Page 58 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Cooperation Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 58
The community learning approach to education and tackling ESL is
therefore an integrative tool that, in order to be successful, must connect all
family, school and community agents and be implemented in prevention,
intervention and compensation ESL programmes.
Conclusions
In this paper, we discussed the principles and aims of community learning
and tried to identify areas where it can make a positive difference to tack-
ling ESL (see Figure 1).
ESL STUDENTS COMMUNITY LEARNING EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL
WELL-BEING
Low SES Connection of community
Di erent cultural and organisations, families and FEELING COMPETENCT
educational values schools AND AUTONOMOUS
Immigrant status Informal teaching methods
Lack of interest and Informal educator-student FEELING ACCEPTED AND
motivation for learning relationship VALUED
Weak self-concept of Culturally relevant material
ability and autonomy Needs and situation oriented FEELING SUPPORTED
Lack of adult socio- Area and personal speci c
emotional support Experiences based INCREASED LEARNING
Feeling of unrelatedness Dialogical process MOTIVATION
to school and community Supportive environment
Cultural and social justice STRENGTHENED SOCIAL
Social acceptance NETWORKS
Figure 1. Effects of community learning principles on a (potential) ESL student’s
characteristics and its outcomes
According to the literature review of theoretical and research arti-
cles’ findings and evaluations of different community learning projects/
programmes that are available, we can identify activities at different levels
of the educational process that must be addressed in order to successfully
tackle ESL. Those activities capture the following levels of the education-
al process: a) individual level (emphasis on the individual’s needs, beliefs,
culture, potential etc.); b) educational approach level (informal teacher-stu-
dent relationships, use of informal and formal teaching methods, mutual
learning, congruency between theoretical knowledge and experiences, sup-
portive environment etc.); and c) community-school level (community as
a classroom and rich source of knowledge, collaboration between schools
and community agents). Besides those, ESL compensation programmes
58
therefore an integrative tool that, in order to be successful, must connect all
family, school and community agents and be implemented in prevention,
intervention and compensation ESL programmes.
Conclusions
In this paper, we discussed the principles and aims of community learning
and tried to identify areas where it can make a positive difference to tack-
ling ESL (see Figure 1).
ESL STUDENTS COMMUNITY LEARNING EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL
WELL-BEING
Low SES Connection of community
Di erent cultural and organisations, families and FEELING COMPETENCT
educational values schools AND AUTONOMOUS
Immigrant status Informal teaching methods
Lack of interest and Informal educator-student FEELING ACCEPTED AND
motivation for learning relationship VALUED
Weak self-concept of Culturally relevant material
ability and autonomy Needs and situation oriented FEELING SUPPORTED
Lack of adult socio- Area and personal speci c
emotional support Experiences based INCREASED LEARNING
Feeling of unrelatedness Dialogical process MOTIVATION
to school and community Supportive environment
Cultural and social justice STRENGTHENED SOCIAL
Social acceptance NETWORKS
Figure 1. Effects of community learning principles on a (potential) ESL student’s
characteristics and its outcomes
According to the literature review of theoretical and research arti-
cles’ findings and evaluations of different community learning projects/
programmes that are available, we can identify activities at different levels
of the educational process that must be addressed in order to successfully
tackle ESL. Those activities capture the following levels of the education-
al process: a) individual level (emphasis on the individual’s needs, beliefs,
culture, potential etc.); b) educational approach level (informal teacher-stu-
dent relationships, use of informal and formal teaching methods, mutual
learning, congruency between theoretical knowledge and experiences, sup-
portive environment etc.); and c) community-school level (community as
a classroom and rich source of knowledge, collaboration between schools
and community agents). Besides those, ESL compensation programmes
58
