Already in the past Non-Formal-Education has been characterized as “any organised educational activity outside the established formal system – whether operating separately or as an important feature of some broader activity – that is intended to serve identifiable learning clientele and learning objectives” (Philip Coombs, 1973). However nowadays it is still important to have a look at different kinds of non-formal teaching methods and strategies to discover their potentialities in enhancing education effectiveness and to think beyond the brick-and-mortar walls of the traditional classroom when it comes to learning and preventing early school leaving. The new edition of the course “Non-Formal Education Teaching Methods and Strategies” took place in Palermo from 26/01/2025 to 01/02/2025. The participants came from all across Europe, with Cristina Carriço, Sónia Silva and Paula Boiça from Escola Secundária Marquês de Pombal in Portugal and Riika Paasovaara and Mari Vinkki from Educational Consortium OSAO in Finland. First of all, we began exploring visual strategies. Through activities like creating collages and drawing on specific topics, the participants used metaphors to enhance their expression. These visual exercises revealed how art can be a simple and effective way to discuss complex topics and communicate challenging ideas. Next, we explored how role-playing games and storytelling can help us understand the consequences of certain behaviors in specific contexts. We also learned how these activities allow us to analyse the unique contributions each person can make in a given role. Moreover, we discovered the importance of team building and team working in education: working together with several team members can be very productive and gives each member the opportunity to give their contribution inside the group. Another kind of non-formal educational activity are debate and speaking games: these types of games are useful for promoting cooperative learning and developing a dialectical approach. In the Oxford Debate, participants fostered creativity by coming up with unconventional, persuasive arguments and learned how to work together effectively by adopting collaborative behaviours. After analysing the different tools and strategies of non-formal education together, each participant had the chance to independently create a new tool for use in their own school setting. Thanks to the creativity and dedication of everyone involved, by the end of the course, we had a collection of practical and innovative tools developed by the teachers. In conclusion, over the course of these days, participants had the chance to experiment with innovative methods in a supportive and inspiring environment. They strengthened skills such as teamwork, empathy, and critical thinking, while also creating new and unique non-formal tools! Discover more about this course here.
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Welcome to the ELA Blog. Here you will find articles and photos of our courses and have a look at the topics addressed during the week in Bologna, Palermo and Tenerife. You will also have the chance to take a peek at our projects and check out what we have been up to.
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