Examining the relationship between teachers’ creativity and students’ critical thinking in the context of EFL learning in Iran

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between teachers’ creativity and students’ critical thinking among intermediate English as a foreign language learner in Iran. The study involved 100 university students majoring in English translation and teaching English as a foreign language and three of their teachers. The researchers recruited participants randomly and used two instruments, Honey’s critical thinking questionnaire, and Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) to collect data. The findings revealed that there was a moderate positive correlation between teachers’ creativity and students’ critical thinking, indicating that teachers who are more creative tend to promote critical thinking skills in their students. The study has several pedagogical implications, including classroom instruction for enhancing critical thinking skills among students. Moreover, the study highlights the importance of promoting creativity among English language teachers to facilitate critical thinking skills in their students. This can be done through teacher training programs that emphasize creativity and critical thinking. Additionally, the study suggests that creating a classroom environment that encourages creativity and critical thinking could lead to expected effective learning for students. In conclusion, this study adds to the existing literature on the relationship between creativity and critical thinking and provides insights for English language teaching in Iran.