S-L: DIGITAL APPLICATIONS FOR LEARNING THE CATALAN LANGUAGE

Participating entity: CFA Montseny

Description of the S-L: t
he intention of this proposal is that the Catalan 2 students of the Montseny Adult Education Center can use digital tools, such as games and applications, as a resource for learning the Catalan language.

Studes: Social projects and ICT. 3rd course Degree in Social Education

Course: 2021-2022

Participants: students of the CFA Montseny

Objectives:

• To reinforce Catalan learning outside the classroom by taking advantage of mobile applications and Internet access through computers.
• To develop the digital and social skills of the students.
• To promote the link between the population that lives, studies and/or works in the city of Vic.
• Encourage the exchange of knowledge among people from different contexts.
• Identifying the linguistic needs of the students of CFA Montseny, in order to carry out activities and/or games related to the Catalan language.
• Create spaces for learning the Catalan language through ICT.

Reflections of UVic students

• We were able to observe the digital divide in the same group with which we were planning the action. There were people who had a computer, a cell phone and also a wifi network and used mobile data. And there were also people who only used a phone and had limited connection. In between we found realities with combinations of these resources.
• Some had mobile data and some only went and could go with wifi, which affected the pace of work. We were also surprised that, despite being a public school, which depends on the Department of Education, they have fewer resources compared to other schools of these characteristics.
• While most of them have wifi network at home (in addition to mobile data), others do not and must use other people’s available networks or take advantage of spaces such as the school where they do have internet.
• When looking for a resource or typing on the keyboard of the computer or cell phone, we see how some of the students write with both hands and faster than others who did it with two fingers and more slowly. We have observed a great difference in how they manipulate those digital tools.
• During the weeks that we have been working with the group of Català 2 to accompany them in their process of learning Català with technologies, we have been working a lot from the feedback we have received from the students. Depending on how the sessions were going, we have been adapting both to prepare them and once inside the classroom.
• Once we saw the language level of the students, it was easier for us to find and create resources that would be useful to them. The sessions have been flexible at all times and we have adapted them according to the feedback we received. if we realized that an application was being very well received, we spent more time on it than we had planned. we adapted or changed it. At all times and during all the sessions, the learners have been approachable and proactive in participating with us in the classroom.
• Working with this group has been a very pleasant and easy task, since, as we have said before, they have interacted with us at all times and have participated in all the activities proposed. We took away a lot of positive learning, and they have accompanied us to see a reality different from our own.
• We were able to learn more about their situation with regard to new technologies: whether they used technology to learn the language, who had internet at home, which social networks they used to communicate with and in which language, etc.
• It was useful for us, before starting the project, to go one day as observers to see what the level of communication and understanding of the language was, since we had very high expectations to be able to carry out many activities and thanks to this first contact, we adapted to the reality that existed in the classroom.
• Having time to plan future sessions helped us in case they had to restructure or change something of the planned activity, adapting it to their level and needs. We are very proud of the results obtained because thanks to the enthusiasm and motivation of the participants we were able to achieve our initial goals.
• As a group, we feel very good and grateful for having the opportunity to accompany the students of the adult school of Montseny, because we were surprised that there was no figure of social educator, even though we can dedicate ourselves in the field of adults. We believe that our professional figure is necessary in this type of center, because most of the population, who are schooled in these centers, are people who have various difficulties in social integration, and we as professionals one of our functions is to encourage cultural and social promotion, expanding new educational perspectives, leisure and social participation.
• In one of the sessions, a student asked us about how we can help him to have Internet connection, this question took us by surprise, since our task was that they learn the Catalan language through ICT, and we did not know how to answer his question, because we did not have enough resources to solve it. One of the indicators that we took for granted is that surely, most of them already have a mobile phone, internet, email, but when we carried out our socio-digital proposal, we saw that the reality was different.
• At the end of the activity, each member of the group explained how they felt and what difficulties they encountered. As a group, it was difficult for us at the beginning, because before starting with certain activities we had planned, we changed some of them due to the linguistic and comprehension difficulties of the students from CFA Montseny. What stood out the most was the dual learning process, because we all learned from each other. As professionals in the social field, valuing learning as an element for professional and personal development helps us grow as individuals and recognize areas for improvement and interests.
• The dynamics we carried out were focused on learning the Catalan language through ICT. One of the professional skills that we had to put into practice was adaptability, because they applied agile and effective responses to situations, environments, people and responsibilities, integrating change in a positive and constructive way. As well as communication, since most of the members spoke quickly and the professional asked us if we could explain the activity more slowly, with the use of gestures in an orderly, understandable and clear way, because there were some students who asked for help to understand what we were saying. Also ICT, having the ability to use the tools, programs, applications and computer and technological resources, understanding that it is increasingly an essential resource for the execution of our tasks and functions in the social field. Other elements such as responsibility and organization, when making decisions and the challenges that have been arising throughout the sessions, where we had to have a clear vision of the functions and tasks of our project and execute them effectively and efficiently. When the session was over, we took a photo and said goodbye to the students of CFA El Montseny, most of them expressed that they would miss us, as they were very different and beneficial dynamics for learning.

Feedback from CFA Montseny’s students

• I would like you to do this social work for the rest of the people and that the wisdom you have is available to everyone, this is my wish.
• Everything has been very good, it is an opportunity to learn more Catalan language. “It’s never too late to learn.”
• I like it because you are active and energetic young people, and you help us to know Catalan through the mobile and the computer. Thank you. What I liked the most is Wordlcat and Duolingo. You are very kind and polite, and I also like that you speak Catalan to us, as it helps me to learn Catalan. And I will miss you, I am very happy to have met you.
• Studying can be life-changing.
• It was very good! Especially the computer and mobile games.
• I would have liked to be in the other sessions, but thank you for teaching us Catalan.
• Thank you very much! I have learned a lot.
• Thank you for everything. There are many things I liked, especially the ‘alphabet soup’ game.
• Thank you very much for everything. I have learned a lot about the Catalan language, since you have done it from a different point of view and energy.