Comics for Inclusive English Language Learning Erasmus Project

Project Title

Comics for Inclusive English Language Learning

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 higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Inclusion – equity; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

As teaching moves increasingly online, language teachers are faced with the challenge of how to support dyslexic students in their class in an inclusive manner. Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterised by difficulties with word decoding, spelling, handwriting, reading, memory and attention span. The British Dyslexia Association say that 10% of the population have dyslexia, although figures quoted in the USA can be 15-20%, so the need to improve support for this learning difficulty is widespread.

The Comics for Inclusive English Language Learning (CIELL) project has developed an innovative mobile application (App) that uses comic art and an infographic to teach learners how to structure an essay. It is suitable for use in the classroom by dyslexic and non-dyslexic students in the same manner. It can also be used by individual learners out of class, on their own. The CIELL App supports language students studying for the writing component of English language qualifications such as British Council examination (IELTS) and Cambridge University English proficiency at the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages Level of B2+. The CIELL Compendium provides a guide to teachers on how to use the App.

The App provides guidance on how to structure a basic essay via an infographic and 17 sample essays in comic form. There are 6 types of essays such as reviews, articles, opinion pieces and 78 assessment tasks. Learners are rewarded with points and badges that visually show their progress. Learners can read or listen to the stories which are based on the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 as a result they have global relevance and appeal to learners, focusing on social issues such as food poverty, homelessness, water pollution.

770 end-users contributed to the development of the CIELL App alongside the project team which included language teachers, a comic artist, an app developer and learning technology researchers. A cyclical educational design research methodology was used to include feedback from stakeholders so that their views and suggestions informed the development thereby maximising practical relevance. 4 questionnaires gained insight on the 1) needs of 79 stakeholders before the app was designed; 2) version 1 from 376 language teachers interested in how to support dyslexics; 3) version 2 from 10 teachers and their 183 students (23 dyslexics); and 4) version 3 from 122 stakeholders (mainly teachers) who attended the CIELL conference.

788 external participants attended the CIELL Conference which raised awareness of the use of visuals in teaching and disseminated the 2 project results as open educational resources. The App can be downloaded for free from Google Play or the Apple Store; and the Compendium provides guidance to teachers on using the App. Feedback suggests that: teachers will use the App in future (80%) and share it with followers on social media (90%); and students liked its interesting stories on social issues (82.5%), ease of learning (70%) and multi-modality (audio, visuals, text).

We disseminated information directly to 7572 participants including members of dyslexia associations, learning technologists, vocational trainers, schoolteachers, Higher Education educators and language students, researchers and policymakers. In addition, we have disseminated the results to educators via social media, public talks, conference presentations, website and distribution of leaflets, blogs and news through professional associations and organisations.

The CIELL project has supported the EU policies on social inclusion and enhancing digital teaching practice by:
– developing innovative teaching materials delivered in a mobile app to support more visual teaching and learning practices and increase the social inclusion of dyslexic learners, and
– enhancing the digital competence of second language teachers and improving their digital literacy by providing a Compendium with guidance for teachers on using the CIELL app and examples of good practice in the use of comics in education.

By promoting an app based on comics the project helps educators to make their teaching more visual, improves their digital competence and digital literacy while supporting their dyslexic students in an inclusive manner. While it is still too soon to establish the long-term benefits, language learning is a key competence for accessing higher education, work, civic engagement and global migration. Enhancing the digital competence of educators, stimulating interest in more visual educational resources can enhance competitiveness and modernisation of Higher Education, while promoting education for all.

The project was led by Dr. Julie-Ann Sime, Centre for Technology-Enhanced Learning, Lancaster University, UK, in collaboration with: AKTO, Greece; Language Centre, University of Cyprus, Cyprus, and Institute for Learning Innovation, Friedrich-Alexander University, Germany.

Project Website

https://ciell.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 205478 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF LANCASTER & Country: UK

Project Partners

• AKTO S.A.
• FRIEDRICH-ALEXANDER-UNIVERSITÄT ERLANGEN-NÜRNBERG
• UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS