Creativity in the community
languages classroom
ESRC Research Seminar Series
Complementary Schools: Research, Policy and Practice
Seminar 4: Social inclusion and links with mainstream schools
20th April 2010
Goldsmiths, University of London
http://www.gold.ac.uk/clcl/
Jim Anderson and Yu-Chiao Chung (Goldsmiths, University of London)
1
Overview
1.
Background
2.
Definitions, theoretical perspectives and key
questions
3.
Research design and methodology
4.
Data analysis and tentative findings
5.
Implications of the study for policy and pedagogy
2
1. Background
• 2 year project (2009-2010) funded by the Nuffield
Foundation with both research and teacher
professional development aims
• Builds on previous Goldsmiths project to produce
Curriculum Guides for Arabic, Mandarin Chinese,
Panjabi, Tamil and Urdu also funded by Nuffield
(published by CILT, the National Centre for
Languages in 2007)
3
2. Definitions, theoretical perspectives
and key questions
NACCCE definition in ‘All Our Futures: Creativity,
Culture and Education’ (1999) :
‘Imaginative activity fashioned so as to produce
outcomes that are original and of value’
1. Seeing new or other possibilities including
different linguistic/cultural perspectives
(Craft: ‘possibility thinking’, making links)
(bilingual brains predisposed to flexibility of thought,
translanguaging, navigating different cultural
realities)
4
Note: NACCCE definition informs interpretation of creativity in the
current National Curriculum at KS1-2 and KS3-4
http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/index.aspx
2. Definitions, theoretical perspectives
and key questions
2. Actively participating in a process of
generating, shaping and evaluating ideas
(collaboration, agency, ownership)
(bilingual learners able to draw on full range of their
linguistic/ cultural experience)
3. Personal investment and self-expression (in
relation to the arts in particular)
(bilingual learners able to explore and reshape
identity)
5
It is through the arts in all their forms that young people
experiment with and try to articulate their deepest feelings and
their own sense of cultural identity and belonging.
(NACCE, 1999: 79)
2. Definitions, theoretical perspectives
and key questions
4. Pursuing meaningful goals and
presenting/performing to others (audience,
voice, empowerment)
(bilingual learners able to affirm their full identities
thereby building confidence and self-esteem /
challenge to marginalised status of community
languages)
Note: creativity a ‘culturally saturated’ concept
The multiperspectivalism that fosters creativity also invites
people to recognise that every conception of truth exists within
a cultural context that frames it and gives it meaning.
(Raina, 2004)
6
2. Definitions, theoretical perspectives
and key questions
Perspectives from theories of second language teaching and literacy
which emphasise:
• learning as a situated, social process of co-construction or
interthinking (Mercer, 2000), and participation in
communities of practice (Lave and Wenger, 1991) [sociocultural view]
• engaging and cognitively challenging content and tasks
(Byram, 1997; Ellis, 2003; Coyle, Hood and Marsh, 2010)
• the importance, in particular for bilingual learners, of tasks which
provide scope for learners to draw on all aspects of their knowledge
and experience and allow them both to explore and affirm their full
identities (Cummins, 2006; Datta, 2007; Kenner and Hickey, 2008).
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2. Definitions, theoretical perspectives
and key questions
•
holistic approaches which recognise affective as well as
cognitive approaches to learning including the
importance of learner ‘agency’ (Stevick, 1996 Arnold,
1999)
•
potential for drawing on ‘funds of knowledge’ in the
home and community in ways which support the
development of syncretic literacies (Moll et al.,
1992; Gregory et al., 2004).
•
need to re-evaluate pedagogies for community/ heritage
language learners (Peyton, Ranard and McGinnis,
2001; Hornberger, 2005; Anderson, 2008 and 2009;
Brinton, Kagan and Bauckus, 2008; Blackledge and Creese,
8
2010)
2. Definitions, theoretical perspectives
and key questions
Key questions:
• What kinds of cultural artefact/skill can be used as a
stimulus for creative learning activities in CL/HL
classes?
• How can these activities support different aspects of
learning for children from bilingual backgrounds:
(multi-) literacy development, intercultural
understanding, cognitive skills, personal and social
development?
• How can parents and other community members
contribute to activities based around creative works in
mainstream and complementary schools?
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2. Definitions, theoretical perspectives
and key questions
• What pedagogical approaches in relation to creative
work are appropriate for different languages, learners
and settings?
• What are the implications for the professional
development of teachers?
10
3. Research design and main strands within the
data
• Ethnographic approach (qualitative data, interpretive
methods)
• Fieldwork in 4 London schools where Arabic,
Mandarin, Panjabi and Tamil are taught: 2
mainstream (one primary, one secondary) and 2
voluntary, community based ‘complementary’ schools
• Data collected on series of 3 tasks involving creativity
carried out in each of 4 settings
11
The schools and tasks
Task A
Mainstream
SBS Yr 7/8
(Age 11-12)
(Mixed) (T)
Complementary LMS Yr 1-3
(Age 5-7)
(Voluntary,
community
based schools)
Art work
Puppet Show
Storybooks
Language &
Language &
Language,
Dance
Dance
Dance, Drama
&Filming
Four season
song
Scrapbook
Drama
Drama
Drama &
Dance
Comic Books
& Posters
(Mixed)(M)
RACP
Yr3-12
(Age 6-17)
(Mixed)(P)
12
Task C
Dual-language
(G)(Ar)
DPS Yr 3-6
(Age 6-10)
Task B
3. Research design and main strands within the
data
Data sources (video / audio recordings and photos;
fieldnotes; semi-structured interviews; teaching plans
and resources; outcomes of students’ work)
Ethnographic analysis (interpretive approach;
collaborative, reflexive process involving triangulation
and progressive focussing)
13
3. Research design and main strands within the
data
Main strands within the data:
14
A.
Language and literacy
B.
Cognition
C.
Intercultural understanding
D.
Personal and social development
E.
Pedagogy and professional development
3. Research design and emerging strands within
the data
15
A.
Language and Literacy
1.
Language learning more meaningful, enjoyable and
more deeply embedded when it arises from a genuine
communicative need.
2.
Enhanced communication skills and confidence through
collaboration and presentation of work to an audience
3.
Improved understanding of how cultural meanings are
communicated through different media
4.
Students backgrounds can be an important resource
for learning in particular through bringing different
linguistic and cultural perspectives
3. Research design and emerging strands
within the data
Language and Literacy
The students have boosted their confidence and they are more
able to present their work in front of audience.
(Luma, teacher, SBS)
Aran, one of the boys who was in charge of the dance, used to
hesitate to speak Panjabi. I always ask him to be brave and
speak. But now he is confident in speaking Panjabi because of
the drama. He also said that he cannot believe that he could
speak proper Panjabi and even acted in a drama. (Iqbal,
teacher, RACP)
16
Year 7 Arabic class at Sarah Bonnell School (Newham)
•
Girls’ school
•
Mainly non-background learners
•
Very diverse backgrounds (including Bangladesh, Egypt, Jamaica,
Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Pakistan)
•
High proportion of Muslim faith
•
Task 1 linked to work on countries, colours, flags
17
The line at the right hand side means
“you are my best city and each time I go
there, I feel my soul very pleased.
The line at the top left means “in Western
Arabic countries, the mosques and the
restaurants are the best.”
The design of the gate is a very famous
Islamic design. It is used commonly in
buildings and mosques. The common
colours are bluish green, red and orange.
Our piece of art is about Morocco. We liked its fascinating designs
which can be seen on its buildings, dishes and even clothes. Hajar is
from there and she told me a lot about it.
We tried to represent, in our piece of art, a beautiful gate in
Marrakesh ( ‫)بوابة مراكش‬. It got a beautiful design. We also drew two
women with the traditional Moroccan dress ( ‫) الزي المغربي‬.
Hajar also wrote few words to describe her love to Morocco (her
country). By Elham and Hajar
18
The students mixed flags together in this
piece of work. The word in the middle
means Allah and the two small words next
to it are Arabic (left) countries (right). At
the top right corner, it is the flag of Egypt;
the bottom right corner is the flag of Iraq;
the top left corner is the flag of Pakistan.
Our piece of art is about Arab countries. In our piece of art we used lots of
colours. In the middle, we wrote the name of Allah (God) as it represents
the religion of the majority of Arabs and ourselves.
We liked to show a couple of countries instead of one as we thought that it
will make the piece of art nice and that no one would think to use them like
this. This would make our piece of art stand out and be different than the
others!!
The colours we used were white ( ‫) أبيض‬, yellow ( ‫) أصفر‬, red ( ‫ ) أحمر‬and lots
of others!! By Anisa, Mariam
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3. Research design and emerging strands
within the data
B.
Cognition
1.
Collaborative work on creative activities can stimulate
imagination, hypothesising and generation of ideas
2.
Rich context and links made between
different areas of the curriculum lead to
greater engagement and depth of
understanding
3.
Greater awareness of how bilingual strategies can be
used to support communication in different situations
4.
Development of independent research skills
20
Tamil language and south Indian dance classes
at Downderry Primary School (Lewisham)
• After school classes for approx. 40 children aged 6-10
• Mainly first generation
• Cross-curricular Tamil language and South Indian dance
project
21
22
3. Research design and emerging strands
within the data
Cognition (Independent research skills)
I have to research about the dance and other stuff…I
searched on the Internet and went to local library.
They have quite a few books about this. I learnt a lot
of new things that I didn't know before.
(Student, RACP)
It is because the way I learn as well. If I research
something by myself, I tend to learn it better and
remember it longer than someone just tells me.
(Student, RACP)
23
3. Research design and emerging strands
within the data
C.
Intercultural Understanding
1.
Extended knowledge and understanding of the
target culture
2.
Improved understanding of different cultural
perspectives and how these can be reshaped in
personal ways.
3.
24
Enhanced awareness of spiritual and moral dimensions and
their relationship to language, culture and creativity
3. Research design and emerging strands
within the data
Intercultural Understanding
I think the children also have deeper understanding
of the traditional Indian culture. The drama also
taught them what a family could be like in Indian
society. Maybe they will come across the same
problem in the future.
(Iqbal, Teacher, RACP)
25
London Mandarin School (Hackney)
• Mandarin Chinese complementary school running on
Sunday afternoons (1.00 – 4.00)
• Yr 1 class of approx. 30 children (aged 5-7)
• Mainly second or third generation
26
Year 1 class at London
Mandarin School
(5-7 year olds)
Homework project linked
to topic on seasons.
27
3. Research design and emerging strands
within the data
28
D.
Personal and social development
1.
Engagement in creative activities, where
learners are encouraged to take
responsibility and feel a sense of
ownership can develop confidence and selfesteem
2.
Significant potential to draw on funds of
knowledge in the home and community
Rathmore Asian Community Project (Greenwich)
• Panjabi complementary attended by 40-50 students
aged between 6-17
• Mainly 3rd or 4th generation
29
Confidence and empowerment, agency, ownership
“I enjoyed doing this activity
very much because getting to
know the kids and getting to
work with them.”
“I have learnt how to organise
other people, myself and to
organise the whole
performance. I have leanrt
how to help the children
without making them feel
bad…”
30
Drawing on ‘funds of knowledge’ in the home
and community (RACP)
31
Drawing on ‘funds of knowledge’ in the home and
community (LMS)
32
3. Research design and emerging strands
within the data
E. Pedagogy and professional development
1.
Significant shift involved in teacher-learner roles
2.
Importance of collaborative, process oriented approach
3.
Need to provide appropriate support (scaffolding)
(ref. Tamil SoW and resources, Our Languages: http://www.ourlanguages.org.uk/)
4.
Potential benefits of cross-curricular approaches
5.
Importance of presentation/performance to an audience
6.
Value of involving parents /community members
33
3. Research design and emerging strands
within the data
I thought I was going to take control of everything because
they needed help. But all of them turned out to say "No, we
want to do it in our way." I gave up the sheets I prepared; I
put them aside. They started to control me instead of me
controlling them…It is a good feeling that they want to
learn! It is not that I want to teach them and want them to
learn. They want to learn!
It is hard because you get used to the way that you stand in
front of the whiteboard and give them instructions. Then,
listen, repeat and write. This is the way we used to learn
and the way we used to teach. And to shift from this to that,
it is a little bit that you are not sure. I don't want to see that
all of them can reach the top that I want them to be. But
majority is, which is a really good thing. (Luma, Teacher,
SBS)
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5. Implications of the study for policy and
pedagogy
Creativity can:
• Provide conditions for a dynamic interaction with
heritage and with the reality of living with different
cultures (intercultural understanding, inclusion,
personalisation, identity)
• Support and extend children’s multiliteracy
development (literacy, cognition, intercultural
understanding, translanguaging)
• Empower learners and promote active citizenship (student voice,
personalisation, inclusion)
35
5. Implications of the study for policy
and pedagogy
• Make language learning more meaningful and
engaging and contribute to the development of more
appropriate pedagogies for CL/HL learners (context,
purpose, genuine communication, personalisation,
raising achievement)
• Facilitate home and community involvement
(personalisation, community cohesion)
Note: Research report and professional development resource to
be mounted on Goldsmiths Centre for Language, Culture and
Learning website.
http://www.gold.ac.uk/clcl/
36
Final thought
‘ … in the UK … the school curriculum does not fully
reflect the creative achievements of all the cultural
groups it serves. So many young people lack role
models and learning materials with which they can
readily identify. Disaffection can result. How
creativity is currently defined and developed in UK
education and training tends to reflect a mainly
white, Western approach, rather than our diverse
society. This not only puts people from minority
ethnic groups at a disadvantage, it is everyone’s loss’
(Fryer, 2004: 1)
(Marilyn Fryer, The Creativity Centre Educational Trust)
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