European Journal of English Language Teaching
ISSN: 2501-7136
ISSN-L: 2501-7136
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu
10.5281/zenodo.166305
Volume 1│Issue 2│2016
INCREASING CREATIVITY WITH THE SELF-STUDIES IN
BASIC ENGLISH CLASSES
Ozlem Yagcioglui
Full-time instructor, Modern Languages Department,
Dokuz Eylul University, Buca-Izmir, Turkey
Abstract:
There are many materials, books and resources for the self-studies which can be useful
in the ESL and in the EFL classrooms. Choosing the ones which can make learners more
creative and happier will help our students to develop their language skills in speaking,
reading, writing and listening. This paper deals with the methods and approaches to
help our students to become creative learners and thinkers. Methods and approaches
which can be used to help our students to be creative will be explained. Games on
creativity will be told. Classroom activities will be shared. Useful blogs, websites and
books on creativity will be suggested.
Keywords: self-studies; games; approaches; creative thinkers
1. Introduction
In recent years, the role of the self-studies in foreign language learning has always been
inevitable. Students can improve or develop their language skills with the help of the
useful self-studies which are suggested by their teachers or instructors.
Students who learn English as a foreign language or as a second language
usually need to be motivated with some exercises and games which help them to be
creative and happier learners and thinkers. In basic English classes, students often ask
questions about the new words they learn. They also ask questions about the different
tenses they learn every week. Teachers or instructors use different kinds of methods
and approaches to make their students more creative and happier. In our contemporary
world, teachers are luckier to find more materials to help their learners to be more
creative, as there are more books and websites than the ones in the past. Using the right
Correspondence: email ozlem.yoglu@deu.edu.tr or ozlemygcgl@gmail.com
i
Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved
Published by Open Access Publishing Group ©2015.
59
OzlemYagcioglu –
INCREASING CREATIVITY WITH THE SELF-STUDIES IN BASIC ENGLISH CLASSES
methods is always crucial to create happier class hours. The same methods and
approaches cannot be used in every class, although all of the learners are basic English
learners in the Basic English Classes Department, because the students in each class in
the Basic English Classes Department have different interests and different
characteristics. This issue is same in the Modern Languages Departments.
This study will help you to understand the definitions of creative thinkers and
creative behaviours and will suggest you different kinds of self-studies according to
your different levels of students in different classes.
2. Theoretical Background
2.1. What is creativity?
According to the free online dictionary, Thesaurus.com, creativity is defined as:
...the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like
and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality,
progressiveness, or imagination: the need for creativity in modern industry;
creativity in the performing arts.
As Richards (2013:3) states the following on creativity:
Creativity is usually described as having a number of different dimensions: the
ability to solve problems in original and valuable ways that are relevant to goals;
seeing new meanings and relationships in things and making connections; having
original and imaginative thoughts and ideas about something; using the imagination
and past experience to create new learning possibilities."
Creativity has two crucial components. First, a creative person must produce ideas or
behaviours which are recognizably original. The individual is capable of generating
ideas or behaviours which are novel, surprising, or unusual. Secondly, the behaviours
or ideas must be original and adaptive. To be adaptive, the individual’s originality must
make a positive contribution to that person’s life or to the lives of others. (Peterson &
Seligman, 2004: 110).
2.2. What is creative thinking?
Creative thinking is defined by the Academic and Training Support System,
Educational Resources as:
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http://www.edu-resource.com/training-and-development/what-is-creativethinking.php
Creative thinking is actually both capacity to blend or synthesize to present
suggestions, images, or experience in unique ways and the expertise of thinking,
responding and dealing in a creative way characterized by a higher level of
development, risk taking and divergent thinking.
2.3. What is creative behavior?
Maher, Merrick and Saunders (2008:1) state the following on creative behaviour:
https://www.aaai.org/Papers/Symposia/Spring/2008/SS-08-03/SS08-03-007.pdf
Psychologists and biologists have proposed a number of definitions for creative
behaviour in natural systems. In humans, creative behaviour may be defined as
behaviour that results in a product that is unique or valuable to either an individual
or a society.
Here, it is understood that creative behaviour is a unique response which is realised
by everyone. Because the individual who is capable of having a creative behaviour
creates valuable results.
Creative behaviour is also defined by Uribe-Larach & Cabra (2011: 325) as:
"Creative behavior has been viewed as the creative act, or a set of acts, which are
made explicit through behavior. Creative behavior is not submissive; it is an action,
which leads to a creative output or a solution to a challenge.
2.4. Techniques of Creativity
Techniques of creativity have been described and listed by Türköz (2010: 163):
“a. Brainstorming: This technique was coined by Alex Osborn in the 1930s.
Brainstorming is the technique which leads the group of people to thinking by making the
effects of associations and wakening. According to Osborn, this technique has four rules.
And these are: to criticize, free throw, association of as many ideas and opinions as
possible, relation, development, change and bringing together.
b. Reverse Brainstorming: Brainstorming is done on the basis of understanding
through which ideas the one can be successful. However, the reverse brainstorming is
done for the aim of understanding how to fall the ideas. By this technique, the faults and
the drawbacks are searched.
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c. Idea Map: At this technique, the change and the arousal generate the basis. The ideas
that are about the issue come out are tried to be matched with the common issue.
d. Check list: It is the technique of asking the questions which are prepared previously
for making the search of creative idea easier to the creative person or to the teams focused
on. The aim is to stimulate the creation of new ideas by matching the question with the
issue.
e. Gordon technique: It is a more systematic technique which continues from the point
where the brainstorming left. As it happens in the other techniques, all the members of
the team do not know the aim for which the creative idea is produced. As the aim is not
obvious, the creativity is got rid of the prejudgements and the habits.
f. Investigation of the assumptions: By breaking the assumptions, making the reverse
of it and investigating it, the creative idea can be stimulated.
2.5. The Efficient Factors for the Development of the Creativity in Our Classes
Motivation is an essential factor which affects teachers and their students to have joyful
classes. As a result of the lack of motivation students or teachers can be unsuccessful.
With the help of the increasing motivation, students and teachers can achieve happiness
and success.
Türköz (2010: 163) indicates:
Motivation can be separated into two:
a. Internal Motivation: The passion of creativity, the interest and the will for the
creativity are related to the internal motivation. The challenge about the solving of the
problem and the sense of satisfaction resulting from the solution increase the motivation.
b. External Motivation: This kind of motivation consists of the external factors. The
prize or the positive result that is going to be gained with the completion of a study or a
task is the factor that will influence the motivation at the first level.
2.6. Creativity in Higher Education
Allen (2015:17) states that;
In higher education, creativity is frequently espoused as a graduate capability,
alongside
related
attributes
such
as
innovative
problem
solving
and
entrepreneurship, promoted by employers who recognise the importance of soft skills
in the new millennium marketplace.
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As it has been mentioned by Hudzik (2013: 101):
Challenges facing higher education lead some to believe that higher education as we
know it will be a thing of the past-for example from bricks to Web clicks. Others are
less sanguine about the short- run scope of change. Yet studies in the US, Australia,
Europe and by the OECD signal fundamental change in modes of operation and the
business model.
3. Method
3.1.1. Participants
The participants of my classroom activities consisted of 90 university students in the
English Preparatory Classes Department at Dokuz Eylul University in the city of Izmir
in Turkey. 51 of them were male students and 39 of them were female students. Their
ages ranged from 19-22. The participants of this study were asked to reply to the
following questions during the 1st and the 2nd weeks of their courses.
3.1.2 Teaching Procedure
The participants were asked to reply to the following questions during the 1st and the
2nd weeks of their courses:
A.
Sample Class Activities
The participants were asked to reply to the following questions during the 2nd and the
third week of their lessons:
1. Do you think using and learning quotes can make you happy or happier while
learning new things?
2. How can you give positive energy with the help of quotes?
3. Where can you find useful quotes to motivate yourself?
B.
Sample Class Activity
The following quotes were given the students to do pair-work and group work
activities:
They were also asked to bring pictures and photos to their speaking classes. They
used their pictures and photos while talking about the following topics:
1. Quote to Be Hopeful and Optimistic (Ben-Shahar: 91)
You see things; and you say, Why? ”ut I dream things that never were; and I say,
Why not? - George Bernard Shaw
2. Recognize when good enough will do (Ben-Shahar: 156)
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Settle for a choice that meets your core requirements rather than searching for the
elusive best. - Barry Schwartz
3. Bring positive energy wherever you go (Ben-Shahar: 174)
Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. –
“nthony D “ngelo
4. Focus on Successes (Ben-Shahar: 265)
Wherever your attention goes, your energy flows and life grows. - Brian Bacon
5. Never too old: (Tishio: 15)
“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. - C.S. Lewis
C. Sample Class Activity to Improve Vocabulary Knowledge (Haley, 2010: 160)
Directions:
1.
Students were assigned a different vocabulary word.
2.
During the class hours, students wrote down other words they heard or read that
helped them describe their vocabulary word.
3.
In the other box, a picture of what the word reminded them of or looked like in
their mind was drawn by the students.
Vocabulary Word
Words to Describe Your Word|Draw a Picture
D. Sample Activity for the Pre-Intermediate Level of Students
Directions: Students filled each link with jobs that were interdependent and gave
reasons why they needed each other. (Haley, 2010: 155).
Independent Chains
Job
Reason
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Job
Reason
Job
Reason
Job
Reason
E. Sample Class Activities for Speaking Classes:
The following games have been suggested by the INGED (English Language
Education Association):
http://www.inged.org.tr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49&Itemi
d=56#content
1.
Names and adjectives
This is a warm up activity which can be used to warm up our classes and it was
used in 3 of my classes as a warm up activity:
"Participants think of an adjective to describe how they are feeling or how they are.
The adjective must start with the same letter as their name, for instance, I m
Henri and I m action that describes the adjective."
2. Three truths and a lie
This is a warm up activity to warm up our classes and it was used in 3 of my
classes as a warm up activity:
Everyone writes their name, along with four pieces of information about
themselves on
a large sheet of paper. For example, “lfonse likes singing, loves
football, has five wives and loves PR“ . Participants then circulate with their
sheets of paper. They meet in
pairs, show their paper to each other, and try to
guess which of the facts is a lie.
3. Connecting eyes
This is a warm up activity to warm up our classes and it was used in 3 of my
classes:
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Participants stand in a circle. Each person makes eye contact with another
person across the circle. The two walk across the circle and exchange positions,
while maintaining eye contact. Many pairs can exchange at the same time, and
the group should try to make sure that everyone in the circle is included in the
exchange. Begin by trying this in silence and then exchange greetings in the
middle of the circle.
4.
Who is the leader?
This is a warm up activity to warm up our classes and it was used in 3 of my
classes as a warm up activity:
Participants sit in a circle. One person volunteers to leave the room. After they
leave, such as clapping, tapping a foot, etc, that are copied by the whole group. The
volunteer comes back into the room, stands in the middle and tries to guess who is
leading the actions. The group protects the leader by not looking at him/her. The
leader must change the actions at regular intervals, without getting caught. When
the volunteer spots the leader, they join the circle, and the person who was the
leader leaves the room to allow the group to choose a new leader.
F.
Sample Class Activities for Writing Classes
1. Activity One
Read the paragraph. Circle all the transition words. Then underline the reasons and
explanations. Put a check √ in front of the topic sentence and the concluding sentence.
Miller and Cohen suggest the following activity to low-intermediate classes:
(2001:37-38)
GOING HOME AFTER A HURRICANE
When the storm is over, it is natural to want to go home as soon as possible. When it is
safe to return, you should take the following steps:
First, be careful when you enter your house. There may be snakes or other animals that
the flood washed in. Then, open all the windows and doors. You should let the fresh air
dry the house. Next, check for gas leaks, electrical system damage, and water damage.
Any of these problems can be very dangerous. If you find anything wrong, you should
turn off the power and call the Gas Company, the electric company, or the water
company for help. In addition, take pictures of the damage to the house and its contents.
You will need this proof for the insurance company. Finally, start cleaning your house.
This is the hardest job because you must pick up the pieces of your life and put it back
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together. When you return to your house after a hurricane, be patient! It takes a long
time to return to normal.
a.
Starting to Write
1.
Brainstorming
Before you write your list of instructions or advice, think about these questions:
How to ……………………………………………………………… your topic
- Why is it important to know how to do this?
- What are the steps in the process?
- What dangers are there if you don t do it right?
- Can anyone do this? Is it easy or difficult to do it?
Now make some notes. You don t have to write complete sentences or worry about
grammar.
General ideas (for the task of your choice)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2.
Activity Two
. The following exercises are suggested to advanced level students by O’Dell
and McCarthy (2011: 13):
Use your dictionary (book, CD-ROM or online version) to find three collocations for
each of these words.
●
cast (as verb with basic meaning of throw) ------------------------------------------
●
application -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
●
utter (as adjective) ---------------------------------------------------------------------
●
absolutely ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
●
release (as verb) -------------------------------------------------------------------------2. Rewrite the underlined part of each sentence using the word in brackets. Use a
dictionary to help you.
●
His opponent made critical and damaging remarks about his honesty. (ASPERSIONS)
● The point you re making is quite unrelated to our topic. ( RELEVANCE)
● The speaker praised Janice s contribution to the project. TRI”UTE
● As soon as she got home Kay started working. (SET)
● His rudeness made us all fall silent. (RENDERED)
● It is uncertain how many workers will be affected by the changes. (INDETERMINATE)
● The marketing campaign was better than we had expected. (EXCEEDED).
● I m slightly unsure about these sales figures. (NIGGLING)
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G. Sample Online Activities Which Are Suggested to Develop Their English
Skills:
● Cambridge English Online
www.cambridgeenglishonline.com
● Medical English online exercises and games
http://www.englishmed.com
● Hangman Games Online Interactive English Vocabulary
http://www.vocabulary.cl/Hangman.htm
● Interactive English Grammar Exercises Online, Quizzes, Games
http://www.englishmedialab.com/grammar.html
● English word games - crosswords, word search, hangman, trivia
http://www.learnenglish.de/gamespage.htm
● Lumosity: Brain Games & Brain Training
www.lumosity.com
H.
Sample Self Study Homework for the Intermediate Level Students
Directions:
● Students were asked to choose a city from Turkey and from a developed country.
● Students were asked to write short paragraphs about the cities they chose and to
bring some photos about the cities they chose.
● Stevens were asked to choose the special delights which were eaten in the cities
they chose.
● After 3 weeks, they read the paragraphs and compositions about the cities and
the special delights in their class hours.
I.
Sample Self Study Homework for the Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate ,
Level Students
Directions:
1. Students were asked to listen to the following pop songs:
●
That s the Way It is by Celine Dion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6wbugWrfLU
●
I m “live by Celine Dion:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJsa6-y4sDs
●
Sway by Michael ”uble:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-tmTlTPYi0
●
Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Buble:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAjfB0XfjkA
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●
When I dream at Night by Marc Anthony:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DATKMNuOe-k
2. They were also asked to write the new words after listening to these songs.
3. They were asked to write compositions or paragraphs with the new words they
learnt after these songs.
3. 2. Findings
3.2.1 Data Analysis
According to the answers of the questions which were asked during the 1st and the 2nd
weeks of the courses students had attended, the following results were found:
80 students indicated that they liked drawing pictures.
Students’ Reactions: They showed the pictures they drew and they laughed with
their partners at the end of the activity.
80 students indicated that they liked taking photos.
Students’ Reactions: They brought the photos they took and they showed them
to their classmates. They told they enjoyed sharing their photos with their
classmates.
85 students indicated that they liked acting and dancing.
Students’ Reactions: They prepared dialogues with their partners in the class
and they acted and smiled altogether.
90 students indicated that they liked using the internet.
Students’ Reactions: Students in my classes wrote short compositions about one
of the cities in Turkey and in the world. They brought some photos about them
from the internet and they told that they liked sharing them with their
classmates.
80 students indicated that they liked using their mobile phones for learning
English.
Students’ Reactions: Students in my classes downloaded the online dictionaries
they preferred and they also listened to some English songs according to their
music tastes. They told that they enjoyed these kinds of break-time activities to
improve their learning skills.
70 students indicated that they liked learning quotes while learning and
speaking English in their class hours.
Students’ Reactions: They told that they liked this classroom activity as the
quotes gave them positive energy during the class hours and they started to do
the text book exercises full-heartedly.
80 students indicated that they liked listening to music while studying English
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Students’ Reactions: They wanted to do more exercises and classroom activities
after listening to music during the class hours. They often smiled.
3.2.2 Students’ Attitudes
Classroom applications in this study were conducted in 3 different classes in the
English Preparatory Classes Department at Dokuz Eylul University in the city of Izmir
in Turkey during the 2014-2015 academic year. In each of these classes, there were 30
Turkish university students from different faculties at Dokuz Eylul University. 80 of
these students in these classes participated all of their English classes regularly. They all
accepted increasing creativity in language classes would be useful for their professional
developments. They enjoyed learning quotes, listening to English songs from the
different links from the internet and from different books. They liked drawing pictures
while learning English. They also liked using the internet and Google for their studies.
3.2.3 Students’ Perceptions
86 students in my classes found the teaching tasks very useful and they realised that
they developed their creativity and thinking skills in their class hours and while they
were studying their lessons at home. They also consistently improved their speaking
and communication skills. They participated at the class activities full heartedly during
the class hours and informed me that their interests and motivation increased on a daily
basis. “ccordingly, the students’ creativity, accuracy and fluency in English also
improved rapidly.
4. Conclusion
In English language teaching classes or in teaching English as a foreign language
classes, different kinds of methods should be used to improve or to develop our
students’ language skills in reading, speaking, writing and listening. To have joyful
classes, motivation is an essential factor in education and in our daily lives. To increase
motivation, creativity and thinking skills must also be increased.
In this paper, creativity in English language teaching has been examined.
Classroom activities on reading, speaking, writing and listening which can develop or
improve our students’ creativity and thinking skills have been suggested for each. It is
hoped that this study will help my colleagues to do more enjoyable courses and to
increase their students’ creativity with the self-studies. It is also hoped that students in
the ESL or ELT classes will get more benefits with this study.
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Acknowledgments
I would like to thank all of my students who participated my classes full heartedly and I
would like to thank all of the readers of this study for their patience and attention. A
special thanks go to the editors of this journal.
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6 from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6wbugWrfLU
28. I’m
“live
by
Celine
Dion:
Retrieved
8
October
6
from:
2016
from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJsa6-y4sDs
29. Sway
by
Michael
Buble:
Retrieved
28
October
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-tmTlTPYi0
30. Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Buble: Retrieved 28 October 2016 from:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAjfB0XfjkA
31. When I dream at Night by Marc Anthony: Retrieved 28 October 2016 from:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DATKMNuOe-k
This study was presented at The SiLL (The Self in Language Learning) Conference at Cag University
in the city of Adana in Turkey on the 17th of September in 2015 by the author of this paper.
Appendix 1
Discussion Questions for Teachers or Professors:
1. Do you think self-studies will help you to teach English or the other languages
better?
2. Do you think self-studies will help your students to improve their language
skills?
3. Do you think the self-studies you apply in your classes will help your students to
develop their creativity in learning English?
4. Do you think students in your classes will enjoy studying English via online
games or dictionaries?
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Appendix 2
Suggested Videos about Creativity:
The following are some suggested videos about creativity thinking:
Adora Svitak (2010). What Adults Can Learn From Kids? TED Talks. Retrieved 30
September 2016 from: http://www.ted.com/talks/adora_svitak.html. A prolific short
story writer and blogger since age seven, Adora Svitak speaks around the United States
to adults and children as an advocate for literacy. She is explaining how adults can
learn from kids.
Catarina Mota (2010). Play with smart materials. TED Talks. Retrieved 30 September
2016
from: http://www.ted.com/talks/catarina_mota_play_with_smart_materials.html.
This video is about smart materials and the presenter in this video suggests playing
with them.
Celia Gates Brainstorming Business Creative Thinking "Tv Show How". Retrieved 30
September 2016 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mn-aZ9rtuo Celia Gates is
the guest speaker on a TV show and she is talking about creative thinking.
Tim Brown (2008). Tales of Creativity and Play. TED Talks. Retrieved 30 September
2016 from: http://www.ted.com/talks/tim_brown_on_creativity_and_play.html. At the
2008 Serious Play Conference, designer Tim Brown talks about the powerful
relationship between the innovation and design. Tim Brown is the CEO of innovation
and design firm IDEO.
Building an Innovative Creative Thinking Culture. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
http://fora.tv/2013/04/25/Building_an_Innovative_Creative_Thinking_Culture
Sarah Backhouse (Founder, Future 360) is directing a round table discussion on
building an innovative creative thinking culture. Alan Noble, engineering director at
the Google
Australia and New Zealand, Andy McKeon who is working as a global customer
marketing leader on Facebook, Tom Basset who is the founder of Mindswarms, Eric
Fleming, founder and the president at the Fleming Job Hall are the speakers of this
television programme.
Appendix 3
Useful pages for the SELF studies on Facebook and on the Internet
● IATEFL: Retrieved 30 September 2016 from: http://www.iatefl.org
● IATEFL Online Education: https://www.facebook.com/iateflonline?fref=ts
● İNGED Web Page: Retrieved
September
6 from: http://www.inged.org.tr
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● İNGED: Retrieved
September
6:
https://www.facebook.com/INGED-513546092025026
● TESOL: Retrieved 30 September 2015 from: http://www.tesol.org
● SEETA - South Eastern Europe Teachers Associations: Retrieved 30 September
2016 from: http://www.seeta.eu
● SEETA Teachers Associations: Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/Seeta.eu?fref=ts
● Cambridge
Dictionaries
Online:
Retrieved
30
September
2016
from:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org
● Oxford English Dictionary: Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
http://www.oed.com
● Cambridge University Press ELT: Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/CambridgeUPELT?fref=ts
● Cambridge English. Resources for teachers. Retrieved 30 October 2016 from:
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/resources-for-teachers
● Oxford University Press ELT: Retrieved 30 October 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/oupeltglobal?fref=ts
● British Council Turkey. Retrieved British Council Turkey. Retrieved 30
September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/BritishCouncilTurkey?fref=ts
● British Council France. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/BritishCouncilFrance?fref=ts
● British Council Germany. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/BritishCouncilGermany
● British Council Milano Italy. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/BritishCouncilMilano
● British Council Greece. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://tr-tr.facebook.com/BritishCouncilGreece
● British Council Cyprus. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/BritishCouncilTurkey?fref=ts
● British Council France. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/BritishCouncilFrance?fref=ts
● British Council Germany. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/BritishCouncilGermany
● British Council Milano Italy. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/BritishCouncilMilano
● British Council Greece. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
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https://tr-tr.facebook.com/BritishCouncilGreece
● British Council Cyprus. Retrieved 30 September 2016 from:
https://www.facebook.com/BritishCouncilCyprus
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