STELA: Storytelling for Teaching English as Second Language Erasmus Project

Project Title

STELA: Storytelling for Teaching English as Second Language

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Pedagogy and didactics; Teaching and learning of foreign languages; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

The project directly supports the strategy by contributing to promote key competences, specifically – by promoting comprehensive approach to language teaching and learning. In May 2018, the Council for Education, Youth, Culture and Sports adopted a Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. The documents underline that the special attention should be paid to “increasing the level of language competences in both official and other languages and supporting learners to learn different languages relevant to their working and living situation”.
The UK government says that “Everyone living in England should be able to speak and understand English, so they can integrate into life in this country and make the most of the opportunities of living in modern Britain”. Importance of the English language teaching is underlined in all partner countries education reports and national policies. However, while the growing impact of English as a global language has definitely had its toll in partner countries, at the same time, it seems that its penetration in the society and culture has been moderate compared to other European contexts.
Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of human communication, and much has been said in the literature about its effectiveness as a pedagogical tool in the development of language skills, regardless of learners’ age or background (e.g. Isbell et al., 2004; Cameron, 2001). Furthermore, storytelling is even claimed to be more effective in language teaching than traditional teaching materials, such as textbooks. Studies generally believe that effectiveness of storytelling relies on the fact that it is fun, engaging and highly memorable, raising learners’ interest in listening to stories, as well as in speaking, writing and reading about them (e.g. Atta-Alla, 2011, Kim, 2010; Wajnryb, 2003). Storytelling is, therefore, considered to be a powerful instrument to motivate learners to learn languages by engaging and encouraging them to actively participate in the language learning process. Together with storytelling methodology the project will integrate digital tools made to visualize these stories. The digital storytelling as researcher and digital culture consultant, John Seely Brown described it is: “a new ways to use multiple media to tell stories and in the ability of kids, who are now growing up in a digital world, to figure out new ways to tell stories. ”
By combining creativity (storytelling) and technology (digital story telling tools)the project seeks to respond to the language teacher needs and to contribute to the national and European language learning policies.
The project objectives:
– to engage students in learning English language via an innovative method – storytelling and dedicated digital tools – a digital storytelling software for creating their own stories.
– to enhance professional competences of language teaching and learning educators by promoting storytelling as a comprehensive approach for teaching English.
The primary target group and end-users of the project are students of 15-18-year age. The project second group is language teachers and trainers, and the additional group to his are any education administrative staff in charge for the educators in-service training and qualification.

The project foresees:
-To directly involve at least 120 students, and to introduce STELA method at least to 600 students studying in the project partners’ organizations.
-to involve 90 language teachers/educators from secondary education and VET schools involved both directly and trained in cascade training.
-To disseminate STELA results to over 150 language educators directly, and 600 educators – via multiplier events, F2F meetings, presentations at the seminars and conferences.
All together the short-term results will lead to long term results – enhanced competences of the teachers/trainers/educators and higher educational achievements of students in English learning.

The project activities will be carried out in 6 partner countries. There will be a series of common activities, meetings and events organized in order to ensure the quality and the results of the developed STELA method and its instruments. The project consortium represents a great mix of public and private organisations. It represents good complexity and professional experience to achieve the project aims: educators, professionals of language teaching and learning, practitioners and educational administration.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 273909 Eur

Project Coordinator

The Corporation of NCG & Country: UK

Project Partners

• VIESOJI ISTAIGA SVIETIMO IR KULTUROS MOBILIUJU TECHNOLOGIJU INSTITUTAS
• Profesinio mokymo centras Zirmunai
• Zeynep Mehmet Dönmez Mesleki ve Teknik Anadolu Lisesi
• ONAGEB.SPAIN.S.L
• Pomo Giovina
• IFPRA Normandie