Manual

In this manual you will find general information about our project, guidelines for the use of this toolkit, specific tips & tricks and extensive background information. We sometimes refer to articles with information resulting from research and our own experiences. Although this information is not required to use the toolkit, it might help you to set up good language lessons. You can use this manual as a reference, according to your needs.

We hope you will enjoy reading and working with our toolkit!

• What?

  The Alternative Ways projects aim to help adult learners new to a society learn the language and integrate into that society in a playful but appropriate way, with a special focus on short-schooled adult learners. To that end the partners in the projects have developed a toolkit consisting of experiential and creative informal learning tools brought together in a collection of activities and information centred around language learning and civic integration. The current version of the Alternative Ways toolkit is based on a previous version, which primarily focused on informal language learning. In the previous version one could search for activities within one of six so-called Stepping Stones.  The current toolkit still allows you to search for activities that are connected to one or more of these Stepping Stones by means of a search filter, but we have added some more filters. Read more about the Stepping Stones in the last chapter of this manual.

  What is ‘Alternative’ about this toolkit:

  • Playfulness and fun are the keys, because we believe that these elements are pivotal for enhancing people’s learning capability, in particular when they are short-schooled.
  • The Alternative Ways method is based on 8 principles which educational neuroscientific research has shown to be largely conducive to learning: positive learning environment; stimulation of attention; movement of body and proper feeding; inclusion of positive emotional triggers; topics relevant to the learner; conversion of what has been learnt into own words; evaluation through immediate feedback; reinforcement of information.

  In the Foundation Bricks, Chapter 1-1, we go into this in more detail. Though the Foundation Bricks are focusing on language learning, they are equally important for other aspects of civic integration.

  • The activities focus on learning skills and competences that are required to participate in every society.
  • The activities can be adapted to the needs of the learners.
  • No book is used and tables and chairs can often be put aside when doing the activities.
  • The human condition of newcomers was always at the base of the development of the activities, which implies factors like stress, lack of concentration, and trauma were taken into consideration.

• Why?

  Working, both in formal and informal ways, with different groups of learners who are not from our Western societies, we - the partners in Alternative Ways - have found that a significant number of learners succeed in learning a new language and acquiring the skills needed to participate in their new society. However, we also noticed a relatively high dropout for reasons such as post-stress trauma, short schooling combined with (near) illiteracy, dyslexia. It is because of this high drop-out rate that we started developing this toolkit.

  Based on our experience we dare state that it is often not the intelligence of the drop-outs that blocks them. More often than that a mismatch between their learning skills and the formal learning tools offered is the culprit. We strongly believe that they would be better helped by offering them learning tools that match and help improve their learning skills. That is why we decided to join forces and share our knowledge to develop a toolkit together, based on more informal learning principles and involving tools we know from our experiences to be effective.

• By who?

  This toolkit has been developed by GO! onderwijs van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap and CERVO (Belgium), Oslo Vo Rosenhof (Norway), Arbeit und Leben NRW (Germany), Elan Culturel (France), Akros, The Talentenschool and Storytelling Centre (The Netherlands).

  The project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

• For whom?

  This toolkit is primarily meant to help educators, both beginners and experienced, who work with adult learners who are new to their society (the primary target group). These educators can be (language and/or civic education) teachers, coaches, but also volunteers. A few examples: the volunteer at the neighbourhood centre, the language teacher at a formal language school, the sports teacher who wants to incorporate civic education and language into his / her lesson, et cetera.

   

  Secondly, the toolkit is meant for adults who want and/or have to learn a new language and to integrate in a new society, with an emphasis on those whose learning skills don’t match very well with formal learning tools (the secondary target group). Part of this group consists of refugees. We have collected and created some background information about the particularities of this specific group which we share with you in Chapter 1-2 of the Foundation Bricks.)

We developed our informal learning tools by doing research, using our own experiences and knowledge and by testing the tools in each partner’s country with the secondary target group (described in the Case Studies [add link]) . This, together with the feedback we got and our own evaluations of the tools, allowed us to fill the toolkit with background information, sample lessons  and activities which are suitable for, and tailored to the needs of adult learners with different language levels who are new to the society they want and/or have to become part of.

In this chapter we will give you some directions on how to use this toolkit. But first, we would like to point out what you can find in it.

• Manual (you are in the manual right now), in which you can find:
• • Project description: general information about the project
  • Guidelines, activities and sample lessons
  • Tips & Tricks for educators
  • Background information about language learning and social-emotional skills.

• Activities

We have developed and collected a great variety of activities (189 in total). In order to simplify their use, we have labelled them. You can search for the labels using the filters we integrated (like type of activity, its duration, group size, skills addressed, stepping stones adressed, whether or not materials and/or preparation are needed).

NOTE: The current Alternative Ways toolkit is based on a previous version. In this first toolkit 6 Stepping Stones [NB links to info on ‘old site’] formed the base for setting up language learning lessons. Though we let go of the Stepping Stones in the current version, it is still possible to use them as we have kept them as labels and added filters that allow you to search for activities that are linked to the Stepping Stones. Read more about the Stepping Stones in the last chapter of this manual.

We challenge you to combine different activities from the toolkit to create the ideal (series of) lesson(s) in the time available to you!

• Sample lessons

By way of examples we have developed a series of sample lessons. You can find these on the getting started page. These thematic lessons can be useful for those of you who do not have a lot of experience with the target group yet or they can serve as inspiration for the more experienced educators.

• Tips & Tricks

We can recommend the Tips & Tricks section. In there you will find lots of useful information about how adults learn and how to help them learn better, intercultural learning, working with and in groups, some education methods and different educators’ attitudes.

• Background information

For those of you who would like to have more background information (for example about teaching this specific target group) before designing your own lesson(s), we have added a chapter providing this.

Please, do feel free to adjust the toolkit to your needs and/or – even more important – to the needs of the learners!

Last but not least: If you have experienced that a specific exercise works better after you have adjusted it or have used it in another way, please, let us know. We then can add that information to the toolkit.

In this chapter you will find tips & tricks based on research and our own experiences gained in workshops and other types of teaching environments. They have to do with the ways in which adults learn better, intercultural learning, working with and in groups, methods and the attitude of you as an educator. To some of you this might be common knowledge, but for others it might be useful to read this chapter before starting a lesson.

• How do people learn better?

  In this paragraph we want to emphasize the importance of knowing and understanding how this particular group learns and what they need to develop their language learning and participation skills. We base the following tips and tricks on 8 principles which educational neuroscientific research has shown to be largely conducive to learning:  positive learning environment; stimulation of attention; movement of body and proper feeding; inclusion of positive emotional triggers; topics relevant to the learner; conversion of what has been learnt into own words; evaluation through immediate feedback; reinforcement of information. (See Chapter 1-1 of the  Foundation Bricks.). Translating this to tips and tricks for educators:

   

  1. Build up a warm and welcoming atmosphere based on trust and respect. In a positive learning environment the brain is more likely to release endorphins, which stimulate the frontal lobes of the brain: the thinking command centre.
  2. Offer information in limited segments spread over a longer teaching period. Newness is attractive to the brain and offering it in small amounts will increase the learners’ attention and their capacity to remember. To optimize their learning process, you should switch between different types of tasks during short, timed intervals.
  3. Facilitate positive emotional triggers during your lesson. This will improve the learners’ learning ability.
  4. Make sure your students get enough water, oxygen – by exercising two short minutes – and glucose. Human brains need these three elements to function optimally.
  5. Use subjects that the learners can link to their own lives and to previous knowledge.
  6. Ask the learners to reproduce information in their own words. This will help them remember it.
  7. Reinforce information by presenting the same information in different ways and in as many varied contexts of learning processes as possible in order to consolidate it in the long-term memory.
  8. Evaluate through immediate feedback.
  9. Most of the time you will be dealing with a group of learners whose learning abilities and levels of knowledge will differ. Use multiple tools, different working methods and creativity in your lesson(s) in order to give the learners the right tools to acquire and develop skills. Mix and match the exercises in our toolkit!
  10. Ask if the learners are familiar with the formal European school system. This can help you to get an indication of the learners’ knowledge and the necessity of adjusting your lesson(s). This may imply more explanation of the objectives and the structure of your lesson(s).

   

   

  • Read more about neuroeducation as a basis of the learning process in Chapter 1.1 Foundation Bricks.
  • Read more about different learning styles in Chapter 3.3 Foundation Bricks
  • Read more about the reasoins for using a diversity of methods and approaches in Chapter 3.1 Foundation Bricks
  • Read more about adaptation to personal needs in Chapter 3.2 Foundation Bricks.
  • Read more about challenges adult learners may face in learning in Chapter 1.4.

• Intercultural learning

  The learners in your group are most likely learning language and other skills as part of their integration process. Learning the language will definitely help them to be better equipped for life in their new country, but to fully integrate they will need to understand all sorts of cultural aspects as well and be willing to learn how to deal with their own and this new culture, which in today’s society is a combination of various cultures.

   

  This is why we strongly recommend intercultural education: a comprehensive educational approach that allows one to develop willingness and ability to live in a diverse society. Thus, the learners will be better equipped for the challenges of integrating into a society that is not their own.

  Our tips:

  1. Give the learners access to the local culture by using tools that involve cultural aspects. For example: use literature, poems, music, sports, etc..
  2. Respect individuality and diversity, approach everyone’s culture positively and meet ‘the other’ equally. This will add value to the learning process.

  • Read more about ‘Intercultural learning’.

• Working with and in groups

  We believe that collaborative working (working in groups) is the most effective and beneficial way of conveying knowledge in a learning process. Working collaboratively contributes both to the development of mastering a new language as to the personal development of the learners.

  Below we collected some tips, information and tricks to facilitate and encourage this collaborating process, to deal with emotions that might occur and with disabilities.

   

  1. Create a safe environment by doing some exercises with the entire group. Also make some agreements with the group to build mutual trust. Three fundamental agreements are:

  • All that is said within the walls of the classroom will stay there unless permission to share with someone outside the training space is explicitly requested and given.
  • A person who shares a personal story is the owner of that story. No one is allowed to share it without this/her explicit permission.
  • Everybody, including you - the educator -, is equal. Some people might have a specific role, but that does not make them more important than others. The group agrees to respect and obey the responsibilities that come with the role.

  You could write these agreements on a flip chart and place them in a clearly visible place in the room.

  1. Get out of your comfort zone and show some vulnerability. You have to be prepared to come out of your comfort zone yourself. If you ask the learners to act silly, you have to be willing and able to act silly yourself. If you ask the learners to tell a personal story, you have to be willing to share something personal and show some vulnerability as well.
  2. Do exercises to build trust and to encourage collaboration (25% of the whole (series of) lesson(s)). We stress the importance of preparing this step with dedication. These exercises will familiarise you with the group and its dynamics as well.
  3. Guarantee equality. In every aspect of the lesson you have to be careful not to bias too much to one side and to keep the common ground and interest always in mind.
  4. You should know you are (most of the time) no therapist and should be sensible enough to refer the learner to an expert if strong emotions evoke.
  5. Never allow a situation to happen in which a disabled learner (mentally or physically) cannot join and has to sit aside. At the same time, never compel learners to participate in a game or an activity if they are not willing to. This project is about inclusion for all!
  6. Build some flexibility in your lesson and be prepared to change the program on the spot if the dynamic in the group asks for it.
  7. Work with relatively small groups, so you can give the learners the attention they need and to create an optimal group dynamic.

  • Read more about ‘Working with and in groups’.

• Methods

  Learners in your class probably have a diverse range of learning abilities and different levels of knowledge. This is why it is really important to use multiple tools, working methods and creativity in your lesson in order for the learners to acquire and develop skills.

  We have collected some information about the use of experiential and creative tools, like ‘laugh and play’, ‘role play’, ‘collaborative learning’ and ‘peer to peer learning’ and some tips and tricks.

  1. Make learning fun! When you use various activities that make learning engaging and fun, learners are more willing to participate and take risks. Having fun while learning also helps learners to remember information because the process is enjoyable (it triggers positive emotions) and thus memorable.
  2. Work with nice and entertaining games, songs, theatre tools or role plays to encourage learners to interact and to relieve the pressure they often feel to speak perfectly.
  3. Working in groups contributes both to learning a new language as to the personal development of the learners. Examples of collaborative learning are: working together in smaller groups, learning from each other and working together towards one goal. Everybody can do what suits him/her best and contributes to the tasks the group needs to perform.
  4. Facilitate peer to peer learning and feedback sessions. These help people develop their self-confidence and language skills, to be critical in a constructive way and to collaborate.

  • Read more about ‘Collaborative learning’.
  • Read more about ‘Laugh and play’ and ‘Role play’.

• Attitude of the instructor

  Based on our own experiences as instructors and on working with this specific target group, we have some tips to help you make the best of yourself as an educator.

   

  Before the lesson

  1. Make sure your classroom is ready for the learners. Are there enough tables and chairs? Do you have all the material you need? Is the room clean and inviting? Is coffee and tea available? You have only one chance to make a good first impression.
  2. Be aware that you are the role model! If you expect certain behaviour from the learners, show them that behaviour yourself.

  Welcome and introduction

  1. Greet the learners when they enter the classroom and welcome everyone before you start your lesson. You could consider using name cards.
  2. Explain the purpose of your lesson, the program, what time you will start, have a break and will end the lesson. And ask the learners to switch their phones off. 
  3. Tell everyone that it is okay to make mistakes, that this is part of the learning process.
  4. Do a check-in. Check how everyone is doing, what their expectations are, if they want to learn something specific?

  During the lesson

  1. Reward good behaviour and show appreciation for a learner’s input.
  2. Give the learners the opportunity to ask questions.
  3. Set an example. This will make it easier for the learners to enter the activity and to understand the rules.
  4. Emphasize contact, enjoyment, relaxation and accessibility.
  5. When you talk to the group or to one learner look people in the eyes.
  6. Speak and articulate clearly.
  7. Don’t correct all the time.
  8. Repeat your sentence, question or answer when you suspect a learner does not understand you or when a learner says s-he does not. If s-he also does not understand it the second time, try to reformulate your sentence, question or answer.

  End of the lesson

  1. Ask if there are any questions or uncertainties.
  2. End your lesson with a short evaluation. Ask the learners if they have enjoyed the lesson. Did it meet their expectations? Do they have tips for the next time? What do they take home?
  3. Write down the learners’ feedback, using their words. By asking for feedback from the learners you involve them and the feedback will be useful for improving your lesson(s).
  4. Use WhatsApp to stay in touch with the learners outside the classroom. This medium helps to communicate, participate, motivate, collaborate and enhances your and the learners’ digital competences.

  • Send an inspiring, accessible, funny reminder before you start a training
  • Share pictures of the notes on the blackboard
  • Use voice messages to practice pronunciation
  • Share links, images, music, video’s, etc. before or after each training session.

The language and social-emotional skills and competences we discuss in this chapter are important, because they play a significant role in each learning process in general and in that of adults who have difficulty learning using formal learning tools in particular. In teaching these adults you have to take into account the different skills and competences that are needed to integrate in a society. It is therefore important to offer the learners lesson(s) to challenge them to develop a variety of skills and competences. By means of labels we have indicated for each activity which skills and competences are addressed by it. In case you would like to know more about one or all the different skills and competences, we have inserted a link to an article which will provide more background information.

• Interpersonal Skills

  Interpersonal skills are about being able to interact with respect and attempting to engage with the views of other people. This opens a space for dialogue, an open exchange of views, through which individuals can acquire an understanding of the perspectives, interests and needs of each other. The ‘other’ has an inherent importance and value and is worthy of one’s attention and interest. It involves recognizing the dignity of other people and affirming other people’s rights to choose and to advocate for their own views and way of life. In short, interpersonal skills require respect for the dignity, the equality and the human rights of other people. It also requires critical reflection on the relationship, and respect for the cultural affiliations of others.

• Cognitive and digital skills

  Cognitive skills consist of knowledge and understanding. Knowledge is the body of information that is possessed by a person, while understanding is the comprehension and appreciation of meanings. ‘Critical understanding’ involves the comprehension and appreciation of meanings in the context of democratic processes and dialogue to involve active reflection on and critical evaluation of that which is being understood and interpreted (as opposed to automatic, habitual and unreflective interpretation).

  Digital skills are the skills and knowledge needed to undertake everyday digital activities. This can include finding and managing digital information, sharing personal data digitally, using digital technology and making use of e-learning. It also includes knowledge and understanding of the processes through which the mass media select, interpret and edit information before transmitting it for public consumption. It also consists of knowledge and understanding of digital media, of how digital media content, images, messages and advertisements are produced, and of the various possible motives, intentions and purposes of those who create or reproduce them.

• Self-leadership skills

  Self-leadership skills are the foundation of personal and professional growth, enabling individuals to take responsibility for their actions, decisions, and development. These skills involve self-awareness, emotional intelligence, goal-setting, and the ability to stay motivated even in challenging situations. By mastering self-leadership, individuals can navigate their own paths with clarity and confidence, make informed choices, and align their actions with their values and long-term objectives. Ultimately, self-leadership empowers individuals to take control of their own learning and performance, fostering resilience, accountability, and continuous improvement in any field.

• Language skills

  Language skills are important to be able to engage in conversations. Language skills are always part of subject learning. The learning of subject-specific knowledge cannot happen without linguistic mediation. Without adequate language skills, a learner can neither properly follow the content that is being taught, nor communicate with others about it. Lessons must provide built-in opportunities to participate in all kinds of conversation, including group conversations, one-to-one conversations, telephone conversations, cooperative activities and presenting and debating, because it is important to have simple conversations about familiar topics in daily life and to learn to express personal opinions, to exchange information and to express feelings in words. 

The evaluation (or assessment) of any learning process and of language teaching in particular is important. By thinking about what has been learned, learners remember what they have learned better. Evaluation of the entire learning process offers you, as instructor, the opportunity to monitor your working method and to adjust it where necessary. An evaluation takes place on different levels. In the toolkit we have ways to evaluate linked to exercises, (e.g. how to end an exercise with an evaluation moment) and to lessons or series of lessons (e.g. asking learners to look back in pairs on what they have learned during a lesson or series of lessons). In paragraph 4.5. we offer a number of tips & tricks to evaluate and conclude a lesson. In the background information (see the link below) you will find more information about the evaluation of the entire learning process, on a more general level.

• Read more about ‘Evaluation of the learning’.

In this paragraph we describe the 6 Stepping Stones separately. These Stepping Stones are primarily intended to enhance and stimulate pleasure in learning (fun), increasing self-confidence and communicating. This creates the conditions for further learning (e.g. a language). Under each Stepping Stone we have brought together many experiential and creative exercises, in which working with the mind, the body, the heart and the senses are strongly connected.

• Teambuilding & Empowerment

  We underline the importance of teambuilding. If you do not manage to build a strong team, your lesson(s) will be an agony. That is why we strongly advise you to spend sufficient time on teambuilding exercises, certainly when you are working with groups in which mutual trust is not a given fact. It is obvious that creating a positive environment will stimulate the learners in the process of learning a language. We make the following rough distinction in the teambuilding exercises and activities:

  • Exercises focusing on the creation of a safe environment
  • Exercises focusing on collaboration
  • Exercises focusing on building trust

  In the toolkit you will find a variety of exercises (teasers) you can use to build a team and to empower the learners in a creative and meaningful way. We advise you to start every lesson with a teaser to inspire and challenge the learners in their learning process.

  • Read more about ‘Teambuilding & Empowerment’.

• Art & Culture

  It is important to use different tools when teaching a language. Working with art and culture expressions is one of them. A visit to a museum can not only serve to learn words in a different way, but also to give the learners more information about the country and the culture in which they now live. Also, focusing on a work of art during a lesson can contribute to an increase of the learners’ vocabulary in a creative way. The same applies to the use of music during the learning process. Listening to music as well as making music requires brain activities other than via a regular language lesson. Music stimulates emotions which has a positive effect on the learning process. Theatre is also an excellent medium for learning a language in a informal way. Performing a play in a foreign language enables a learner to play a character in a particular situation. When it comes to an already written play, one needs to learn the lines and understand their meaning, including the meaning of the separate words. Thus the learner enriches his/her vocabulary, which afterwards will make expressing oneself easier. Also an improvisation theatre course helps to enrich one’s vocabulary. Art & Culture will stimulate attention in the learning process by learners in an alternative way!

  • Read more about ‘Museum’.
  • Read more about ‘Theatre’.
  • Read more about ‘Music’.

• Media (audio/video/images)

  People learn in different ways, but it is well known that visual cues help to retrieve and remember information (new words) better. This makes sense when you consider the fact that our brain is mainly an image-processor. Therefore, when teaching a new language, oral explanation with direct support of images (pictures, illustrations, symbols, video, et cetera) works best. Not only visuals help learners in learning a new language, but as stated before, music is also a very good and pleasant tool to use. Every language has its own phonological system marked by its rhythm, intonations and accents. Music promotes the perception of sounds and therefore helps to become acquainted with foreign sounds. The role of e-learning (learning with the help of information and communication technology) in language learning is becoming increasingly important. E-learning will always be part of the learning process, because it enables learners to study outside the ‘classroom’ and thus they can spend more time on their studies. A combination of face to face and e-learning has our preference.

  • Read more about ‘The power of images’.
  • Read more about ‘Music’.
  • Read more about ‘E-learning’.

• Body, Movement & Senses

  Studies of the positive effect of movement and sports on the functions of the brain have shown that the positive hormones that are triggered by physical activity promote learning processes. Differentiated motion and sensory experiences support the connection of the cells in the human brain, enabling the processing of information. Performing movement exercises ("We all jump left off the chair!") encourages accurate speaking and listening. Pantomime, in which words, sentences or stories are depicted, can also improve language proficiency. Another way to help learners learn a language is the multisensory learning method. This method not only helps them to learn a language, but also to become familiar with new cultural codes and new culturally defined mind-sets. Using their senses will strengthen their long-term memory and ensure that what has been learned remains in place. Knocking on all sensory doors has a significant impact on language learning. Let’s hear, see, smell, taste and feel new languages and cultures!

  • Read more about ‘Sports and language’.
  • Read more about ‘Multisensory learning’.

• Expert & On The Go

  Tell me, I will forget. Show me, I will remember it. Let me experience it, I will make it my own… - Confucius The exercises ‘on the go’ are based on playful and contextual learning. This methodology assumes that people learn more effectively if the learning is linked to a specific situation or experience. It is been known for some time that motivation, enjoyment and a connection to the ‘real world’ influence learning tremendously. People learn a language because they need it to communicate with others and achieve their goals. One learns a language by using it and having fun with it. Learning a language without context is not conducive to successful language learning. Learners will learn more effectively when new knowledge is linked to ‘previous’ knowledge. Especially in the context of work you can stimulate the learners to combine their new knowledge to the words they already know and apply the newly learned words directly to their working environment. Another example of contextual learning is to invite an expert in a certain field or profession in which the learners have shown an interest. They can prepare for such a visit, including by preparing questions.

  • Read more about ‘On the go’.
  • Read more about ‘Learning at the workplace’.

• Storytelling

  According to many storytellers, but also to a growing number of educators, storytelling is a ‘complete’ tool to develop language skills. It deals with almost all aspects of language learning: grammar, vocabulary, structure and rhythm and it can be used for the development of listening and understanding skills as well as verbal and reading skills. If used properly, it can even contribute to the development of writing skills. Working with stories is a very clear and strong example of chunking (the process of taking individual pieces of information and grouping them together according to some logic), mainly for enriching one’s vocabulary but also for teaching grammar. By telling a story you offer words in a context and structure, which makes it easier for a learner to remember them. Also, if the story is accessible for the learner (in accordance with his/her language skills), he or she will remember not only the narrative, but also the meaning of the words and their place in the sentence. This allows the learner to learn a language faster. We have experienced the power of storytelling for the learning process, which is why it is one of the main tools we offer in the Alternative Ways toolkit. You will find various storytelling exercises in the toolkit.

  • Read more about ‘Storytelling as a transversal approach’.