LTPs involve a puzzle master presenting a story with an unusual element to detectives who ask yes/no questions to solve it. LTPs create an effective language learning environment by exposing students to comprehensible input and pushing output while encouraging interaction, noticing gaps, and processing language forms and meanings. The document discusses how LTPs can be adapted for different contexts and gender dynamics while addressing gender in language and professions. It concludes by asking how attendees think LTPs could benefit their teaching and what challenges they may face regarding gender.

1. Lateral thinking puzzles and gender:
Creative thinking in
language education
Evan Zelezny-Green
English Language Fellow
Université Badji Mokhtar
Annaba, Algeria
Ronda Zelezny-Green
PhD Candidate
Royal Holloway, University of London
United Kingdom
MATE Conference 28-31 January 2013

2. Outline of presentation

What are lateral thinking puzzles?

Why should you use them in your language
class?

Adapting the puzzles to your context and the
gendered classroom

Example of a lateral thinking puzzle

How do gender and lateral thinking puzzles relate
in English language teaching?

3. LTPs: History

Lateral thinking (Edward DeBono, 1967):
a way of thinking “outside the box” that
allows people to restructure their thought
patterns and avoid thinking in old, clichéd
ways

Lateral thinking puzzle (Paul Sloane, 1991):
a type of game for small groups...

4. LTPs: Process

Players:
• 1 "Puzzle Master"
• 1+ "Detectives"

The Puzzle Master narrates a story with a
strange, mysterious or unlikely element.

The Detectives try to explain the story.

5. LTPs: Process (continued)
The Detectives can ask an unlimited
number of closed (yes/no) questions.
The Puzzle Master can give one of four
responses:
• "Yes"
• "No"
• "Irrelevant"
• "I don't know"
If the Detectives are having difficulty, the
Puzzle Master can give them a clue.

6. What is an example of a lateral
thinking puzzle?
Once upon a time, there was a woman and
her daughter driving on the highway...

7. Why should I use LTPs in my
language class?
LTPs are one answer to the most important
question that language teachers should ask
themselves:
“How can I create an effective foreign/second
language environment, given the particular
complexities of my personal teaching context?”

8. Why should I use LTPs in my
language class? (continued)
LTPs allow for many of the characteristics of
an effective second language environment:

exposure to comprehensible input (i+1)
(Krashen, 1985)

pushed output (Swain, 1985)

meaningful, convergent tasks
(Dörnyei, 1994)

9. Why should I use LTPs in my
language class? (continued)
LTPs allow for many of the characteristics of
an effective second language environment:

interaction and negotiation of meaning
(Donato, 1994)

noticing the gap in one’s ability
(Mackey, 2006)

content-oriented processing (Groot, 1994)

10. Why should I use LTPs in my
language class? (continued)
LTPs allow for many of the characteristics of
an effective second language environment:

form-oriented processing (R. Ellis, 1990)

communication and learning strategies
(Westhoff, 1991)

11. Why should I use LTPs in my
language class?
They can serve as a base for encountering
and practicing:
• various linguistic structures (e.g.
interrogatives, negative forms, various
tenses, etc.)
• pragmatic aspects of language (e.g. turn-
taking, maxims of quantity, relation, manner,
etc.)
• intercultural communication (moving beyond
assumptions)

12. Why should I use LTPs in my
language class? (continued)
Their bizarre and absurd situations can:
• awaken the interest of the learners
• increase the saliency of new linguistic
elements (Slobin, 1985)
• and facilitate the formation of
associations with existing schema
(N.C. Ellis, 2003)

13. Why should I use LTPs in my
language class? (continued)
And best of all, they are NOT dependent on
lots of materials!
This means LTPs are extremely flexible and
can be adapted for many different contexts.
They are ritualistic, so “instruction time“ is
kept to a minimum.

14. How can I adapt lateral thinking
puzzles to my context?

What factors do I need to take into
consideration?
• Age?
• Class size?
• Time?
• Content of stories?
• Gender-based power dynamics?
• Riddle tradition in the culture?

15. How does gender figure into LTPs?

Gendered language

Pronoun usage

Appropriate profession names in English as
to create gender equality in the world of work

Encouraging girls and women through
English language teaching

16. Discussion: LTPs, Gender and
Language Education

How do you think use of LTPs can benefit
your teaching situation?

What implementation challenges with LTPs
do you think you would face in your teaching
context?

How might gender dynamics in your
classroom impact or be impacted by LTPs
where gender “surprises” are used?

17. Where can I find lateral thinking
puzzles to use with my learners?
If you are interested, put your name and
email on the list, and Mr. Zelezny-Green will
send you a list of websites with examples of
lateral thinking puzzles.

18. QUESTIONS?
Thank you for attending our presentation!
CONTACT:
Evan Zelezny-Green
evan.zeleznygreen@gmail.com
Ronda Zelezny-Green
rondazg3@gmail.com
www.rondazg.com