Papers by christodoula S mitakidou
EDULEARN18 Proceedings of 10th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, 2-4 July, Palma, Mallorca, Spain. ISBN: 978-84-09-02709-5, 2018
The discussion on how to deal with the visible diversity in our schools today has naturally focus... more The discussion on how to deal with the visible diversity in our schools today has naturally focused on the appropriateness of the teaching material and methods. For teachers that rely on literature in their everyday practice, the question of the suitable kind of literature has often been posed.
This paper offers a dual aspect of children’s literature used in multicultural class environments. The first part deals with the influx of multicultural literature (a term produced in the USA in the early 1980s) as a means of dealing with the diversity in classrooms. By describing concisely the aspects of multicultural literature, possible ways of using this kind of literature will be discussed.
The second part focuses on the use of literature, wordless books, in particular, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of their ability to enhance literacy skills and promote multicultural awareness for the whole class in a motivating and engaging way.
Facing the multiple challenges of teaching language in a multicultural class setting is an intriguing and often demanding task for educators. Literature can help in creating a common ground, a starting point, for all students, while supporting cultural and social negotiations. Visual arts can complement language development by offering non-verbal means of communication and understanding and by engaging students in multiple learning opportunities.
Through examples of activities based on specific wordless children’s books, we will further examine ways of integrating visual images (illustrations, artworks etc.) and language in order to reveal how wordless books can be a significant tool in enhancing literacy development, creative thinking and aesthetic growth.
In this context children are inspired to create their own stories, share their ideas and their cultural and linguistic backgrounds, thus enriching their learning experiences, increasing their confidence in speaking, reading and writing, and building social relationships across cultures.
EDULEARN18 Proceedings of 10th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, 2-4 July, Palma, Mallorca, Spain. 8041-8049. [ISBN: 978-84-09-02709-5], 2018
Inclusive education is intrinsically associated with student diversity and the ways of handling i... more Inclusive education is intrinsically associated with student diversity and the ways of handling it in schools. In this paper we support that inclusion is a process that gives positive significance to the diversity of a school’s student population and recognizes ALL children’s potential to influence and shape their school environment, to participate equally and progress in school. In this case the school functions as a means of inspiring and implementing changes so that it can turn inclusive, in the pursuit of a true prospect for combating discrimination and exclusion. After a short discussion of relevant terminology (i.e., assimilation, integration, inclusion), the paper focuses on examples of inclusive activities in diverse classrooms. The examples are discussed in the framework of inclusive pedagogy, so that the dialogue of whether inclusive education is a viable endeavour begins and “good practices” for its application are discussed.
In ancient Greece, hospitality was an act of virtue. Xenios Zeus was the god of hospitality and p... more In ancient Greece, hospitality was an act of virtue. Xenios Zeus was the god of hospitality and protected ξένοι [xénos] (=alien, foreigner). It was a sacred duty to welcome, protect and care for foreigners, while mistreating them was considered a sin. Social and class barriers were abolished through hospitality, as both rich and poor, noble and commoners were entitled to hospitality. In this sense, welcoming refugees to Greece nowadays is simply continuing an ancient tradition. Following the ancient thread, the programme " KA2 – Managing the refugee and migrant flows through the development of educational and vocational frames for children and adults " was developed. The paper aims to present the Welcome Guide for Refugee Children created in the framework of this action and to examine what culture can do as a companion to education and learning in times of wider societal crisis, when the fabric of society is itself at risk. The Guide is created so that our partner organizations in other countries can use it as a paradigm for creating their Reception Guides for refugees and sets as one of its main goals to reinforce meaningful relationships and peaceful, cohesive societies. Our Welcome Guide is addressed to refugee children aged 6-15 and aims to acquaint them with the wider area of their current host country. The Welcome Guide aspires to be a hospitable and friendly introduction to the city of Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki being the paradigm for any city), but also the threshold to the children's sensitization and initiation to the Greek culture and language. It is offered in a bilingual EL/EN interactive platform, translated in Arabic as well, fusing novelty pedagogic methods and technology. Informed by the theory of literacy development in a second or foreign language, written texts are supported by various visual and sound complements to facilitate children in identifying and associating concepts with words; short texts are expanded and serve as the basis for the educational material. Cultural heritage, artifacts and the arts serve as a reservoir of 'unofficial' knowledge and as a different, more stimulating and self-energizing learning environment; they offer different ways of learning, facilitating migrant children's smooth inclusion in school and native children and their families to overcome negative stereotypes and to gain from intercultural interactions. The purpose of this Welcome Guide is to contribute to a wider understanding of how multicultural and socially sensitive education can help to build students' understanding of their own place in history and emphasize the capacity and ability of all human beings, including those who have been culturally degraded, politically oppressed, and economically exploited. As we move into narrow paths in the twentieth first century we are confronted with an enormous societal change, alongside the financial crisis, which is inevitably associated with a wide moral crisis and leads to increased xenophobia, racism and poverty in everything, including education and culture. Europe has diversified itself culturally over the last few years, as refugees and immigrants have had a variable and significant impact on the cultural contexts of host societies. Cultural changes have taken place mainly regarding cuisine, sports, the fashion industry, the arts and the media. These days by using the term " refugees " we tend to suggest a homogeneous group, although in reality it is the opposite. Each refugee has his or her own personal biography and experiences and abilities, all of which determine their expectations. Certainly, they all first take a deep breath at having escaped the life-threatening regions of war and at arriving in safety. Several months after arrival, however, questions about their uncertain future become more urgent.
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Papers by christodoula S mitakidou
This paper offers a dual aspect of children’s literature used in multicultural class environments. The first part deals with the influx of multicultural literature (a term produced in the USA in the early 1980s) as a means of dealing with the diversity in classrooms. By describing concisely the aspects of multicultural literature, possible ways of using this kind of literature will be discussed.
The second part focuses on the use of literature, wordless books, in particular, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of their ability to enhance literacy skills and promote multicultural awareness for the whole class in a motivating and engaging way.
Facing the multiple challenges of teaching language in a multicultural class setting is an intriguing and often demanding task for educators. Literature can help in creating a common ground, a starting point, for all students, while supporting cultural and social negotiations. Visual arts can complement language development by offering non-verbal means of communication and understanding and by engaging students in multiple learning opportunities.
Through examples of activities based on specific wordless children’s books, we will further examine ways of integrating visual images (illustrations, artworks etc.) and language in order to reveal how wordless books can be a significant tool in enhancing literacy development, creative thinking and aesthetic growth.
In this context children are inspired to create their own stories, share their ideas and their cultural and linguistic backgrounds, thus enriching their learning experiences, increasing their confidence in speaking, reading and writing, and building social relationships across cultures.
This paper offers a dual aspect of children’s literature used in multicultural class environments. The first part deals with the influx of multicultural literature (a term produced in the USA in the early 1980s) as a means of dealing with the diversity in classrooms. By describing concisely the aspects of multicultural literature, possible ways of using this kind of literature will be discussed.
The second part focuses on the use of literature, wordless books, in particular, aiming to provide a deeper understanding of their ability to enhance literacy skills and promote multicultural awareness for the whole class in a motivating and engaging way.
Facing the multiple challenges of teaching language in a multicultural class setting is an intriguing and often demanding task for educators. Literature can help in creating a common ground, a starting point, for all students, while supporting cultural and social negotiations. Visual arts can complement language development by offering non-verbal means of communication and understanding and by engaging students in multiple learning opportunities.
Through examples of activities based on specific wordless children’s books, we will further examine ways of integrating visual images (illustrations, artworks etc.) and language in order to reveal how wordless books can be a significant tool in enhancing literacy development, creative thinking and aesthetic growth.
In this context children are inspired to create their own stories, share their ideas and their cultural and linguistic backgrounds, thus enriching their learning experiences, increasing their confidence in speaking, reading and writing, and building social relationships across cultures.