Abstract:

This study examines the development of creative thinking in multilingual learners and its influencing factors, with a particular focus on the role of cross-linguistic transfer and the impact of formal classroom environments. Employing a multiple-case qualitative research design, the study conducted two rounds of individual interviews with 13 multilingual learners and collected relevant textual data. The findings reveal that multilingual learners exhibit a convergence-oriented pattern in creative thinking transfer, wherein they prioritize selecting and integrating experiences from their native language (L1) and first foreign language (L2) when learning a second foreign language (L3), rather than engaging in entirely divergent exploration. Furthermore, the depersonalized nature of formal classroom instruction imposes constraints on the development of creative thinking, as evidenced by the absence of minority perspectives in classroom interactions and the predominance of compliance over cognitive transformation. These findings suggest that the high degree of homogeneity in multilingual learning experiences may reinforce path dependence, leading learners to rely more on stable cognitive frameworks rather than exploratory strategies in learning a new language. Similarly, the cross-linguistic uniformity of curricula and instructional practices weakens the role of L2 in creative thinking transfer, prompting learners to draw more extensively from their structurally distinct L1 experiences in developing innovative learning strategies. These insights highlight the need to critically reassess the role of curriculum and pedagogy in promoting learner autonomy and creative thinking in foreign language education, thus advocating for more flexible and diverse learning models.

Key words: multilingual learners, creative thinking, convergent thinking, curriculum homogeneity, depersonalization