Cultural Explorers’ Mission:
LANGUAGES
IOOW will enrol children as explorers of their family or community culture. The Explorers will go on a mission and bring back three special words from their family’s language. The mission is perfect for children with families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, but can be pursued by anyone. You just need a co-explorer – this can be a grandparent, a neighbour or a family friend, some kind of ‘elder’. This co-explorer should be a ‘mother tongue’ or fluent speaker of their original (non-English) language.
The language mission takes place either in person or via a video chat between the young cultural explorer and mother-tongue co-explorer(s). The kid will ask for help finding three interesting words in their co-explorer’s first language. At least one word should be suggested by the older co-explorer: a word of their language they would love the young explorer to know and remember.
One of the three words will be chosen by the kid to transform into a sculpture made with cardboard or paper. They will learn how to do this online from Daniele. Depending on the kid’s skill, they may need some help from an adult guardian.
The new discoveries will be presented in an online gallery – photos of the sculptures accompanied by handwritten words and audio recordings of the explorers saying their new words. The gallery will explore the different ways we express important ideas, and how communication is enriched by diversity.
Workshop flow, activities and dates
The project is divided into six activities. Some activities are facilitated by the artists through three online sessions on two consecutive Sundays - 26 July and 2 August.
The total time the explorer and their family will spend on the project is about two hours, plus additional time for discussion with 'co-explorers' (that is, finding words!).
1.
Meet and greet
Online Zoom [session #1]
Sunday 26 July
Available time slots:
10am; 11am; 12pm
Zoom session with Daniele and other explorers/families. We’ll play a quick game, Daniele will talk about his experience of English as a second language and then introduce the project. He’ll give some examples of special words and show a sample of a 3D cardboard word sculpture. You’ll also be provided with some resources that can be useful as you start exploring language – how can you ask the right questions to discover great words?!
[Est. duration: 30 minutes]
2.
Homework: explore language
In person, via video chat, or via phone
Anytime before
Sunday 2 August
Explorers do research with family or friends! Find a co-explorer who’s mother tongue language is something other than English – a grandparent or parent, a neighbour, a family friend.
Either in person or via video call, have a conversation looking for three words in your co-explorers’ background language. You can ask them to translate words for you, but at least one of the three words has to be suggested by your grown-up co-explorer – a word they want you to know and remember.
As the explorer, you should take notes on what the words mean, how they’re spelled, and how they’re pronounced.
3.
Show and tell
Online Zoom [session #2]
Sunday 2 August
Available time slots:
10am; 11am; 12pm
Tell us about your newly discovered words and what they mean. In this session we’ll go into the ‘recording studio’ with sound engineer James, who’ll audio-record your words and their explanations or meanings.
[Est. duration:15 minutes]
4.
Create a "wordy" artwork!
Online Zoom [session #2] plus at your home
Sunday 2 August
Any time before the afternoon online session
After the show and tell and sound recording of our words, in the same Zoom session Daniele will teach you to transform your favourite word into a 3D sculpture using paper or cardboard. In the zoom call, you'll spend 30 minutes with your parent or guardian learning how to make the sculpture. Then you can go away and finish the sculpture within your household. If the 3D sculpture isn't working, you can make a 2D collage or drawing!
[Est. duration:1 hour]
5.
Show your artwork
Online Zoom [session #3]
Sunday 2 August
Available time slots:
3pm; 4pm; 5pm
Show your sculpture, drawing or collage to the group, and take a photo for the gallery.
[Est. duration: 10 minutes]
6.
Shared reflections, feedback and goodbyes
Online Zoom [session #3]
Sunday 2 August
Wrap-up of stage 5's online session
What was this experience like for you? What did you learn? Do you want to learn more about language? Do you want to speak another language yourself?
[Est. duration: 20 minutes]
THE END
