Alternative Ways II

We wanted to develop and test a non-formal integration education method (and related activities) that uses non-formal learning methods and is also suitable for people who have difficulties with fo...

We wanted to develop and test a non-formal integration education method (and related activities) that uses non-formal learning methods and is also suitable for people who have difficulties with formal learning methods and link this method to the already developed method Alternative Ways of learning a second language, because we feel strongly that civic integration and language learning are linked and both of utmost importance for a good integration of newcomers. Moreover, we wanted to develop and test a self-assessment tool for learners of the Alternative Ways method, to assess both their acquired language skills and their level of integration into their new society in an accessible and encouraging way. And we wanted to develop and test a blueprint for training in the Alternative Ways method for facilitators working with newcomers on their language acquisition and civic integration and make all the aforementioned 'products' free available and easy accessible for everybody (facilitators, learners and others) interested via the Alternative Ways website. Ultimately, we wanted newcomers, including the short-skilled, to feel faster and better at home in their new homeland by applying the Alternative Ways method.

- Development of Alternative Ways to civic integration method and 52 activities - Development of (Self) assessment tools - Development of Blueprint for training for facilitators - Testing of method, activities and self-assessment tool in case studies (in each partner country), evaluated in a report (available in each partner's language) - Testing of Blueprint for training of facilitators (in each partner country) plus evaluation - Testing of revised Blueprint for training of facilitators in international context in Dusseldorf plus evaluation - Building and setting up a new website which combines information about Alternative Ways to learn a new language and to civic integration and all the tools (activities, (self) assessments, blueprint for facilitators' training sessions, sample lessons) - Local multiplier events in Norway, Germany and the Netherlands to share information about the Alternative Ways method and make people enthusiastic to use the method and the tools - Final multiplier event in Belgium, Brussels, to inform and enthuse people about the Alternative Ways method and the tools. - (other) dissemination activities.

Outputs and other results: 1) 52 non-formal activities aiming at helping newcomers becoming part of the society of their new homeland 2) various (self-)assessment tools ('self' between brackets because not all of them are apt for self assessment) 3) case studies in all 4 partners' countries in which the activities and a (self-)assessment tool were tested with a total of 184 adult learners, resulting in an evaluation report. 4) a blueprint for a training of facilitators in the Alternative Ways method 5) circa 52 facilitators participated in the local train the trainer sessions and 15 in the international one. 6) a manual with background information about the Alternative Ways method and the neuro principles the method is based on plus guidelines for the use of the tools 7) sample lessons for facilitators' inspiration 8) an online free accessible toolbox in four languages, containing over 180 activities (of which 52 were developed in the Alternative Ways II project) that can be sorted by filters, sample lessons, (self-)assessment tools, blueprint for a training for facilitators, background information about the Alternative Ways method, guidelines for the use of the tools mentioned above. 9) circa 145 people attended the multipliers