THE ARTS AS A VEHICLE TO SCHOOL LITERACY

The intervention described here was based on the use of the arts as a vehicle for learning (i.e., for enhancing literacy across the curriculum) and as a means of increasing school attractiveness. It was an intervention implemented in the framework of the European Union Program “Education of Roma Children in the Regions of Central Macedonia, Western Macedonia, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace” (2010-2015). The intervention was designed primarily to establish collaboration, so that the class becomes a learning community engaging all students, Roma and non-Roma, in quality, attractive activities that build on their resources and create cross-cultural interactions for purposeful and meaningful learning. Curricular goals and learning units were approached through drama, music, environmental education, dance and movement. Activities were created by the whole class and facilitated by the class teacher and the team of artists. These differentiated educational approaches contributed to the improvement of the learning environment. An added benefit was that through their collaboration with the artist facilitators of the activities, classroom teachers were exposed to innovative and effective teaching practices.