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In practice: Language Animation the inclusive way
participants‘ attention to the less common pitfalls and exclusion criteria. This can inspire them to reflect on their own perception and realise that the method is highly de- manding and involves a number of barriers to access that are not obvious at first glance.
Teilnehmenden auf die weniger häufig vorkommenden Fallstricke und Ausschlusskriterien gelenkt werden. Dies kann Inspiration sein, ihre eigene Wahrnehmung ent- sprechend zu reflektieren und sich bewusst zu machen, dass die Methode voraussetzungsvoll ist und wie viele unbeachtete Zugangsbarrieren es gibt.
Adapting the method: Type-Writer
already been used, that participants have picked up in the foreign language, or whose foreign-language equivalent the participants have yet to acquire in daily life. This can be done with a row of chairs, with participants who speak other languages placed in alternate seats, with the aim of exploring new vocab ulary together (followed by writing bilingual pairs of terms next to the letters of the alphabet). • The competitive element of this activity creates a dynamic atmosphere, but it can make some partici- pants uncomfortable (and may also cause injury or hurt feelings). One cooperative variant is for groups not to compete against each other but to work together, for instance requiring two persons facing each other to come up with the next terms (possibly in various languages) together. • This activity requires that participants are able to write. This requirement appears time and again in mobility programmes without having been ques tioned at all, disregarding the high general illiteracy rate. People who cannot write (or read) will have of- ten developed strategies to conceal this. An inclusive alternative is to focus instead on other skills, such as to extend the standard alphabet or to offer sounds instead of (written) letters. Or one could consider shifting the focus away from correct spelling, or allowing participants to draw the term rather than write the word.
• Naturally, the running involved in the activity creates a dynamic atmosphere and is a good “energizer”, but it won‘t be easy for everyone. Participants with impaired mobility may not enjoy it. One alternative is to attach paper to a clipboard and have partici- pants hand it from person to person together with a ballpoint pen, or to think about different forms of motion (such as “walking through syrup”, or “everyone moves in a way that‘s different from the others”). • The clipboard or a table can also be a good alterna- tive if not all participants are able to reach up to the flipchart. • Handing over the pen while in motion may be a chal- lenge for some participants. It can help to tie the pen to the clipboard or to think about how to assist the participants in question. • This activity can be used to systematise language learning, however it must be remembered that participants‘ language skills will vary. If the aim is for participants to consolidate smaller foreign language lexica, it makes sense to limit the vocabulary that should be used, for instance to terms that are listed in the programme handbook, or to terms that are in a language that is foreign to the participants, etc. • The activity can also be used to acquire new vo- cabulary. If this is the case, the relay option can be replaced by group work to collect terms that have
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