RATIONALE

In times when Europe faces a crisis of identity, when new challenges have to be coped with, in times of massive exclusion of different social groups European consciousness and identity are once again under pressure. Therefore it is important to contribute to the constant building of European identity. Identifying common intangible heritage and learning about it may importantly consolidate European identity. Popular concerns about it are due to numerous changes and cultural contacts, to the extent that European identity is less clear to us. Moreover, the confrontation of languages, traditions and ways of life make this identity even more unclear.

Forces and images of the four elements are everywhere, particularly in legends, stories, and poetry and Man affects them. That’s how Man’s affection for water has inspired thousands of stories and myths. Among them, the Myth of Narcissus who loved no one till he saw his own reflection in the water and fell in love with it; finally, he pinned away, died, and was turned into the flower of the same name.

Moreover, there is no poetic soul that would not be able to admire the water, its calm and serene surface, its power. Water has come to symbolise maternity, purification, earth stability and rest, fire passion and quick changes or destruction, air, dreams etc.

OBJECTIVES

The general aim is to enable intercultural learning through legends and stories associated with the four elements and to contribute to building European identity and intangible cultural heritage. Namely, legends and stories related to water, fire, air, and earth are deeply rooted and valued in local, national or European consciousness up to the point where they have become part of the European intangible heritage. Moreover, the stories are meant to be used by English teachers. They will be used as a learning tool and method in groups of adult learners.

TARGET GROUPS

(Older) adult educators, teachers of English, social workers, teachers of specific learning audiences (dyslectics, students with a hearing impairment).

Duration: 1.11.2018 – 31.10.2020

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Activities / Methods / Results

Intellectual outputs require the accomplishment of various activities:

Interactive database with resources;
Developing Methodology- conceptual background;
Creation of cards with stories related to the four elements;
An open educational resource with information about the project;
A face to face training will take place with the participation of 14 trainers;
Learning and training materials will be developed based on legends supplemented by language teaching content and on-line exercises.

The delivery of the stories, methods, and exercises will be adapted to the needs of specific learning audiences.

Legends and stories will be collected and selected for this project – each partner will contribute twelve stories in total, three per each element.

Methodology >>

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Multimedia / Written publications

The power of our collective imagery has created myths, legends and tales – The “Four Elements” project (EPALE) >>

Four Elements Facebook Page >>

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