Abstract:

In modern globalized world, there is an urgent need to prepare students for work in intercultural surroundings. As some intercultural elements can cause misunderstanding and miscommunication, we are in search of tools that facilitate intercultural communication. Studies revealed that general conflict resolution skills and flexibility necessary for working in an increasingly multinational arena might be connected to enhanced creativity. Creativity, understood here as the ability to “give rise to something new, regardless of whether what is created is a physical object or some mental or emotional construct that lives within the person who created it and is known only to him”[2] should be of higher priority in education.

This paper has three purposes:
(1) to develop the argument that creativity is a key element in intercultural communication;
(2) to test a systems of drama activities in language classroom as a means of creativity development;
(3) to assess the dynamics of students creativity.

The study was conducted with the total number of participants of 56 foreign students studying Russian and 40 students studying English in Moscow universities. The data was collected with the help of self-report survey questionnaires. The effects of the experiment were evaluated using divergent thinking verbal tasks.

The present study shows initial evidence for a positive relation between using drama activities establishing a balance between cognitive, emotional learning and experiential processes, and more efficient creative communication in multicultural context. These results provide promising evidence that intercultural background promotes flexibility and creative thinking.

To introduce innovation into intercultural learning, teachers and educators must create an environment that fosters creativity as catalysts for transformation. Drama activities involving role-plays and simulations create a lively and friendly atmosphere, that awaken the senses, sharpen insights and allow exciting possibilities for taking creative risks , both personally and professionally.

Keywords:

Intercultural, creativity, drama, diverse thinking.