Language and literacy learning through art - Methodological and theoretical background and curriculum
Augustin Lefebvre; Pauliina Peltonen; Maarit Mutta; Julia Nyikos; Veronika Hackl; Veronika Varhegyi
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2021042718979
Tiivistelmä
Preface
In post-industrial societies, employment and social inclusion crucially depend
on the acquisition of basic and soft skills, including home and/or local
language literacy, intercultural communication and social abilities. Research
shows that less qualified and less skilled adults are economically and socially
marginalised; they hold low-wage jobs while their low literacy competence
contributes to low self-esteem, and at a macro-economic level, a high percentage
of people with low literacy levels reduces the country’s gross domestic product
(GDP) (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD]/Statistics
Canada, 2000). For instance, a 2011 survey in France showed that only 7.7% of
adults aged 16–65 attained the highest levels of literacy compared with the
average of 11.8% in other participating OECD countries (OECD, 2011).
Furthermore, the percentage of adults with the lowest literacy scores is higher
in France (21.6%) than in other OECD countries, with an average of 15.5% (OECD,
2011). Therefore, the development of new pedagogical tools aiming at promoting
basic and soft skills amongst less qualified adults and instructing migrants in
the host country’s language and culture are crucial at both individual (personal
growth) and social levels (a fairer and more equal society).
The Language and literacy learning
through art (LALI) project embeds language and literacy learning in
cultural education by articulating tasks in museums and classrooms. Thus, in
addition to classrooms, learning is transferred into a real-world environment, specifically,
to a museum that creates stimulating conditions for peer learning. Art (i.e., a
central component of culture) therefore becomes a vital resource for fostering
social and linguistic integration. This manual is part of the set of different
products and kits for professionals that is available through an online
resource centre created by LALI (http://www.lali-project.eu/materials/). Additionally, LALI
has developed a mobile application called Art App to support and reinforce the
learning that occurs in museums. Specifically, the Art App helps teachers prepare
the in situ tasks, facilitates
language and literacy retention and practice, as well as creates an opportunity
for the participants to practise their digital skills. LALI also offers
teachers[1]
a video-based assessment tool and a toolkit that allow them to improve their
pedagogical skills and to evaluate and adapt their approaches and methods to
the participants’ specificities between workshops. The video recordings help
the teachers to continuously adjust their teaching, allowing them to optimise
communication with the participants during the project. The video recordings of
the museum workshops and watching the episodes selected by the teachers will
help the participants to improve their performance and enhance their basic
foreign language and culture vocabulary. This approach also permits individualised
follow-ups and the creation of individual learning paths (Eloranta &
Jalkanen, 2015).
This manual provides the theoretical background and the curriculum of the
LALI approach. The LALI members who have collaborated on this manual hope that
the readers find it inspiring and that it will contribute to facilitating beginning
learners’ integration to society.
Throughout this manual, we
refer to teachers. However, in the museum context, instead of a teacher, a
facilitator (e.g., an art mediator) might be present to guide the learning
session. All the materials will be available for other teachers, educators and
other professionals involved in teaching adults with low skills.
Kokoelmat
- Rinnakkaistallenteet [19207]