CAPRIOLI, Nicole

• Program：Doctoral Program
• Enrollment in：April 2022
• Directed Research: Speech Communication and Language Acquisition

Message

My PhD research investigates the role of creativity and creative self-beliefs in the English-speaking performance of Japanese learners. In particular, it examines how learners’ confidence in their own creative abilities influences oral language production in a foreign language. 

For a long time, creativity was largely neglected as an object of scientific inquiry, and only in the past fifty years has it re-emerged as a central topic of research. Although studies on creativity have proliferated and its importance in educational contexts has been widely acknowledged, its systematic implementation within teaching curricula remains limited. Moreover, in the field of second language acquisition, relatively few studies have examined how creativity may influence learners’ spoken performance. Speaking a second language is not only a cognitive task but also a creative and expressive act, requiring learners to take risks, construct narratives, and respond flexibly to communicative situations. This highlights the need for further investigation into the role of creativity in language learning. 

Adopting a cognitive approach to creativity, my research employs psychometric measures alongside narrative speaking tasks to analyze the relationship between creative variables and linguistic performance. By examining how creativity and creative self-beliefs shape spoken language outcomes, this study aims to provide a clearer understanding of individual differences in oral production. 

Ultimately, my research seeks to contribute to applied linguistics, creativity studies, and language education by offering insights that can inform curriculum design, assessment practices, and classroom pedagogy. By highlighting the role of creativity in language learning, it aims to support educational practices that foster confident, expressive, and engaged language users. 

Back