Perceptions of Fostering Creative Thinking Skills in ESP Classrooms in Ukraine and Portugal

Abstract

Abstract−The purpose of the study was to investigate BA (bachelors of art) and (bachelors of science) students’ and ESP (English for Specific Purposes) teachers’ perceptions of creative thinking skills in the ESP classroom and study the current international approaches of fostering them at the ESP lesson. Participants in the research include 51 BA students from Portugal and 56 students from Ukraine as well as 30 Ukrainian and 16 Portuguese ESP teachers. Questionnaires were used for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. This research has confirmed the lack of fostering creative thinking skills in ESP classrooms in Portugal and Ukraine. The findings showed that the majority of ESP teachers in both countries would like to spend more time on fostering creative skills than they actually did. As the results identified teachers from Portugal and Ukraine often experienced problem-based learning, but in Portugal there was also a greater use of role playing as a part of creative approach, and in Ukraine there was a greater use of project-based learning. Creative skills Ukrainian and Portuguese students consider to be important for them were trying new experiments, searching for new ways to solve the problem, creating new associations and interdisciplinary links, choosing new information sources. Professional situations which according to the students’ answers demanded from them creative thinking skills were defined in the article too. Creative ESP tasks students in Ukraine, Portugal and other countries had in their classroom were stated as well.