GRUNDTVIG WORKSHOP

Associazione “è” organized in 2014 a Grundtvig Workshop related to experiential learning in adult literacy.
Grundtvig Workshop is one of the activities of Lifelong Learning Programme (from 2014 Erasmus+). Funded by the European Commission, the LLP supports a wide range of education and training activities across Europe and provides opportunities for all stages of lifelong learning. Grundtvig itself seeks to address the educational challenge of adults and to provide them with alternative pathways to updating their skills and competences.
That year’s topic was adult literacy. We interpret literacy in a broad sense (from basic literacy skills – ability to read and write, through functional and multi literacy, to the ability of critical thinking and production of new contents) and we will tackle it through the methodology of non-formal education.

The theme of the Workshop: “Experiential learning as a tool for adult literacy education” includes the innovative focus in the field of adult literacy.

The participants – 19 adult learners from min 13 European countries had a chance to come to Torino to present their working methods in the field, present their organizations, find partners for future projects on European level. The Workshop introduced to the learners the methodological approach of non-formal education and experiential learning as main part of it. As the theories of adult learning shows, the adults learn best if linked to the real-world tasks and relevant challenges. This is why the Workshop involved learners in activities “out of training room”, outdoors, in context of reality. Experiencing them themselves, debriefing in context of adult literacy tools and transferring the learning to the workplans of the teachers and literacy trainers – were all together the core of the Workshop. The learners therefore went through different activities such us language lesson, reading, observation city walk, cooking together and simulation games that created a chance for experience and meta-level discussion on benefits of the method. Last but not least, the learners used that experience to create and exchange their own experiential learning methods and test them in the frame of the workshop (soon the methods will be collected to the manual, disseminated to wider public involved in the field).

Finally, the picture of provision of adult literacy in Europe was be completed by presentation of Italian case of adult literacy and non-formal education. The European aspect of the problem was discussed so that the learners could develop their follow-up projects in the spirit of common European approach.

The specific objectives of the workshop were:
– create a learning opportunity for sharing and exchange the work practice with colleagues from other European countries
– reflect on non-formal education methodologies – mainly experiential learning and put them in practice
– practice the innovative educational approaches in intercultural teams and build confidence of the learners that they can adapt it to the realities of the clients
– empower the learners to transfer the learning outcomes to their working environments and enlarge the offer of their organizations towards adult learners
– build new European partnerships between the organisations active in the field of adult literacy
– collect good practices from the Workshop and disseminate it among wider audience interested in the topic.

For who: Literacy teachers, workplace literacy programs trainers, human resources managers, volunteer-teachers – who work or intend to work with adult learners.
From: 28 Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
Date and place: 20-29.01.2014, Torino, Italy
Language: English
Workshop reference number: 2013-1-IT2-GRU13-52163

Facilitators:

• Magdalena Jakubowska – working as passionate trainer and facilitator of group and individual learning, she supports learners with transfer theories to their daily realities and motivating them to develop competences needed. Worked for Brainiact s.a.r.l – Luxembourg. Currently works for Artsquare Lab.
• Piotr Gaweł – Trainer, social and cultural animator. Placed between Poland and Luxembourg, he collaborated with many different polish and foreign organizations. His main interests are local communities development, intercultural education and sustainable development. Worked also with Brainiact s.a.r.l – Luxembourg. Currently works for Artsquare Lab.

During the Workshop, the participants exchanged different non-formal activities that could be used in adult literacy education. Some of them have been collected and published in a small document.
Have a look on pdf that was prepared thanks to the contributions shared by all the participants. Click on the image below:

*The content of the Workshop does not reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the organizers of the Workshop.