Developing English Communicative Competence through Art Erasmus Project

Project Title

Developing English Communicative Competence through Art

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 adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Teaching and learning of foreign languages; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Developing English Communicative Competence through Art (DECCA) focuses on how the different ways in which learners’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds deeply influence their experiences in the classroom and when learning in non-formal environments. DECCA is a project to improve English learning, enhancing students’ communicative competence and, together with other methodologies, like gallery walk, freeze frame and mental walk, it is mainly based on the research done by Philip Yenawine, using art to deepen learning across school disciplines. DECCA project has adapted Yenawine’s method, together with other innovative teaching techniques and strategies to get the most of our learners by developing their critical thinking and language skills. This partnership arises from the previous research done by the Spanish institutions participating in this project and the collaboration of two European organisations committed to innovating our classroom dynamics and find innovative methods to help our students’ success. These participating organizations are: EOI Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and EOI Telde (Spain) – two adult state Language Schools, Westfalen-Kolleg Bielefeld (Germany) and Mullsjö Folkhögskola (Sweden) -two second chance adult institutions.

Our three main objectives were:
1) To enhance English learning communicative competence through art by using learners’ creativity.
2) To bring adults closer to the world of art and increase their interest in art galleries and museums so as to build an intercultural awareness.
3) To use the target language in non-formal contexts to motivate learners.

Art has always been used as a tool to teach a language. Describing pictures is an activity which all course books or textbooks makes use of in order to introduce a topic, make students focus their attention on the board or as a warming-up activity, just to mention a few, and it is also an activity teachers often use in their lesson plans. However, based on our experience, the use of this material is basically the same, i.e. describing landscapes and physical appearance to practise vocabulary.
DECCA project has gone further. Not only did we wish to increase learners’ vocabulary, but also opened their minds to creativity through works of art. The project did not intend to be an art class but an English class with an added element: ART. A new methodology that will lead students to make their own interpretations based on observation of a particular work of art regardless of their style. DECCA has been a whole-brain methodology project which explores hemisphericity and invites learners to learn a language through visits to museums and art galleries by enjoying creative activities. The project has included art debates in class as well as visits to museums and art galleries.
DECCA has been incorporating art into the English language class and in non-formal learning contexts giving students the opportunity to engage into new and varied approaches while gaining emotional positive responses to learning, understanding and communicating their own ideas through art.
The project has had a very positive impact on all the participating schools, especially in the English and art departments and it was extended to other learning languages at some schools as a valuable tool for language teachers. Moreover, the project was spread to other teachers and institutions as we disseminated the project as a way to transform schools into engaging and exciting laboratories for critical thinking and communication skills.

DECCA Project has made use of social networks, among other activities -to help learners in written communication-, some webquests, Augmented Reality and QR codes, as ICT research tools to approach them to art. Besides, throughout the project, we have created a Creative Common Open Licence Resource Book with enjoyable activities for teachers and students of English to be used in class or at our local museum. With this Resource Book we intend to develop learning interpretive strategies that will promote visual comprehension and facilitate a variety of learning experiences centered on the works of art.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 99550 Eur

Project Coordinator

Escuela Oficial de Idiomas Las Palmas de Gran Canaria & Country: ES

Project Partners

• Westfalen-Kolleg Bielefeld
• Mullsjö folkhögskola
• ESCUELA OFICIAL DE IDIOMAS DE TELDE