Beyond Creativity: the 4Cs in Action

Why 4Cs in Education?

When choosing my Erasmus+ course, I was initially considering one focused on creativity in the classroom. However, my goals were vaguely defined, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to gain or whether focusing on creativity alone would be the most obvious and valuable choice for my professional development.

Creativity has always been an integral part of teaching, and there’s always something new to learn. At the same time, I work with a wide variety of students, and not everyone enjoys creative tasks in the same way. I wanted something that would offer a broader scope and provide practical strategies for different learners and teaching environments.

That’s why I chose a course on the 4Cs: communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Together, these four competencies form the foundation of many 21st-century skills. They are relevant across all age groups and subjects, and in language teaching they help students do much more than simply learn vocabulary and grammar. They encourage learners to communicate effectively, solve problems, work together, and think independently while using the target language.

What did I learn?

The course began with a theoretical overview explaining how the four competencies complement one another and why they are so important in today’s classrooms. However, its greatest strength was its practical focus.

Rather than simply talking about teaching methods, we experienced them ourselves, stepping into our students’ shoes. Each of the four competencies was introduced through a variety of individual, pair, and group activities that could be later implemented in our own classrooms.

Although presented individually, the course emphasized that, in practice, the four skills are closely interconnected and should be integrated throughout lessons rather than developed in isolation, naturally reinforcing one another.

What stood out the most?

One of the highlights of the course was our visit to the National Art Museum of Catalonia, where we took part in a workshop on applying Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS). As participants, we were encouraged to respond to works of art, share and justify our interpretations, listen to one another’s perspectives, and build on each other’s ideas. In a single activity, we naturally practised all four competencies: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration.

The visual aspect of VTS is particularly valuable, as many students benefit from visual stimuli that make lessons more engaging and memorable.

I also appreciated the activities involving movement and kinesthetic learning. In relation to Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk Do Schools Kill Creativity?, they reinforced the importance of engaging the body as well as the mind in the learning process. The activities showed how simple movement-based tasks can make lessons more interactive, sustain students’ attention, and support more active engagement with the content, particularly for learners who benefit from more physical involvement in the learning process.

How has the course enriched my teaching?

The course has given me a broader and more flexible perspective on teaching. I came away with plenty of practical activities that can be adapted for different age groups, language levels, and learning preferences.

Perhaps even more importantly, I now have a stronger theoretical framework that serves as a kind of blueprint I can build on when planning activities. It has encouraged me to look beyond familiar classroom routines and think more intentionally about the skills students can develop through different types of tasks.

Am I satisfied with the course?

Absolutely. It was time well spent. Coming from different educational contexts and countries, including Italy, Germany, and Poland, it was interesting to exchange perspectives and compare approaches to teaching with fellow participants.

Our trainer, Elaina, created a welcoming and engaging atmosphere throughout the course. She encouraged regular reflection and ensured that we left with concrete ideas we could adapt in our own classrooms.

The course was well organised and focused on hands-on experience rather than being heavily theory-based. While not every activity can be transferred directly to online teaching, we also discussed ways of adapting several of them for digital classrooms.

Overall, I returned to Slovakia with new ideas, practical techniques, and renewed enthusiasm for creating lessons that help students communicate, collaborate, think critically, and develop their creativity alongside language skills.

Text and photos by: Katia Mazur