NO MAN IS AN ISLAND – enhancing social interaction through literature and theatre Erasmus Project

Project Title

NO MAN IS AN ISLAND – enhancing social interaction through literature and theatre

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

The project aims to enhance social interaction in a secondary social group through literature and theatre. Its title, the quotation NO MAN IS AN ISLAND, refers to the fact that that we are social beings who depend on interaction – it connects people, it builds empathy and awareness of societal processes that affect us all. Secondly, being a literary phrase itself, the title explains that enhancement of social skills is based on literary texts and Forum Theatre plays, by means of which the participants develop the crucial language skills and particularly high-level literacy skills. Furthermore, the project introduces four interactive teaching methods enabling the teachers to encourage effective communication in class, which provides the feedback the educator needs to believe in the success of their work. The partnership includes three secondary schools of general education that have observed the diminishing social interaction, unsatisfactory levels of literacy skills and reading culture and have expressed a desire to improve the situation: Gimnazija Ptuj from Slovenia, Liceo scientifico »E. Fermi« from Aversa, Italy, and Rīgas Juglas vidusskola from Riga, Latvia.
The principal objectives of the project are achieved by means of national and transnational activities, which follow the methodological pattern: observation – reflection – action. Activities in national and international groups, teamwork and workshops all offer environment where social interaction is abundant. The participants gradually proceed from a common reading material to compulsory literary texts and, finally, to their own production of a play. They acquire knowledge and develop language skills, by expressing their opinion verbally or in writing, they develop communication skills crucial for successful social interaction. Teachers explore the four interactive methods: interactive activities with elements of non-violent communication, flipped classroom, formative assessment and forum theatre and utilise them in project activities.
Two project tangible results are: a methodological guide No man is an island – four interactive methods for classroom use, and a collection of students’ material called A Wishtree. The online Forum for teachers and the one for students, created in the project, remain active and offer opportunities for a wider audience to communicate their thoughts on literary texts, societal processes and interactive teaching methods.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 69108 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gimnazija Ptuj & Country: SI

Project Partners

• Rigas Juglas vidusskola
• Liceo Scientifico Statale Enrico Fermi