When the National Curriculum was first introduced, the Modern
Languages brief talked about creativity.
However, nobody could quite decide what that meant so the word was
removed. Arguably anyway all writing is creative: it creates something in the
reader. Also the writer has to be creative with the tools at her disposal to
create the desired response in the reader – whether that be through poem, a letter to the paper or a tax return.
Being able to write exactly what you want in a foreign language may
seem like a very ambitious goal for a learner, particularly a new learner.
I argue here that
someone new to a language can use that of which they have mastery to achieve
much if they use their knowledge and skills creatively.
First, you spell out a word. Then you look in the dictionary for words
that begin with each letter. Note the third line includes a more complex
sentence. You don't need to have that
there but it is an option for those more fluent in a second language. These
examples are my name. You can use real nouns or a topic.
Moi
Gamine, généreuse,
grande, garantie,
Intelligente,
idéaliste, idiomatique, illogique,
Laisse les mots
tomber comme les perles,
Lamentable, laide,
légende, létale
Yo
Graciosa, guapa,
gentil,
Intelligente,
idéologica, ilusa,
Labré mi propia vida
Larga,
laudable y legal.
Ich
Glänzend,
gut, gastfreundlich, geduldig,
Intelligent,
individuell, infantil, informativ
Laufe
ich durch die ganze Hafenstadt,
Lakonisch,
lässig, lästig, langweilig und launisch.
