The increasing presence of children with migrant background in schools in Cyprus and other European countries is a challenge that requires innovative pedagogical approaches. The project entitled KidLe – Developing an intercultural game as a pedagogic tool for the integration of pupils with migrant background in new learning environments, co-funded by the European Union and the ERASMUS+ programme, undertakes to address this challenge through the development of such an intercultural game.
The game methodology has proven to be a particularly effective way of integrating and learning new languages and cultures, especially in pre-school and primary education. Through co-creation, children aged 4-8 years, parents and teachers are working together to develop five intercultural board games, which will then be integrated into a digital package available free of charge to all.
Project KidLe aims to support the transition of children with migrant background into new school environments and to empower both parents and teachers to integrate play as a way of reaching and learning with children.
The KidLe project consortium consists of 7 partners which are the University Institute of Lisbon in Portugal, InterAktion in Austria, SIRIUS Network in Belgium and the professional organisation EuroSpeak Limited in Ireland. In Cyprus, the project is implemented by the University of Limassol and the Agios Spyridonas Kindergarten in Nicosia.
The project has a duration of 2 years (December 2023 – November 2025). The KidLe team met for the first time in person in January 2024 in Portugal where the work officially started and the objectives for the first deliverables of the project were set.
On 21 and 28 March 2024, the University of Limassol in collaboration with the Ayios Spyridon Kindergarten in Nicosia implemented the first two focus group meetings with teachers and parents from Cyprus and other countries such as Syria, Moldova and Greece. Through the focus groups, parents and teachers from different countries contribute to shaping the pedagogical needs and expectations of the project. A series of workshops will then be held with children aged 4-6 years old, parents and teachers to co-create the game for Cyprus.
It is noted that the games will be available in all the languages of the project consortium, as well as in 5 other languages to be determined based on the groups created in each country.
Source: University of Limassol | News (https://shorturl.at/almBD