Art Based Learning of Language of Origin through Didactic Innovation

<< Background >>The ALADIN project was designed to address an identified need for linguistic and cultural inclusion of migrant families in France and Germany. In the educational systems of these countries, heritage languages such as Polish, Romanian, Arabic, or Hungarian are still poorly recognized, which limits children’s self-esteem and hinders their social integration.ALADIN enabled the development of innovative, artistic, and participatory educational tools that promote bilingual learning in non-formal and family settings. Through creative and playful activities based on the discovery of the cultural and artistic heritage of the countries of origin, the project strengthened intergenerational bonds while facilitating language acquisition.It also addressed the need to build the capacities of educators through hybrid and inclusive methods, and provided concrete tools for parents to become actively involved in their children’s education. In doing so, ALADIN contributes to preserving cultural identities while supporting social and educational integration.<< Objectives >>The ALADIN project aimed to strengthen the linguistic, cultural, and social inclusion of migrant families in France and Germany by promoting heritage languages that are underrepresented in formal education systems (Polish, Romanian, Arabic, Hungarian). Our goal was to develop a bilingual, artistic, and participatory learning method, suited for family-based and non-formal contexts, enabling children to maintain a strong connection with their culture of origin while facilitating their integration into the host society.Our objectives were to:– Equip teachers and social workers with innovative resources to teach these languages in a creative way;– Involve parents in their children’s educational journey by providing them with concrete tools to transmit their language and cultural heritage;– Foster intergenerational learning through artistic and playful activities to be carried out within the family;– Promote greater recognition of linguistic diversity as an educational and social asset.In this way, ALADIN addresses a dual challenge: supporting the transmission of heritage languages and contributing to more inclusive integration in the host countries.<< Implementation >>The activities were implemented in a progressive and collaborative manner. First, a needs assessment was carried out through interviews with trainers and parents from migrant backgrounds, in order to identify their specific needs. A collection of good practices in language learning through arts and play was also conducted, along with research on the historical and institutional context of heritage language education in France and Germany.These elements fed into co-design laboratories, in which the project partners developed creative bilingual learning modules, tailored to the target languages (Polish, Romanian, Arabic, Hungarian). These modules were then contextualised for the two partner countries and tested in workshops with the beneficiaries of the four participating organisations.An online pedagogical manual was created to compile the developed resources and modules. A cross-cutting work strand ensured project management, monitoring, evaluation, and dissemination of results throughout the implementation period. At the end of the project, the results were presented to the public through dissemination events.<< Results >>The concrete achievements of the ALADIN project were structured into a pedagogical manual. This manual includes the results of the research phase, comprising a study on the historical and institutional context of heritage language learning, case studies, the outcomes of interviews conducted using the empathy mapping method, and a collection of good practices related to language learning through the arts.A total of 24 learning activities were described in detail, accompanied by pedagogical recommendations for teachers and parents. The manual also contains a user guide and an overview of the ALADIN approach.Other results include:– The mutual enrichment of the partners’ collections of pedagogical tools and methods, which can be reused in the long term;– The experience gained and the establishment of a co-creation method through design workshops;– The strengthening of creative and social skills among partner team members;– The reinforcement of links between participating organisations and increased visibility for partner structures.The beneficiaries of the partner organisations were equipped with new learning resources, tailored to their specific needs.