My thoughts about Education Humanities, Technology and Digital Culture. Interested on social media tools in educational contexts and
gamification in education.
Multilingual and multicultural societies thrive through the preservation of their languages, which serve as conduits for traditional knowledge and cultural heritage.
However, linguistic diversity faces increasing threats as more languages vanish. Currently, 40% of the global population lacks access to education in their native language, a figure that exceeds 90% in certain regions.
Research underscores the benefits of using learners' native languages in education, fostering better learning outcomes, self-esteem, and critical thinking skills. This approach also supports intergenerational learning and cultural preservation.
Theme 2024:
Multilingual education – a pillar of learning and intergenerational learning”.
Today, 250 million children and young people still do not attend school and 763 million adults do not master basic literacy skills. Mother tongue education supports learning, literacy and the acquisition of additional languages.
Multilingual education – a pillar of learning and intergenerational learning”, are crucial for inclusive education and the preservation of indigenous languages.
By starting education in the learner's mother tongue and gradually introducing other languages, barriers between home and school are bridged, facilitating effective learning.
Technology has the potential to address some of the greatest challenges in education today. It can accelerate efforts towards ensuring equitable and inclusive lifelong learning opportunities for all if it is guided by the core principles of inclusion and equity.
Multilingual education based on mother tongue is a key component of inclusion in education.
What is Intergenerational learning ?
Intergenerational learning is defined as learning that happens across different age groups and generations. Integral to concept is the multi-directionality of learning: children can learn from adults, adults from children, younger children from older siblings, and from other relatives. It is a collective learning process in which the whole family learns together.
The book was furthermore selected for the 2023 Bologna Children’s Book Fair exhibition "Beauty and the World: The New Nonfiction Picture Book".
What Makes Us Human has also been included inThe White Ravens 2023 selection as one of the 200 best publications for children released worldwide this year.
The overall aim of IMLD 2024 is to contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 by recognizing the role of teachers in promoting multilingual teaching and learning through reading and technology. in different languages
"The scientific studies are clear: learning in one’s mother tongue is essential to success at school. (...) "Advocating multilingualism in schools also means preserving and promoting linguistic plurality, especially with regard to languages which have only a few remaining speakers."
Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, message 2024
And 2024 belongs to the Year of the Dragon which is believed to embody power, strength, luck, and wisdom. Many traditions are tied to the festival as some South-East Asian and East Asian countries and their diaspora communities observe this auspicious time — in ways that are unique to each culture.
The Year of the Rabbit ended February 9, 2024. And then the Year of the Dragon started February 10, 2024. Next comes the year of the Green Wood Snake, starting on January 29, 2025.
As you already know, In China, and other Asian countries, the familiar Gregorian calendar is used for day-to-day life. But Chinese calendar dates continue to be used to mark traditional holidays such as the new year and the fall moon festival. And then Chinese astrology uses the lunar calendar to determine favorable dates for weddings and other special events.
In other words, the Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, a combination of solar and lunar calendars. Plus, it has a long history spanning several Chinese dynastic periods from as far back as the Shang Dynasty around the 14th century BCE. Also, there are several different symbolic cycles within the calendar, used in Chinese astrology.
So the Chinese calendar is an intricate and complex measure of time.
One of 12 animal symbols of the Chinese zodiac (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep/Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar/Pig) represent each year of the Chinese lunar calendar. For 2024, it’s the Year of the Dragon. TravelChinaGuide.com says:
Year of the Dragon
Chinese Dragon is de facto an imaginary animal, also the only fictitious creature in the 12 zodiac animals, which is composed of 9 animals, including the body of a snake, the horns of a deer, the head of an ox, the mouth of a crocodile, the claws of an eagle, and the scales of a fish. The Dragon enjoys a very high reputation in Chinese culture and it represents auspiciousness and imperial power since ancient times.
Chinese people regard themselves as descendants of the Chinese dragon and emperors entitled themselves exclusively as the ‘dragon’. It is the token of authority, dignity, honor, success, luck, and capacity
How is it celebrated?
From the first day of the Lunar New Year (the day of the new moon) to the 15th day (next full moon), Lunar New Year celebrations abound. What’s more, each day holds a special significance that varies according to local traditions. But first, before the arrival of the new year, homes are thoroughly cleaned to sweep away ill fortune and to welcome good luck. Then on New Year’s Eve, families traditionally gather to celebrate and enjoy sumptuous traditional feasts. Finally, at midnight, they greet the new year with fireworks.
In the days that follow, celebrations include a variety of festivities. For example, there are dance parades featuring colorful dragons or lions. Or there are ceremonies to pay homage to deities and ancestors. Plus, children receive money in red envelopes and gifts are exchanged. Extended family members travel long distances to visit each other.
The Lunar New Year celebration traditionally culminates on the 15th day with the Lantern Festival. On this night of the full moon, families mingle in the streets carrying lighted lanterns, often creating a beautiful light display.
Mythology & Lunar Year :
There are several variations on the mythology behind Lunar New Year celebrations. Most concern the story of an ugly, bloodthirsty monster named Nian. The monster would emerge on the last night of each year to destroy villages and eat people. A wise elder advised villagers to scare the monster away with loud noises. That night, they set fire to bamboo, lit fireworks, and banged their drums. So the monster, afraid of the loud noises and lights, ran away to hide in its cave.
In another version of the myth, an old man persuaded Nian to turn its wrath on other monsters, not the villagers. Before he was seen riding away on Nian, the old man, actually a god, advised the people to hang red paper decorations in their homes and set off firecrackers on the last night of the year to keep Nian away.
Then on the first day of the new year, the villagers celebrated, greeting each other with the words Guo Nian, which mean “survive the Nian.” That tradition has continued to this day, with Guo Nian now meaning “celebrate the new year.”
credit: Matthew Chin
via EarthSky
Education :
“The 2 Chinese characters are the same. It means blessing, a hope that other people will get good luck. Blessings like these are commonly used during Lunar New Year. The red background is also a kind of good as Chinese people use red to represent good luck."
graphic meaning
As you see interculturality is so important. Three-quarters of the world’s major conflicts have a cultural dimension.
Bridging the gap between cultures is urgent and necessary for peace, stability and development.
A good moment to talk about Lunar New Year - Year of the Dragon with students. Invite them to a concrete action to support diversity aims:
To raiseawarenessworldwide about the importance of intercultural dialogue, diversity and inclusion.
To build aworld community of individualscommitted to support diversity with real and every day-life gestures.
Perhaps you have Asian students in your classroom. Invite them to share their own family traditions to celebrate the New Lunar Year.
Cultural and linguistic diversity, local traditions are interesting subjects to include and discuss into school curricula by using science to explain why Asian people call their new year, Lunar Year, inviting students to deepen their knowledge using social media in the classroom.
Learners are curious about other cultures and traditions. Let students participate in different activities by doing ONE thing for diversity.
Values: family, friends, honoring old people. And of course, sensitivity, prosperity and peace.
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