Towards a well-being focussed language pedagogy: enabling arts-based, multilingual learning spaces for young people with refugee backgrounds

Abstract

Frimberger, Katja (2016) Towards a well being focussed language pedagogy: Enabling artsbased, multilingual learning spaces for young people with refugee backgrounds, Pedagogy, Culture, Society, Volume 24, Issue 2, pp. [285][286][287][288][289][290][291][292][293][294][295][296][297][298][299] Link to publication: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/ AbstractThe following article explores the conceptual background and pedagogical realities of establishing a well-being focussed language pedagogy in the context of an informal educational event called 'Language Fest'. The event was organised as part of the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded large grant project 'Researching Multilingually at the Borders of Language, the Body, Law and the State' -for the UK's 'Being Human Festival' 2014. The event aimed to celebrate the multiple languages present in the city of Glasgow in Scotland. Participants consisted of 40 teenage ESOL learners with asylum and refugee backgrounds. Based on autoethnographic reflections and short interview excerpts, the article focuses on one particular situation of 'shared singing' which took place as part of one of the event's music and drama-based workshops. The author reflects on her act of learning how to sing the Chinese children's song 'Two Tigers', from Chung, a Mandarin speaker and ESOL college student in Glasgow. The article explores the valence of the author's linguistic incompetence in this learning situation and argues that arts-based language learning is a situated practice that prioritises ethical, relationship-based objectives over static notions of language competence. Introduction Katja:On our second day we were 'entertaining' over 40 college students (all multilinguals, newly arrived in Glasgow and ESOL-learners) making them try out musical instruments, sing and act. We counted 36 different languages in the room. The nicest thing for me was when one of the ESOL teachers, who had accompanied the group, came up to me afterwards to say that he was surprised to see one of his weakest and shyest learners in the class all of a sudden light up, become expressive and confident when singing in her native French and acting in front of the whole group. She seemed so very proud of herself. Just a small story feedback from language fest. (Email from 25.11.2014/11:20am) Carla:What you say chimes with comments at an event we arranged with the British Academy last night on community languages and bilingualism. One speaker talked about the perceptions of speaking a language other than English as a deficit and impairment, and about how some teachers even talk of pupils with languages other than English in terms similar to those used for special educational needs ('severe EAL case', 'student has no language', etc.). She told some stories similar to yours about how pupils considered reluctant, timid and otherwise challenged have blossomed when allowed to speak their own language and to recognize its worth. (Email from 25.11.2014/ 14:07pm)

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