English Language Education Section
Curriculum Development Institute
Education Bureau
26 & 27 October 2012

Time
2:00 – 2:10
2:10 – 2:40
2:40 – 3:40
26 October 2012
Content
Registration
Introduction
Experience Sharing by Seed Schools
St Mary’s Canossian School
Exploring Alternatives and Giving Expression to Imaginative Ideas with the help of
Creative Thinking Tools
3:40 – 3:50 Break
3:50 – 4:50
St Anthony’s School
Integrating Creative Thinking Skills into the
Teaching of Reading and Writing
4:50 – 5:00 Q and A

Time
9:30 – 9:40
9:40 –10:10
10:10 – 11:10
27 October 2012
Content
Registration
Introduction
Experience Sharing by Seed Schools
St Mary’s Canossian School
Exploring Alternatives and Giving Expression to Imaginative Ideas with the help of
Creative Thinking Tools
11:10 – 11:20 Break
11:20 – 12:20
St Anthony’s School
Integrating Creative Thinking Skills into the
Teaching of Reading and Writing
12:20 – 12:30 Q and A

• Introduce a variety of creative thinking tools & strategies to encourage imagination & creativity
• Provide learning & teaching resources for reference and adaptation for use
• Promote the sharing of innovative teaching strategies to integrate creative thinking skills into the teaching of reading and writing http://www.edb.gov.hk/creativethinking_pri

Background
Materials mainly developed in collaboration with two Seed schools participating in “Seed” Project on “Nurturing Pupils’
Creative Thinking through the Integration of Reading and
Writing in the Primary English Classroom”
St.
Anthony’s School St. Mary’s Canossian School
Level Primary 5 Primary 4
Teachers involved
PSM(CD), English panel head
& P.5 English teachers
English panel head &
P4 English teachers
Modules Food and Drink
Food Packaging
We Love Hong Kong
We Love Cheung Chau
Happy Days
An Unfair Game
Changes
Turning over a New Leaf
Happy Days
Favourite Festivals
We Love Reading
A New Fairy Tale

 Integrate
 Promote
 Explore

Creativity in the English Language
Education Context
Creativity is an important but elusive concept.
It has been defined in a variety of ways. Some people define it as an ability to produce original ideas and solve problems , others see it as a process , and yet other take it as personal qualities .
English Language Curriculum Guide
(Primary 1-6) 2004 P.75
To create a climate conducive to creativity,
can be employed …

Encouraging Creative Thinking

Encouraging Creative Thinking

Encouraging Creative Thinking

Encouraging Creative Thinking
Better Fluency
• produce many ideas in response to an open-ended problem / task

Encouraging Creative Thinking
Better Flexibility
• look at a situation from several perspectives

Encouraging Creative Thinking
More Originality
• break away from traditional patterns of thought
Rules
1.
You can…
2.
You can’t…
3.
You can’t…
..
..
.
X

Encouraging Creative Thinking
More Elaboration
• add details to a given idea for further development
She was sad.

She pulled the last tissue out to dry her tears.

Encouraging Creative Thinking
Greater Sensitivity to Problems
• identify problems, list out difficulties, detect missing information and ask good questions

Encouraging Creative Thinking
Better Transformation
• adapt something to a new use
• see new meanings and applications
• change an idea / object into another

novel
unusual
imaginative

I
II
Brainstorming
Mind Mapping
III Morphological Matrix
IV S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Techniques
V Value Grid
VI R.A.F.T. Strategy

Creativity in the English Language
Education Context
To create a climate conducive to creativity, some principles can be employed …
To develop learners’ creativity, we ask them to go beyond the given information, allow them time to think , strengthen their creative abilities, reward their creative efforts, value their creative attributes, teach them creative thinking techniques and the Creative Problem Solving model, and create a climate conducive to creativity.
English Language Curriculum Guide (Primary 1-6) 2004 P.75

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
I. Brainstorming
Example:
Building on students’ knowledge and experience
• a group thinking activity (Osborn, 1953)
• teacher acts as a facilitator
• students exchange ideas and form new ideas
“Rules” of brainstorming
Do’s
Don’t criticise / object to people’s opinions.
• This will discourage people from giving more ideas.
Don’ts
Do allow your imagination to run wild.
• Wild thoughts that appear to be impossible could be stepping stones to creative and practical ideas!
Do think of as many ideas as you can.
• A large number of ideas are more likely to yield a good idea .
Don’t set aside the ideas that are mentioned.
• Early ideas serve to stimulate further thoughts. Existing ideas can be combined and improved to form better ones .

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
I. Brainstorming
Example:
Brainstorming is like taking out everything from your wardrobe (the brain) to have a showcase of clothes and accessories
(what you know about the topic).

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
I. Brainstorming
Example:
What comes to mind when you think of summer? hot and wet
June to August sunny summer holiday watermelons swimming beach ice-cream mosquitoes
Topic: Summer summer courses summer holiday homework
Ocean Park relaxing
Food Expo cartoons typhoons air-conditioners cold drinks
The brainstorming session will end up with … MANY / FEW ideas.

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
I. & II. From Brainstorming … to Mind Mapping
Example: Provide students with sub-topics to organise their thoughts
Topic: Summer hot and wet beach summer courses
June to August sunny summer holiday swimming
Ocean Park watermelons
Food Expo ice-cream typhoons mosquitoes
Food cold drinks summer holiday homework relaxing cartoons air-conditioners

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
I. & II. From Brainstorming … to Mind Mapping
Example:
Provide students with sub-topics to organise their thoughts
Topic: Summer hot and wet beach summer courses
June to August sunny summer holiday swimming
Food
Ocean Park watermelons
Food Expo ice-cream typhoons mosquitoes cold drinks
Weather summer holiday homework relaxing cartoons air-conditioners

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
I. & II. From Brainstorming … to Mind Mapping
Example:
Provide students with sub-topics to organise their thoughts
Topic: Summer hot and wet beach summer courses
June to August sunny
Ocean Park summer holiday watermelons
Food Expo ice-cream swimming typhoons
Food mosquitoes cold drinks
Weather summer holiday homework relaxing cartoons air-conditioners

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
I. & II. From Brainstorming … to Mind Mapping
Topic: Summer hot and wet beach
June to August sunny summer holiday swimming watermelons ice-cream mosquitoes
Food
Weather summer courses
Ocean Park
Food Expo typhoons cold drinks
summer holiday homework relaxing cartoons air-conditioners
Guide students to classify & prioritise ideas

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
II. Mind Mapping
Example: ice-cream
Help students narrow down their scope of thinking & focus on the relevant aspects cold drinks Food watermelons air-conditioners hot and wet
June to August mosquitoes
Summer in
Hong Kong beach cartoons
Weather Activities Food Expo
Ocean Park sunny typhoons swimming summer holiday
Summer holiday homework relaxing summer courses

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
I. Brainstorming
A variation: brainwriting (Rohrbach, 1969)
• write ideas on a sheet of paper
• pass on to the next student
• generate more ideas as more participants engage

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
II. Mind Mapping
Concentrating students’ thoughts by providing sub-topics
• a non-linear diagram with one focused topic at the centre for planning and organising information
• provide students with sub-topics to guide them to organise their thoughts (Buzan, 1994)
• help them narrow down their scope (Buzan, 1994)
• help them visualise ideas
• allow them to classify and prioritise ideas

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
II. Mind Mapping
Example:
Mind mapping is like categorising many pieces of clothing (ideas / what you know about the topic) into different drawers (sub-topics)

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
Combining ideas to explore possibilities and create unusual ideas

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
In groups, plan a few attractive activities to be organised in summer as part of the “Fun Learning Carnival” of your school. Show them on a poster.
Ice-cream making
Balloons twisting
Science in
Kitchen
Water splashing game
Treasure
Fair

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
In groups, plan a few attractive activities to be organised in summer as part of the “Fun Learning Carnival” of your school. Show them on a poster.
Ice-cream making
Balloons twisting
Science in
Kitchen
Water splashing game
Treasure
Fair
Construct a morphological matrix for more possibilities and unusual ideas.
Step 1
State clearly the topic (subject):
Organise summer activities.

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
In groups, plan a few attractive activities to be organised in summer as part of the “Fun Learning Carnival” of your school. Show them on a poster.
Ice-cream making
Balloons twisting
Water splashing game
Science in
Kitchen
Treasure
Fair
Construct a morphological matrix for more possibilities and unusual ideas.
Step 1
State clearly the topic (subject):
Organise summer activities.

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
In groups, plan a few attractive activities to be organised in summer as part of the “Fun Learning Carnival” of your school. Show them on a poster.
Ice-cream making
Balloons twisting
Science in
Kitchen
Water splashing game
Treasure
Fair
Construct a morphological matrix for more possibilities and unusual ideas.
Step 1
State clearly the topic (subject):
Organise summer learning activities .

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
In groups, plan a few attractive activities to be organised in summer as part of the “Fun Learning Carnival” of your school. Show them on a poster.
Ice-cream making
Balloons twisting art
Science in
Kitchen
Water splashing game
Treasure
Fair
Construct a morphological matrix for more possibilities and unusual ideas.
Step 1
State clearly the topic (subject):
Organise summer learning activities .

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
In groups, plan a few attractive activities to be organised in summer as part of the “Fun Learning Carnival” of your school. Show them on a poster.
Ice-cream making
Balloons twisting
Science in
Kitchen
Water splashing game
Treasure
Fair
Construct a morphological matrix for more possibilities and unusual ideas
Step 1
State clearly the topic (subject):
Organise fun summer learning activities for classmates.

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
In groups, plan a few attractive activities to be organised in summer as part of the “Fun Learning Carnival” of your school. Show them on a poster.
Ice-cream making
Balloons twisting art
Water splashing game
Science in
Kitchen
Treasure
Fair
Construct a morphological matrix for more possibilities and unusual ideas
Step 1
State clearly the topic (subject):
Organise fun summer learning activities for classmates.

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
Step 2
Identify all important sub-topics
What are all the important characteristics of “ fun summer learning activities for classmates ”?
What skills to learn?
What types?
What participants?
What places?
Step 3
List all the sub-topics on the first row of a table in different columns e.g. Show Balloon twisting Classroom Students, guests
Types of activities Skills to learn Places Participants

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
Step 2
Identify all important sub-topics
What are all the important characteristics of “ fun summer learning activities for classmates ”?
3
4
5
6
What skills to learn?
Step 3
What types ?
What participants?
What places?
List all the sub-topics on the first row of a table in different columns e.g. Show Balloon twisting Classroom Students, guest
1
Types of activities Skills to learn talk language
Places school
2 workshop camp competition concert show singing computer skills first aid skills cooking dancing beach museum country park street
Internet
Participants
P1 - P3 students
P4 – P6 students all students teachers parents parents & students

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
Step 4
Mix and match ideas across the columns randomly to form new combinations.
Four-digit number
Combination
3146 a camp for learning a language in a country park for parents and students

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
III. Morphological Matrix
Step 4
Mix and match ideas across the columns randomly to form new combinations.
Four-digit number
Combination
3146
2564 a camp for learning a language in a country park for parents and students a cooking workshop on the Internet for teachers

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
IV. S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Techniques
Thinking outside the box

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
IV. S.C.A.M.P.E.R. Techniques
• identify characteristics of a subject & make changes to form novel ideas
• stimulate students to cope with problems from new perspectives
• visualise a creative image in minds
P ut to other uses
Wearing a bow tie on head
M agnify
Wearing an oversized hat
E liminate
Cutting the sleeves of a T-shirt
Using SCAMPER techniques to treat a piece of clothing differently

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies
V. Value Grid
Evaluating the pros and cons of ideas for a better solution
It is Granpa’s birthday soon. Write an email to Dad to share what birthday present to buy for him.
A ball pen
Tea A Watch
What would your students write to share with Dad?
What reasons would your students give?
How do we encourage free expression of ideas to enrich the email content?
How do we help students explore alternatives and evaluate solutions?

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
V. Value Grid
Explore alternatives and evaluate solutions
Ideas
1
Flowers
Step 1
In the first column of the grids, list the ideas
2
Mobile phone
3
Photo album
4
Fountain pen

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
V. Value Grid
Ideas
Explore alternatives and evaluate solutions
A
How much does it cost?
B
How long does it last?
C
Where can we get it?
D
What meaning does it have?
1
Flowers
2
Mobile phone
3
Photo album
4
Fountain pen
Step 2
In the first row list the values to consider when finding an ideal solution

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
Ideas
V. Value Grid
1
Flowers
2
Mobile phone
3
Photo album
A
How much does it cost?
~$300 per bunch
$500 to
$6000
<$100
Explore alternatives and evaluate solutions
B
How long does it last?
1 week
C
Where can we get it?
Florists
D
What meaning does it have?
People give flowers to show love
A few years
Forever
Electrical appliance shops
Stationery shops
Grandpa can keep in touch with us easily
Grandpa can keep sweet memories in album
Step 3
Fill the grid by looking at each idea for each value
4
Fountain pen
~$400 Forever but needs ink refill
Stationery shops
Grandpa can carry the pen wherever he goes to remember us

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
Ideas
1
Flowers
2
Mobile phone
3
Photo album
4
Fountain pen
V. Value Grid
A
How much does it cost?
~$300 per bunch
~$400
Explore alternatives and evaluate solutions
B
How long does it last?
1 week
$500 to $6000 A few years Electrical appliance shops
<$100 Forever Stationery shops
Forever but needs ink refill
C
Where can we get it?
Florists
Stationery shops
D
What meaning does it have?
People give flowers to show love
Grandpa can keep in touch with us easily
Grandpa can keep sweet memories in album
Grandpa can carry the pen wherever he goes to remember us
Step 4
Compare the pros and cons for all ideas

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
V. Value Grid
Flowers won’t last!
A photo album lasts forever & we can easily buy it at stationery shops
Ideas
1
Flowers
2
Mobile phone
The photo album is the cheapest among 4 choices
3
Photo album
4
Fountai n pen
A
How much does it cost?
~$300 per bunch
$500 to $6000 A few years Electrical appliance shops
<$100
~$400
Explore alternatives and evaluate solutions
B
How long does it last?
1 week
Forever
Forever but needs ink refill
C
Where can we get it?
Florists
Stationery shops
Stationery shops
D
What meaning does it have?
People give flowers to show love
Grandpa can keep in touch with us easily
How meaningful!
Grandpa can keep sweet memories in the album!
Grandpa can sweet memories in album
Grandpa can carry the pen wherever he goes to remember us
Step 4
Compare the pros and cons for all ideas

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
Ideas
1
Flowers
V. Value Grid
A
How much does it cost?
~$300 per bunch
Explore alternatives and evaluate solutions
B
How long does it last?
C
Where can we get it?
D
What meaning does it have?
1 week Florists People give flowers to show love
2
Mobile phone
$500 to $6000 A few years Electrical appliance shops
Grandpa can keep in touch with us easily
3
Photo album
<$100
4
Fountain pen
~$400
Forever
Forever but needs ink refill
Stationery shops
Stationery shops
Grandpa can keep sweet memories in album
Grandpa can carry the pen wherever he goes to remember us
Step 5
Choose the best idea and modify it

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies:
V. Value Grid
With much more content input …
From: Tom < tompan@yahoo.com
>
To: Anthony < anthonypan@hotmail.com
>
Subject: Grandpa’s birthday
Dear Dad,
It’s Grandpa’s birthday soon.
I have thought for a long time about his birthday present. I came up with many ideas like a mobile phone, a photo album, a fountain pen and flowers. Isn’t a photo album the best of all? It lasts forever and
Grandpa can keep all his sweet memories there. How meaningful!
I am planning to buy the album at a stationery shop after school.
It is also the cheapest .
By the way, Father’s Day is coming soon. I have to get ready your gift too!
My piggy bank is losing weight!!
Love
Tom

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies
VI. R.A.F.T. Strategy
Thinking from a new angle
• R ole: Take on the role of someone or something (an object) to think about how to react to a situation
• A udience: Write to a specific audience, their background, knowledge, feelings and concerns
• F ormat: Write in different formats
• T opic: Write about a variety of topics
Using the RAFT stratergy = looking into different mirrors in different roles from new angles. You will see a brand new image.

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies
VI. R.A.F.T. Strategy
Evaluating the pros and cons of ideas for a better solution
Here is David’s case.
David’s family is moving to a new house soon. His mum gave some toys to a charity and asked David to throw away some old ones.
R
A
F
T ole udience ormat opic
How do you help your students think from a new angle and understand a topic / situation more deeply?
R.A.F.T. Writing Assignment 1
An old toy
(A teddy bear)
David
A letter
Feelings about being thrown away / Being sad
Dear David,
I feel so sad that you are moving.
You are a good master because you always look after me. I like playing with you.
I know you don’t want to leave me behind. Will you find a new master for me? I hope you will give me to another good child.
I will miss you!
Love,
Teddy

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies
VI. R.A.F.T. Strategy
Evaluating the pros and cons of ideas for a better solution
Here is David’s case.
David’s family is moving to a new house soon. His mum gave some toys to a charity and asked David to throw away some old ones.
R ole
A
F
T
How do you help your students think from a new angle and understand a topic / situation more deeply?
R.A.F.T. Writing Assignment 2 udience ormat opic
An old toy
(A spinning top)
David
A letter
Feelings about being thrown away
Dear David,
I am now at the new home with my new master. I feel so happy because my new master plays with me most of the time and he loves me so much.
I know that you don’t want to leave me behind but you have to. I had a nice time with you in the past
I will miss you!
Love,
Top

Using Creative Thinking Tools & Strategies
VI. R.A.F.T. Strategy
Evaluating the pros and cons of ideas for a better solution
Here is David’s case.
David’s family is moving to a new house soon. His mum gave some toys to a charity and asked David to throw away some old ones.
R
A
F
T
How do you help your students think from a new angle and understand a topic / situation more deeply?
R.A.F.T Writing Assignment 3 ole udience ormat opic
David
A charity
A letter /
X’mas card
Donating old toys
Dear Boys and Girls,
Merry X’mas! Christmas is a time to give. I would like to share with you 3 boxes of toys. I played with them when I was young.
The toys are still new. They are good for boys and girls. There are puzzles, toy cars, dolls and card games.
I am sure you will find something you like.
Best wishes,
David