The rapid generation of ideas without evaluation or judgement, used in ELT as a pre-task, pre-writing, or pre-speaking stage. Brainstorming activates schemata (background knowledge) and lexis, priming learners for the main activity by bringing relevant knowledge and language to the surface.
The defining feature of brainstorming is deferred judgement: all ideas are accepted during the generation phase. Evaluation comes later. This principle, originating with Osborn (1953), removes the self-censoring that inhibits participation, which is particularly important in language classrooms where learners may hesitate to speak for fear of making errors.
| Format | Description | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Silent writing of ideas | Ensuring all learners contribute; introverts |
| Pair/group | Collaborative idea generation | Building on each other's ideas; energy |
| Whole class | Teacher elicits and boards ideas | Quick activation; vocabulary pooling |
| Mind map | Central topic with branching associations | Visual organisation; Graphic Organizer |
| Word cloud | Rapid word association | Vocabulary activation |