement
in seeing their stories in print. ey shared
their plans to show the publication to everyone
they know, further emphasizing the sense of
accomplishment they felt in having their work
recognized and presented in a physical form. In
addition, the book launch was a special event
that recognized and celebrated participants’
creative use of languages/images in storytelling.
It also armed learners as valuable contributors,
talented storytellers in multiple languages,
and published authors. is brings me to my
final insight: when learners have the chance
to see the tangible artifact of their creative
expression, it fosters a profound sense of
accomplishment and a desire for learning.

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ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION FALL 2023
Conclusion
Butterwick and Lawrence (2009) write: “the arts
are a way to communicate our stories in ways that
connect with others” (p. 35). is paper suggests
that creative exercises such as storytelling is an
eective way to support adult learning. I discussed
what constitutes creativity in language learning
and use as well as the benefits of unlocking
learners’ creativity for EAL programing beyond the
language classroom.
Humans are inherently creative beings, and
it would be an oversight to neglect it in the
language learning classroom. By recognizing
and encouraging learners’ creative potential,
we can foster a dynamic learning environment.
From enhancing engagement and motivation to
arming emerging identities of the learners as
confident, expressive communicators, integration
of creative elements into language instruction
can lead to transformative language learning
experiences. As educators, we need to seize
the opportunity to establish creative language
classrooms that reignite learners’ inherent
playfulness in language use. By embracing
learners’ creativity in all its forms, we can unlock
their full potential and nurture a sense of joy and
fulfillment on their language learning journeys.

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ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION FALL 2023
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