Developing Creative Abilities of Future Journalists in the Process of Learning German as a Second Foreign Language

Abstract

The article highlights the main professional qualities of a future journalist, paying special attention to creative abilities. Creativity is characterized as a mark of a high level of professional competence. Creative abilities are considered to be necessary for future journalists in order to fulfill professional tasks skillfully. The article analyzes the most important factors that influence the increasing demand for creativity in journalism. The term creativity, its definition in the frame of journalistic profession and main characteristics are examined in the article. The most essential components of creativity are described. The author analyzes the process of future journalists' creative skills development. In the frame of the article special techniques and teaching methods for fostering creative abilities of future journalists in the process of learning German as a second language have been elaborated. The author describes certain creative abilities that are developed by each method. Some examples of language activities are presented in the article. The author gives brief instructions for successful implementation of language activities and tasks. Moreover, some peculiarities of teaching German as a second foreign language have been analyzed. The author outlines the most significant factors that should be taken into consideration in this process. Creative writing, role playing and discussions (taking an interview, making up a family budget, creative story-telling) proved to promote creativity development in the process of learning German as a second foreign language. The article pays attention to specific principles for creativity development while learning German. Useful recommendations are given concerning the effective implementation of the methods and teaching techniques for students' creative abilities development in the process of learning German.The author outlines further researches that are connected with the investigation of the development of learners' creative writing skills in the process of studying foreign languages by non-linguistic students.