2021-07-26 /
Forthcoming ISOTIS Presentation at 6th International Conference ‘Crossroads of Languages and Cultures’
ISOTIS colleagues Gkaintartzi et al to present "Success features and facilitators for promoting multilingual and multicultural diversity in education" at the 6th International Conference ‘Crossroads of Languages and Cultures’ taking place online between September 2 and September 5 2021.
ISOTIS colleagues Anastasia Gkaintartzi, Evi Kompiadou, Konstantinos Petrogiannis, Konstantinos Tsioumis & Roula Tsokalidou will present a case study, conducted in the Greek educational context, at the 6th International Conference ‘Crossroads of Languages and Cultures’ (http://cyprusconferences.org/clc6/). This case study was part of the European collaborative project, called 'ISOTIS', including 17 partners and 11 countries. The project ISOTIS aimed to contribute to effective policy and practice development in order to effectively combat educational inequalities in early childhood education and primary education, following a three-step research procedure. First, an inventory of effective and promising interventions across Europe on curriculum, pedagogy and/or school social climate was created; second, in-depth case studies were conducted, based on selected interventions from the inventory; and third, a virtual learning environment prototype, aiming to develop cultural and multilingual awareness, was developed. Our case study, as part of the second research stage of ISOTIS, was implemented in four pre-school classes, in Western Thessaloniki, Greece. The main aim of the case study was the investigation of teachers', parents' and children's views regarding the perceived impact of the selected intervention, in order to identify its success features and facilitators. In specific, success features refer to intrinsic features and strengths of the intervention and facilitators include factors that contribute to its success. The selected intervention had targeted the support of multilingualism and multiculturalism in the Kindergarten. By identifying its success features and facilitators, we could add to the current scientific knowledge about ways to support the children's multilingual and multicultural capitals in the classroom. Data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with the participants, as well as via analysis of children’s creative productions and observation. The research findings show that personal relationship, language support, the use of personal stories as identity texts, as well as the use of ICT are some of the reported success features and facilitators. We discuss the multiple benefits of including and supporting the children's languages and cultures in school learning, valuing diversity in the classroom and promoting inclusiveness. Implications are considered about the use of pedagogical practices such as identity texts that can act as a tool of empowerment for the children's multilingual/multicultural capitals and support of home-school partnership.