(Tele) Travelling through Art: A Case Study of aTelecollaborativeLanguage Project with Very Young Learners

Melinda Dooly & Dolors MasatsUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Participants_________PADS (EDU2010-17859) ____

EscolaEscola Sant Jordi, Mollet del Sant Jordi, Mollet del VallVallèèss

ThornwoodThornwood PublicPublic SchoolSchool, , MississaugaMississauga, , CanadaCanada..

UniversitatUniversitat AutònomaAutònoma de Barcelona, de Barcelona, BellateraBellatera

Class 1A i 1B (tigres i lleons) and their teachers:Maria Mont (English)Carlos Revilla (ICT)Marta Martínez (class tutor 1A)Núria Pérez (class tutor 1B)Mònica Franco (Arts)

Class 2 and their teachersKara DarraghLaurie Jamieson

Teacher trainers and researchers:Melinda DoolyDolors Masats

Travelling Through Arts_____________________________

ProjectProject--based Language Learning based Language Learning (PBLL) can provide a means of (PBLL) can provide a means of ‘‘connecting the dotsconnecting the dots’’ between between content and language knowledge content and language knowledge and application of knowledge and application of knowledge

Rob GonçalvesJoan Abelló

Learning, from a socioconstructivistperspective, is a process of knowledge construction rather than a process of knowledge transmission and, consequently, teaching is a process of scaffolding the construction of knowledge rather than of transmitting it.

The perspective of education shifts from notions of ‘fragmented’ areas of knowledge towards more comprehensive, cross-disciplinary, multiple-competence curricula.

Goals: English_____________________________

Develop the skill to understand Develop the skill to understand verbal instructions and verbal instructions and descriptions.descriptions.•• Be able to select the relevant Be able to select the relevant information from a complex information from a complex verbal message.verbal message.•• Read and understand words Read and understand words in English.in English.

VERBAL & WRITTEN COMPREHENSION

• Develop a positive attitude towards different varieties Develop a positive attitude towards different varieties of English.of English.

Goals: English_____________________

•• To introduce oneself To introduce oneself and the group.and the group.•• To give short verbal To give short verbal instructions (giving instructions (giving directions).directions).•• To reproduce short To reproduce short verbal messages.verbal messages.••To be creative in the To be creative in the use of Englishuse of English

VERBAL & WRITTEN PRODUCTION

Goals: Language (Catalan)_____________________________•• Understanding a biography.Understanding a biography.•• Ordering words to create sentences. Ordering words to create sentences. ••Writing short messages.Writing short messages.

Goals: Social Science____________________________•• ReadRead a a mapmap (E).(E).•• LocateLocate countriescountries (C/E).(C/E).•• ClassifyClassify meansmeans ofof transporttransport (C).(C).•• IdentifyIdentify landmarkslandmarks (E).(E).

Goals. Arts_____________________________

••Identify the work of art of Joan Abello and Rob Identify the work of art of Joan Abello and Rob GonGonççalves (English).alves (English).

Goals. Arts_____________________________

••Reproduce Reproduce AbelloAbello’’s s technique of technique of ““explotionismexplotionism””to recreate one to recreate one of his of his paintings paintings (arts).(arts).

Goals. Arts_____________________________

••Appreciate art and the visit to an art gallery (arts).Appreciate art and the visit to an art gallery (arts).

Goals. Arts_____________________________

••Employ differentsEmploy differents techniques to make a portrait techniques to make a portrait (arts).(arts).

Goals: ICT_____________________________

•• Learn how to edit oneLearn how to edit one’’s profile in Moodle.s profile in Moodle.•• Learn to use the brush in a art work software.Learn to use the brush in a art work software.•• Learn to recognise the keyboard.Learn to recognise the keyboard.•• Know how to produce and edit a video with still Know how to produce and edit a video with still images.images.•• Develop the skill to use the mouse.Develop the skill to use the mouse.•• Develop the skill to use the keyboard arrows to Develop the skill to use the keyboard arrows to control an avater.control an avater.

PBLL –especially when combined with Web 2.0– is a powerful tool for enhancing the integrative development of linguistic, audiovisual and digital competences as well as the proficiencies linked to cross-disciplinary knowledge as students’ come to see the relevance of their learning in various disciplines while contributing to community and society.

From collaboration in a school based project to telecollaboration in an international project: contextualising the use of the foreign language

ICT:ICT: Know how to produce and edit a video with still images.Know how to produce and edit a video with still images.

English: To introduce oneself and the group.To introduce oneself and the group.To reproduce short verbal messages.To reproduce short verbal messages.

ICT: Develop the skill to use the keyboard arrows to control an avateDevelop the skill to use the keyboard arrows to control an avater.r.

ARTS:ARTS: Identify the work of art of Joan Abello and Rob GonIdentify the work of art of Joan Abello and Rob Gonççalves alves (English).(English).

ENGLISH: Develop the skill to understand and Develop the skill to understand and produce verbal instructions and descriptions.produce verbal instructions and descriptions.Be able to select the relevant information from a Be able to select the relevant information from a

complex verbal message.complex verbal message.

Final joint product___________________________

EE--bookbook: : Fictional friendship between the two Fictional friendship between the two authors based on the landmarks and/or scenarios authors based on the landmarks and/or scenarios depicted in their works of art .depicted in their works of art .

Text elaborated by:Sylvie, Rafa, Isak,

Georgina & Taiza (Sant Jordi)Karim, Anabia, Humairaa,Okpe & Sriya (Thornwood)

Preliminary observations_ _______________________________________________________•Students demonstrated new

competences in different areas•Learning to read in English helped themto learn to write & spell in Catalan•The importance of having real output (e.g. receiving authentic communicative inputfrom international partners, creatingartwork for different recipients anddifferent audiences, producing written & oral texts for diverse readership•Cross-disciplinary competences in theuse of ICT•Emergent intercultural awarenessthrough telecollaboration

•GRAZIE!!!

melindaann.dooly@uab.catdolors.masats@uab.cat