Classroom community building by Teacher Academy

Marianthi Arvanitidou- Greece

1canislupus22 — 2016-12-05 13:59:57 UTC

extremely interesting! never done in class but surely something to try! I think it's a good way to help refugees to be more self confident and feel part of the 'regular' class. Especially the 'face into face' game: no need to talk, just looking each other and laugh and be part of a circle!

antonellacaprarelli — 2016-12-05 14:58:31 UTC

Margherita Italy

2016-12-05 15:08:28 UTC

Fantastic idea! I've never did something similar, because I didn't teach sports, but I could use theatral moviment activities to help my students to collaborate without too many words.

Interesting.

nikos_2803 — 2016-12-05 15:10:16 UTC

Joserra-Spain

2016-12-05 15:13:32 UTC

Nice activities to be put into practice at school. Although I do not teach sports I will tell my collegues to do it.

In my opinion, sports activities can be very useful to get different students do something together without using many words

rosadilonardo — 2016-12-05 15:38:42 UTC

Rosaria, Italy

2016-12-05 16:16:59 UTC

Good idea. Using sport activities may be very useful

students will surely have fun doing these games... they always love physical activities. it's funny and above all creates a trusting environment and becoming friends is easier...

alessandra_marini1 — 2016-12-05 16:39:42 UTC

Federica from Italy: I agree! I just said: the classroom as a soccer team....

2016-12-05 16:41:59 UTC

Cinzia, Italy

2016-12-05 16:45:01 UTC

A very good idea!!

Marina, Rome

2016-12-05 16:57:56 UTC

All these activities are fantastic because sports help people and not only students or migrants or refugees from all nationalities to control and to balance anxiety, nervous and agressivity!

Ioanna

2016-12-05 17:05:14 UTC

Sports are the perfect way to wellcome the migrant students!!!!

Ida, Italy

DT22 — 2016-12-05 18:16:45 UTC

Very interesting. In a class with problems in integrating new arrived refugee students I'm adopting a "talking circle". In circle we all express a phrase or a word on a theme to learn to be together

Georgia Alexouda, Greece

alexouda — 2016-12-05 18:30:40 UTC

Very interesting suggestions.

Toni from Rome

2016-12-05 19:00:03 UTC

Sports and wellness or health activities are in my opinion the best ways to realize the perfect integration between students of different peoples and countries and to find different forms to accelerate comprehension and to win the difficulties of the relationships between them

Despoina Amarantidou, Greece

damarant — 2016-12-05 19:06:03 UTC

Children can also express themselves through the subject of art. Games is another way of integration, as well.

Xanthi, Greece

xalbanaki — 2016-12-05 19:33:49 UTC

I have tried a similar activity already in my classroom and it worked very good! Available on https://vimeo.com/123124106

Antonietta, Italy

2016-12-05 20:29:12 UTC

I agree as sports activities are really very useful to get different students do something together without using many words. So they can improve attention, strenghten self-esteem and identity awareness. But I think that also collaborating activities such as school exibition or meals can greatly contibute to each other knowledge.

Luigi, Italy

2016-12-05 20:47:54 UTC

Sports, Art and game are very useful.

Marialuisa Brindisi

marialuisadisimone63 — 2016-12-05 21:07:46 UTC

I also agree on how sports activities can really be very useful for:
create group, a team, stay together without using as the main channel and exclusive spoken language (so come into the field other channels). I would propose also sports such as chess game, checkers, archery and then small group games to allow you to know and identify the sport in which the student is most worn.

MARIA SIOMPOTI

2016-12-05 21:13:33 UTC

Art and body language are very useful.

Helen, Italy

helmar62 — 2016-12-05 21:31:51 UTC

Sport activities are always good for integration and should be encouraged. Unfortunately, apart from the P.E. lesson, the classrooms are too small and it is almost impossible to do physical activities.

Vicky Archondi, Greece

vicky_archondi — 2016-12-06 09:15:59 UTC

Apart from the sports activities which are always useful if we want to improve the climate among students and increase their trust levels, I occasionally resort to art activities , too because through them they can be creative and express themselves freely since verbal communication isn't a prerequisite.

2016-12-06 11:24:04 UTC

Kristina Kaučić, Croatia

2016-12-06 12:29:21 UTC

Sport activities can make students come closer

Group building games might have similar results and most of them don't require verbal communication.

natdrak — 2016-12-06 16:56:31 UTC

Stathis, Greece

slikidis — 2016-12-06 17:23:36 UTC

Sports activities are always useful to improve the climate among students. Besides, art activities , are important because through them they can be creative and express themselves freely where the language obstacle doesn't exists.

2016-12-06 17:34:51 UTC

antonio Italy

2016-12-06 17:34:51 UTC

as I have said I teach physics and I have never done this kind of activity. but my schoolpartecipate to some competition and refugees students are particularly involved in. often they are the best of the competition and they win it

Sounds great!

eugeniagiordano73 — 2016-12-06 18:34:09 UTC

I will try immediately...a new student from Gambia is coming!!!!

Giuseppina Serini, Italy

2016-12-06 18:36:05 UTC

The sport is like that expressive senzaltro very helpful, it would go much used, especially at the beginning of the integration process. Teaching other subject in high school, I have never experienced such an approach.

Nikos ,Greece

2016-12-06 19:46:06 UTC

Excellent Ideas. Sport and games is the best way to foster communication

Angelina Alberico, Italy

2016-12-06 21:12:56 UTC

Sports activities help very young migrants to integrate with the rest of the class because they do not need to know the language to do these activities because the sports language is universal.

kalliopiperri — 2016-12-06 21:17:02 UTC

I loved the ideas. It is certain that games are never boring and they combine physical activity, communication and bonding. I will try these games with my classes.

chircoplouise — 2016-12-06 22:51:51 UTC

What I found to be helpful in building a classroom community was to engage students in projects. Admittedly, the students were all Maltese, but they had a huge problem with their attitude towards each other. In order to encourage them to work together I used to create activities - such as building a carnival float - in which they have to engage with language, Math, crafts, design, and others to come up with a final project. I am sure something similar would help migrants in communicating in the host language.It would also help to enhance the sense of community in the classroom.

Francesca, Rome Italy

pacenca — 2016-12-07 09:06:12 UTC

I am really interested to increase this kind of activity.
Thank a lot

Gian Luca Cossari, Italy

gianluca_cossari1 — 2016-12-07 11:01:32 UTC

An interesting activity What pushed me, not only in this course, the curiosity for New Methods of Learning and Teaching,. Thank you

Sonia Galderisi, Italy

2016-12-07 12:47:02 UTC

I often use workshops in my English lessons because I think they are very helpful to the building of the belonging to a group. As matter of fact my lessons are students centred. So despite of language migrants can cooperate, collect informations, investigate about the various topics( that generally are about habits, customs or traditions of different countries) surfing the net or asking their relatives without using too much school language. I usually show them images to describe other cultures with the help of the interactive whiteboard. In this way their understanding is immediate. I take care to chose nice pictures, relaxing images to capture their attention and let them feel secure at school. Through these activities we have a lot of advantages because migrants need to find a reassuring environment that help them to trust in people they have never seen before.

Elena FP, Italy

2016-12-07 14:11:32 UTC

In Italy, Physical Education is often chosen as a CLIL subject, ie a subject taught in English, because the language needed is easy to learn and rich in useful everyday expressions. That is why it can be an excellent way to enhance communication, integration and team building. Project activities focusing on team work rather than on frontal lessons, especially Clil or PBL, can be a good idea too.

Komotini / Greece

psaridou — 2016-12-07 14:30:21 UTC

The first Monday every year in Greece there is a ceremony in which children do not attend school lessons but we have to play games at the school yard. We use some of the above mentioned games and other similar ones to built trust between children. Some of the games have a lot of impact to the children. However, just a single day isn't enough. We as teachers should try those games through out the school year in order to have concrete results.

2016-12-07 20:39:15 UTC

gabriella. italy
Sometimes it’s difficult to involve students in these kind of activities because they are not children. In any case Italian school involved students in sport competition all along the year. on the net i find some sites that support the importance of sports for integration.

https://www.sportanddev.org/en/learn-more/peacebuilding/role-sport-peacebuilding

https://www.clearinghouseforsport.gov.au/knowledge_base/organised_sport/value_of_sport/sport_for_community_development

http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/epas/News/News_2016_Vienna_annual_conf_EN.asp

http://www.ijhssnet.com/journals/Vol_3_No_18_October_2013/4.pdf

Angelo, Rivoli, Italy

Angelo — 2016-12-07 22:14:57 UTC

I experienced such activities years ago during a week's stay in contact with nature. They are very relaxing activities that build a climate of trust and abandonment that unfortunately is lost during the year due to the ordinary educational activities (lessons, tests, etc.). These activities are effective also without the need to integrate migrant students. The problem is only the time ... especially in high school.

Angelamaria Galderisi, Italy

soleemare_a — 2016-12-07 22:56:33 UTC

I haven’t tried these activities in my classrooms yet. I think they could help to foster community building in the classroom.
Students learn through the process of playing the game. By playing a game, students may be able to understand a new concept or idea, take on a different perspective, or experiment with different options or variables and develop creativity, teamwork, and good sportsmanship.

George Kyriakopoulos, Greece

2016-12-07 23:59:57 UTC

Sure i've used these techniques but in order to create the proper climate , built friendship and trust among students. I;m certain they could be used in order to integrate migrant students. Things are not needed to be put into words so the barrier of the language is rapidly undermined. Action and play create bonds and help students touch each other.

Katerina Kostaki, Greece

katkos2003 — 2016-12-08 09:12:13 UTC

The first Monady of October in Greece, there is speacial day dedicated to sports when the students play team sports and do sports activities. I have also used some of there practices in my classes, esp in the first days to build solidarity and trust. Children like these activities and socialise in a relaxed way. I think these can help a migrant student to incorporate better in a new learning environment

Aurora, Italy

2016-12-08 11:54:17 UTC

I had many experiences with my classes like the ones in the videos. I purposed games that could help to create a group and improve the trust among the children (psycomotricity). it was very helpful for the class.

Role games

lenuta_chis — 2016-12-08 16:32:10 UTC

The game is always a very interesting way of learning. It brings people closer than the children through play are no longer differences. Students feel part of the group.

Theodora Ntanou

2016-12-08 16:51:02 UTC

In Greece, there is special day dedicated to sports when the students play team sports and do sports activities. My school collaborates with 1st School of Special Needs. Children like these activities and socialise in a relaxed way. I think these could help as well newly migrant students to feel better in the new environment.

luciaanemoli — 2016-12-08 16:55:47 UTC

Some interesting examples of cooperative games. I apologize, but the document is written in Italian
www.liber-rebil.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/elenchi_giochi_cooperat.pdf

Nuria Spain

nuria125 — 2016-12-08 17:49:33 UTC

In my opinion, in Spain football can be the first factor of integration for a migrant because in football the only difference is the color of the shirt, and that is the most important. In general, all sports help to integrate but in Spain for our culture, football can integrate more than other sports.

Giorgos Basmatzidis_Greece

2016-12-08 17:56:16 UTC

I allready have tried a game in the classroom. The "Trust game". Every pupil take another one as a couple, one close his/her eyes and the other one guide him/her by dancing. Whatch an example at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdgIFmta3Kk at 1:02

Canan/Turkey

2016-12-08 18:47:18 UTC

I have not tried it yet, but I think very useful activity. I will try trust game as soon as possible.

mec972 — 2016-12-08 20:31:52 UTC

very ecellent tips.... thank you

Evangelia, Greece

2016-12-08 20:37:43 UTC

The truth is that I haven't tried them in the classroom, but I find them quite interesting to use with my students, though they are teenagers. I remember I took part in one of those when I participated in a multinational group seminar and it worked fine.

Alina Popa Romania

2016-12-08 20:45:41 UTC

As the idea that I dont have migrants in class or school I am very impressed about all the games and the iinterpretation of it, meanning of what we can see in migrants - pshiological talking ...and try to undertsnad more better their innerpart.

Ester, Italy

2016-12-08 21:40:21 UTC

In Italy migrant students are immediately put in regular classes, so there is some interaction from the beginning.
Nonethless the games suggested in the video are interesting activities to do.

Magda, Athens

zervoum — 2016-12-08 21:43:55 UTC

Very nice activities! In my school, we have tried similar trust exercises and sports games during a project on Emotional Intelligence. We dealt with self-esteem issues and tolerance to frustration.
http://projectesther.weebly.com/deltarho940sigmaepsiloniotasigmaf/previous/3

Simona, Italy

2016-12-08 21:47:34 UTC

Interesting tips from the videos but I think they are unpracticable in Italian schools... migrants are put into regular classes immediately and it is not easy to create a trusting atmosphere...I made a project called UNPLUGGED last year, it was not addressed to migrants specifically but to all students but there were games to play in class which were very similar to the ones in the videos and they were very useful to let the students socialise and trust each other.

Elisa Ciontoli, Italy

2016-12-08 22:32:53 UTC

Sports activities help the young migrants to integrate more quickly into the class.

Gaia. Italy

gaialombardi69 — 2016-12-09 09:35:31 UTC

Some of these sport activity are proved very useful to improve the relation among pupils and re quite commonly practised during the year. Very often, however, migrant students are put in regular classes from their arrival, with no preparation. It becomes very difficult to create a trusting atmosphere; the more is curiosity or indifference, specially if the new arrived has no means to communicate.

Miguel Canora, Spain

2016-12-09 09:41:49 UTC

I have implemented a similar kind of sport activities with teenagers from all over the world to know each other during school exchange programmes. They turned out to be very useful strategies to break emotional and language barriers.

Pamela, Italy

masalapamela — 2016-12-09 10:14:59 UTC

no I didn't try it yet, in class, but i will do it!
In the videos I see pupils and teachers having fun =)
very interesting games!

(newspaper and bottle )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvFturRMLIQ
(also for adults run game)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciFrNk1okvA

I have not tried it yet, but I think game is the best way of integration.

rossellabattafarano — 2016-12-09 11:00:50 UTC

Evgenia (Jenny) Karoumpali

jennykaroumpali — 2016-12-09 11:57:59 UTC

The exercises of the “Jumplin Project” remind me of exercises that are used to create a climate of confidence in health and theatre education. I was taught the “Plank game” in a seminar in 2010 and I found it too difficult to do with pupils in secondary education, let alone with pupils in primary education. Nevertheless, I hadn’t realized before this seminar that such exercises could be used for newly arrived migrant pupils!!!!!!

Donato, Italy

donatopiccinino — 2016-12-09 12:45:35 UTC

I have not yet tried this activity in the classroom, but I think the strengths and leopportunità points are important and I believe that as soon as I get the chance, I'll try to put it into practice

Carol (Italy)

carol_f — 2016-12-09 14:13:57 UTC

Sport is a great opportunity to experience integration. In Italy there are an interesting project: “Fratelli di sport”. A few years ago my class took part to similar project to integrate students with disability. Great experience!!!

Carol (Italy)

carol_f — 2016-12-09 14:24:40 UTC

Our government policy:

Carol (Italy)

carol_f — 2016-12-09 14:40:27 UTC

Really interesting!!Thanks Jana!!!

rugby in my school

MaestraRoberta — 2016-12-09 14:54:24 UTC

CONI experts are In my school a Teaching The rules of rugby, but above all a spread ethics in sport of this game.
In rugby, come in life, she runs toward the goal: Our whole life tends to A meta. This search and laborious, requires struggle and effort; The important thing is not Running alone. Sport and State Often used to come a metaphor for life and actually, just the basis of a framework Regulatory Presented by Ministry of Education, You can highlight the importance of physical activity importance in schools from the perspective of integration, interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary. The motor and sports activities promote Proper Physiological development, morphology, emotional, cognitive and socio-relational person moving the acquisition of Fixed Lifestyles and Healthy Competition in RESPECT companion.

Achilleas, Cyprus

axilleask — 2016-12-09 15:57:05 UTC

Very interesting! I will try it to my school.
Thank you.

Kamelia Racheva, Bulgaria

2016-12-09 19:50:25 UTC

I came across a game for inclusion, other than sports games, but I think it will be helpful in working with migrant children.
Our motley class
Materials needed:
Template of a person or a human figure, different kinds of pencils, paints, markers, crayons.
What are we doing:
Give each child a piece of the template. Give them the opportunity to choose the means of painting. Each colored figure. Finally comment. All paintings are different because each of us is unique.
We get the same opportunities, but the result in each is different. Why is that? How do we select the color with which to draw, how we choose the means of painting and so on..
However, this does not make some drawings better or worse than others.

Everyone writes their name. Drawings hang in a prominent place.

This is your mini-gallery and each has contributed classroom looks colorful and beautiful.

You can use any coloring. Bind them to a specific topic or an upcoming event.

I have tried similar exercises with students in a regular classroom and really we managed to create a trustfull learning enviroment. Also i think that the acquaitance traditional teams games of each place it would help for the same purpose

faggel71 — 2016-12-09 20:13:26 UTC

isaese77 — 2016-12-09 21:38:32 UTC

I've tried some of them as engineer and robot in a teacher training course.

Simona C, Italy

simoneva_2000 — 2016-12-09 22:44:30 UTC

Simple, very nice exercises to practise at school!

Donka Slavcheva, Bulgaria

dkirovska — 2016-12-09 23:53:18 UTC

The exercises are really interesting and worth to be tested in the classroom, even if its can be adapted to the particularities of each situation.

Laura,Italy

2016-12-10 08:21:42 UTC

sports games are very interesting, but as I teach mathematics there is always time for these exercises that are entrusted to other teachers of physical education, but I always try to involve them in group games, and I found it interesting to a music therapy course taught in school.

Simona S. ITALY

2016-12-10 10:14:09 UTC

Very involving sport games. I'll practise them at my school even if I'll adapt them to my teaching context

Spain

2016-12-10 11:45:51 UTC

I agree with these activities to the theme of integration. The game is always needed in the school. Children can socialize, empathize and learn.

Italy

teacherman — 2016-12-10 12:53:43 UTC

We are trying something similar, within our Erasmus+ Project, especially as regards the games. We took inspiration from August Boal Games for actor and non-actors. The Puppeteer Game, for example is quite similar to the Engineer and the Robot game :)
Sports will also have an important role among the strategies and activities we are implementing to promote integration and inclusion, not only of newly arrived migrant students but also of students with some kind of disabilities, or coming from disadvantaged social or economic backgrounds.

I teach in primary schools; one of the subjects I teach is physical education, then I think, spontaneous play, group play, the game structured, gamification are critical to the growth of each child and for integration

2016-12-10 15:56:35 UTC

Italy, Music Teacher,I have tried some of these exercises and the like. I think they are very useful to know each other and create a team. The involvement of the body in motion is very important and often use with music.

patti_giorgi — 2016-12-10 16:57:01 UTC

Rubalore

rubaloredana — 2016-12-10 18:09:44 UTC

ROMANIA
It turns out sport has many educational values, not only for health but also for leaving behind fears, tears, anxiety regarding the future, fears about not integration. A good idea would be BodyART KIDS, a new concept by ROBERT STEINBACHER. It gives balance and reinforcement, develops self esteem and hels children deal with problems of every day life. Try it with your migration victims.!

Konstantina, Greece

2016-12-10 18:48:49 UTC

At such sport activities students improve high levels of trust and improve their self-confidence.

Greece

aginoudi — 2016-12-10 18:54:11 UTC

Sport activities improve self esteem, communication skills and school achievements. This is also true for regular classes. I can imagine that for migrants education sport activities are great!!

Evi Karella-Greece

spevispevi — 2016-12-10 19:41:31 UTC

http://www.momjunction.com/articles/trust-building-activities-for-kids_00352566/#gref

http://www.sequimschools.wednet.edu/Page/3672

so many ideas for adults and kids! I think some of them are really good for parents too!
https://gr.pinterest.com/explore/team-building-activities/

This is an example of how to use football for integrating migrant students.F. Caon, V. Ongini, L'intercultura nel pallone. Italiano L2 e integrazione attraverso il calcio

goli291174 — 2016-12-10 19:53:53 UTC

singing is a very integrating activity

rosacalvino8 — 2016-12-10 22:07:34 UTC

Maria M., Italy

pantalaimon82 — 2016-12-10 22:22:17 UTC

I usually want my students play together in the school garden once in the month, because I think this can help to create relationship between classmates. Football, volleyball and other sports are very often integration activities. I sometimes want my students play empathy-games in the class. A game which I like very much is this: students have to answer to simply questions (Where do you come from? What is your favourite colour? When is your birthday?) and they have to say two true answers and a lie. Classmates have to guess the lie. This is a funny way to improve each other's knowledge.
I think that also team-working is very important. Students have to use many competences and skills, like drawing, surfing internet, discussing…

Aristea, Greece

afpigiaki — 2016-12-11 09:01:05 UTC

Sport games are fun and so effective in building trust and respect to each other. All the examples mentioned are great and I realise that by searching on the internet they become more and more.

Amélia Vilarinho, Belgium

2016-12-11 15:13:43 UTC

The after-school care, where I work, is a good opportunity for children of different language classes to interact even if their second language skills are still in the very beginning. These students are used to have different speaking colleagues and they can show a lot of creativity, compassion and a strong will to help because most of them had experienced the same difficulties. Of course the school itself promotes a lot of projects where different classes can participate, either singing together, performing a play, etc. We can have children as young as 3 years old, playing together all the afternoon, hugging each other, sharing toys and games , each one speaking their "mother" tong and having a good play time together. We also organize after-school activities. When there is a child who needs some support regarding language skills, sometimes we manage to integrate her/him in the same group where there is one or more children speaking the same native language. This helps new arrived students to feel more comfortable using their own language and more encourage to learn the group main language. Community building in the classroom becomes almost a common practice in our school dynamics.

Elisabetta, Italy

2016-12-11 15:53:49 UTC

I've never done, but I find it interesting in several aspects: to stay together, to trust in the other, to share something

anantina-Greece

2016-12-11 17:12:14 UTC

I don't have used any of theese games in order to integrate migrant students but i thnik that they are very useful for that purpose. An idea is to create a fairy tale the same with data of their own culture.

Chary Tudela, Spain

ctudelab — 2016-12-11 18:14:49 UTC

The language barrier is dissipated between physical activity and what students can communicate through the body expression that is international

Salva, Spain

2016-12-11 18:38:27 UTC

As a physical education teacher, I am totally convinced that through the game the integration among pupils is much easier. I usually create games with few rules and small groups to facilitate communication. Moreover, in each game all the groups are changed so that all the pupils must create new groups to enhance the relationship among them. The game is the most effective method for communnication and integration

Tina M

tinamellos — 2016-12-11 19:22:09 UTC

When I worked as a substitute primary teacher in a school in the center of Athens, I had 25 students in the 2nd Grade (7-8 years old), 2/3 of which were newly arrived migrant students in the school (only 2 years in the country). It was a really challenging situation to cope with, since the students were coming from different countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia and India. Although they had graduated from the 1st Grade in the same school, the majority of them could not read not write, they knew the basics in Greek and there was no way to communicate verbally with the parents in order to help their children; body -gesture- language was are sole means of communication.
So, I carried out most of the classes and lessons based on physical motion, gesturing and playing.
One of the first games we did was 'I am...'. I gave them posts' it and they tried to write the 1st letter of their name and draw what they like most, too. Then we all made a hand-palm tree on the wall. The routes were our home = the earth (common for all), the main branch was our school (again common for all=a place where we can feel safe and loved); we created the leaves and branches with our hands (each palm is unique like our personality and physical appearance but also same cause we are all children and we share the same 'language' that of our gestures).
This game last all the year long and the goal was to help migrant students to experience this feeling of belonging.

Melahrini/Greece

mpapardeli — 2016-12-11 19:51:53 UTC

I haven't used games like that in my class but I'm convinsed that playing ay kind of games is a very good easy and relaxing way for all pupils to learn and especialy for migrant pupils who have communication problems because of the language.

Ilaria, Sardinia

ilarialisci — 2016-12-11 22:37:23 UTC

An exercise that you can do in group for to overcome language barriers, for create a community in the class and to promote the trust is to create with the bodies a real or fantastic object eg. a tree, the freedom etc. For example 25 students are divided in 5 groups of 5 students: every group have to realize without to speak the same object in 4 minutes.

Evangelia, Greece

evelpap — 2016-12-11 23:00:12 UTC

Yes, I DO believe that sports games are fruitful, although I have never used them in my lessons. Undoubtedly, they help children build up social, intellectual and communicative skills while building up their confidence and self esteem. Also, children are alert so as to cope and their attention is kept high.

Maite, Spain

2016-12-11 23:22:44 UTC

I don´t have this kind of students in my classes but the information they shared with us was very interesting and can be helpful in the future.

Antonella P.

2016-12-12 14:55:01 UTC

Sport games are a very interesting activity to practice not only with migrant students but with all students especially in those classes where students don't feel themselves as a part of a group . They are very helpful to create a group and to rise trust between students.

Astypalea Greece

estavla84 — 2016-12-12 16:03:12 UTC

These games are very interesting for all students in order to get to know better and gain trust of each other.

Nikolaos Kostis(Greece).

nkostis2001 — 2016-12-12 16:18:15 UTC

It is acknowledged that the value of sporting activities of an holistic approach to formal and informal education systems should not be underestimated and for many can be key in relation both to aspects of integration with the local community and to the quality of everyday life.

Team building activities

jelenapro — 2016-12-12 16:42:54 UTC

I think, that short team-building activities may be usefull . For example: all class is one group, all the students have to get in line alphabetically by the first letter of their name without tallking.

Ball of wool game

thekafkia — 2016-12-12 16:50:58 UTC

is a ice-breaker fun get to know your name activity. I particularly liked the energy circle too, because it lets out some steam and refocuses Ss in the work done in class

How to foster community building in the classroom

ilacrisere — 2016-12-12 17:18:43 UTC

I believe that teamwork is very important because students fielding skills and innate abilities. The videos offer many useful ideas and rewarding

Marinela,Romania

2016-12-12 17:29:57 UTC

Short team-building activities are very usefull . Sports are helping our students to leave behind fears, tears, anxiety regarding the future, the not integration,develops self esteem and helps students deal with problems of every day life,to love themselves and love the others.

viki dogani,greece

2016-12-12 17:43:48 UTC

circle stroies can be really good

Rosanna, Italy

2016-12-12 18:28:48 UTC

Sport is really a good activity to build a community.

Engineer & Robot!!! Very nice activity to build a community. Students have fun and learn to be together without the anxiety of winning like other common sport games.

mampla78 — 2016-12-12 19:59:23 UTC

http://www.ediamme.edc.uoc.gr/diaspora2/index.php?id=69,74,0,0,1,0
Try also the snake game!

Serena, Italy

serena_gem — 2016-12-12 21:28:03 UTC

Great ideas. I will try them as soon as possible. tomorrow maybe. I guess this way to do physical activity is important for the whole class, too.
I like these videos :-)

Ioannis Velonakis, Greece

2016-12-12 21:40:45 UTC

Actually, I had never the chance to try any of the proposed activities in my classroom, yet I find them interesting, funny and useful for bringing close together children from different countries or cultures. The main disadvantage is to integrate them with the regular school work of most subjects. Another similar activity which would help that purpose would be to work in groups and search for information about an important scientist or other historical personality and then prepare a performance about him/her.

maria,greece

mkaradani — 2016-12-12 22:55:33 UTC

I have tried 'engineer and robot' when practising giving orders in english (turn right, turn left, stop, run etc). The energy circle must be really revitalising! It's true that for kids learning involves doing and moving around.

Sevastiani Greece

anniroulia — 2016-12-13 07:30:46 UTC

in kindergarten it is very common to use sports and games to communicate and gain trust since children do not have writing skills yet, so all the kindergarten games that we use in order to know each other at the beginning of the school year would be appropriate!

Nikos

nickaman — 2016-12-13 10:30:05 UTC

Team games are fun and engaging for the children. They enjoy interactive and collaborating exercises and it looks that a team spirit is building u

Clara, Portugal

2016-12-13 16:54:54 UTC

In order to minimize the language barrier, sport and artistic activities (dance, theater, ...) in which there is interaction, cooperation and collaboration, where there is a common goal to achieve, are undoubtedly an excellent way of building a classroom community mentality among all students.

Yakup, Turkey

2016-12-13 18:56:18 UTC

Kids games are very useful. Example, jump rope is very useful and enjoyable. We teach the kids scout's sings and other games. Games that very helpful for trusting, sharing, solidaity... Learning a being team is very helpful for socialize.

svenetopoulou — 2016-12-13 19:06:40 UTC

I've tried the engineer robot among regular students, since they were no nams at that time at that school. Kids enjoyed it and it's true that it was very useful for the teacher too! I cpuld see which students would let themselves been driven by their engineer, who would trust the partner and who had difficulties in trusting each other!

Edi, ItalyOne activity that could be used both to teach the target language and to foster community building in the classroom, could be for example to make the students sing “Head and shoulders” and let them move freely, miming the actions, first touching the parts of their own body and late ras a second step, they could do the same but touching the parts of another student’s body.

12cdunne — 2016-12-13 19:57:45 UTC

Christina, Greece

crest_lou — 2016-12-13 19:59:59 UTC

In cooperation with the local youth athletic groups, i'll try to organize football, basketball or/and volleyball games in mixed groups of locals and refugees.

Team games can enhance chindren's interaction and collabarion when the common goal is to play for the team pleasure and joy. You can bring children together just for fun and play not for listening teaching...

socratesstounos — 2016-12-13 20:18:55 UTC

Greece Christine

Games between mixed groups could really help.

kouskourida — 2016-12-13 21:30:33 UTC

Alexia, Greece

2016-12-13 22:22:07 UTC

I have tried the engineer and robot and it's fun. Interaction through games is very important. Basketball and football games have been extremely helpful especially during the breaks. Children use English in their interraction which is very good practice for my Greek students too. If the groups are mixed, refugee students feel accepted.

I didn't try the trust game. I think I should give it a try, the only issue is when you have an accident this is going to be bad. I noticed in my classroom that there was a competition between the groups from different countries. They go along with each other, but rivalry was under the ashes, this is the issue I had to deal with by having group activities. It did work.

henrydiplomate — 2016-12-14 00:18:31 UTC

Ionela Lazea, Romania

kameeliah16bis — 2016-12-14 07:34:13 UTC

I didn't try any of these games. I already took notes and I want to try them with my children even if we don't have refugees, but we have some new children in our group this year and they an benefit from these games.

Asun Ara, Banzo

2016-12-14 10:59:49 UTC

Some subjects, such as Sport or Arts can be crucial to integrate students in a regular class where newly arrived migrant students can integrate easily since the vocabulary used is supported by gestures, body movements or pictures. So, all activities related to phisical movement or artistic expression can facilitate this.

Sultan ALP

sultaneliz — 2016-12-14 14:04:19 UTC

Sultan ALP, Ankara-Turkey

sultaneliz — 2016-12-14 14:04:23 UTC

I didn't try these activities but I liked energy circle most and I will try it as soon as possible with my students.

We have an Erasmus+ project about the educational value of sport and a lot of activities we are testing to help student feel part of a team and cooperate are suited to helping migrant students to integrate. Sport is great to try to build your classroom community.

mariella_brunaz — 2016-12-14 16:28:28 UTC

Eirini - Greece

eirini — 2016-12-14 17:38:13 UTC

These activities are very nice. We use them - not exacly but similar- for builting bonds and trust between children.

Lena Rossiou, Greece

rossiou — 2016-12-14 22:41:25 UTC

I have tried similar games in a school without refugees and in a school with refugees as well. The results were enthusiastic students and it is worth to refer that in both schools students (16-17 years old) and colleagues as well were looking a me curiously!

ronyford — 2016-12-17 18:10:09 UTC

Anything that can build connexions is worth trying.

jennykool — 2016-12-18 09:32:52 UTC

In the curriculum we have time for sport activities, but in the language classes we do a lot of TPR and otrher activities where students have to move around the class room, in order to get to know each other better, and to create a safe (learning) environment.
In the summer, we played some water games, one was challeging: two teams, in which students had to work in pairs. The legs/feet of two kids were tied together (loosely). They had to collect water in a small plastic cup and bring that cup of water to the other side of the playground. The really had to cooperate and tune their walking in order to avoid tripping over and loosing the water. The team with the most water in the bucket (after a set time) won this game. In the beginning some students were a bit reluctant to join in, but later on everyone was cheering, joining and laughing. We had fun, and we made some positive memories for the kids!

Emanuela,Italy

2016-12-18 15:42:09 UTC

I didn't try these activities, but I did an activiy called "Bingo", in which students have to find class mates who love things I wrote.

Caterina Musmeci, Italy,

2016-12-18 20:24:53 UTC

The video show good ideas!!
Music (the subject that I teach) activities are the nursery rhytmes that the pupils sing facing each other with symmetrical hands gestures.

Stavroula

2017-11-27 15:45:56 UTC

it could be better if every startegy we use is not a competive one. in a well equiped class are many things to do. Usually the ice breaking techniques can be used before every lesson and relaxing techniques as well. Children work better afterwards, even if there is not a certain reason. https://www.thebalance.com/top-ice-breakers-1918426

Classroom community building by Teacher Academy

Marianthi Arvanitidou- Greece

extremely interesting! never done in class but surely something to try! I think it's a good way to help refugees to be more self confident and feel part of the 'regular' class. Especially the 'face into face' game: no need to talk, just looking each other and laugh and be part of a circle!

Margherita Italy

Interesting.

Joserra-Spain

In my opinion, sports activities can be very useful to get different students do something together without using many words

Rosaria, Italy

students will surely have fun doing these games... they always love physical activities. it's funny and above all creates a trusting environment and becoming friends is easier...

Federica from Italy: I agree! I just said: the classroom as a soccer team....

Cinzia, Italy

Marina, Rome

Ioanna

Ida, Italy

Georgia Alexouda, Greece

Toni from Rome

Despoina Amarantidou, Greece

Xanthi, Greece

Antonietta, Italy

Luigi, Italy

Marialuisa Brindisi

MARIA SIOMPOTI

Helen, Italy

Vicky Archondi, Greece

Kristina Kaučić, Croatia

Group building games might have similar results and most of them don't require verbal communication.

Stathis, Greece

antonio Italy

Sounds great!

Giuseppina Serini, Italy

Nikos ,Greece

Angelina Alberico, Italy

Francesca, Rome Italy

Gian Luca Cossari, Italy

Sonia Galderisi, Italy

Elena FP, Italy

Komotini / Greece

Angelo, Rivoli, Italy

Angelamaria Galderisi, Italy

George Kyriakopoulos, Greece

Katerina Kostaki, Greece

Aurora, Italy

Role games

Theodora Ntanou

Nuria Spain

Giorgos Basmatzidis_Greece

Canan/Turkey

Evangelia, Greece

Alina Popa Romania

Ester, Italy

Magda, Athens

Simona, Italy

Elisa Ciontoli, Italy

Gaia. Italy

Miguel Canora, Spain

Pamela, Italy

Other links to similar exercises, I found on line:

(newspaper and bottle )

I have not tried it yet, but I think game is the best way of integration.

Evgenia (Jenny) Karoumpali

Donato, Italy

Carol (Italy)

Carol (Italy)

Carol (Italy)

rugby in my school

Achilleas, Cyprus

Kamelia Racheva, Bulgaria

I have tried similar exercises with students in a regular classroom and really we managed to create a trustfull learning enviroment. Also i think that the acquaitance traditional teams games of each place it would help for the same purpose

Simona C, Italy

Donka Slavcheva, Bulgaria

Laura,Italy

Simona S. ITALY

Spain

Italy

I teach in primary schools; one of the subjects I teach is physical education, then I think, spontaneous play, group play, the game structured, gamification are critical to the growth of each child and for integration

Italy, Music Teacher,I have tried some of these exercises and the like. I think they are very useful to know each other and create a team. The involvement of the body in motion is very important and often use with music.

Rubalore

Konstantina, Greece

Greece

Evi Karella-Greece