LIFT Class for children, parents and teachers (class for Learning, Integration and Functional Language development)

The LIFT Class project wants to co-create an intake class providing Learning, Integration and Functional Language development for young children (2-3 years old), their parents, teachers and careta...

The LIFT Class project wants to co-create an intake class providing Learning, Integration and Functional Language development for young children (2-3 years old), their parents, teachers and caretakers. This approach will be piloted in two schools, one in Belgium and one in Italy, facing similar challenges regarding low proficiency in basic skills among pupils, as well as a difficult involvement of their (mainly underprivileged) families at school.

In order to create our LIFT Classes, we will follow the 5 steps of the design thinking method: 1)empathize 2)define 3)ideate 4)prototype 5)test (and repeat the last three steps until we have a final product). To execute these steps, we will have 4 real live meetings (2 in each participating school) in which we will work out the plans and agreements for all the work that has to be done in between. The test phase will be conducted in each school and requires continuous online follow up meetings.

Both of our schools will have meaningful, language stimulating activity designs and materials needed to (re)create and embed a LIFT Class in their organizations. We will also create a universal script/manual, so that all schools coping with similar challenges will be provided with our materials, and can organize a LIFT Class themselves. We will also develop a sustainable network with local social organizations to ensure the LIFT Class methods will be constantly used and evaluated in the future.