Achieving creative collaboration between language teachers and artists

An evaluation of a workshop-based approach

Authors

  • Jane Andrews University of the West of England
  • Maryam Almohammad University of Edinburgh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jmtp.25810

Keywords:

arts-based practice, creative collaboration, English as an additional language (EAL), language teaching, workshop-based approach

Abstract

Inspired by academic thinking and practice-based work on creativity and education, and creative approaches in language education, this article is based on outcomes of the project ‘Creating Welcoming Learning Environments: Disseminating Arts-Based Approaches to Including All Learners’, funded by the UK Arts & Humanities Research Council. The project brought together creative artists specializing in filmmaking, drama, crafting, poetry and the spoken word, textiles and music with teachers in the south-west of England, who collaborated on integrating arts-based practices into language teaching, learning and assessment. The focus of the project was to generate new ways of teaching a) children developing English as an Additional Language (EAL) in mainstream primary, secondary and special schools and b) all children in schools where there is a commitment to building an ethos of inclusion and diversity in relation to languages and cultures. The article reports on how co-operative, collaborative workshops were used to bring teachers, creative artists and researchers together in a way which valued everyone’s knowledge and expertise. A thematic analysis of data from evaluation interviews undertaken with the participating teachers is provided and the potential for workshop-based professional development opportunities as a way of achieving creative collaboration in schools is discussed.

Author Biographies

  • Jane Andrews, University of the West of England

    Jane Andrews is Professor of Education working in the Department of Education and Childhood at the University of Western England. She teaches and researches in a range of areas within the field of education and has a particular interest in multilingualism and learning.

  • Maryam Almohammad, University of Edinburgh

    Maryam Almohammad is a researcher and an educator in interculturality, language, intersectionality and identity and society at the Institute for Language Education, the Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh.

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Published

2024-03-27

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Andrews, J., & Almohammad, M. (2024). Achieving creative collaboration between language teachers and artists: An evaluation of a workshop-based approach. Journal of Multilingual Theories and Practices, 5(1), 30-46. https://doi.org/10.1558/jmtp.25810