Literature Collaborative Learning Project

The main idea of the project is to study literature together in English. Here in Israel, the project is meant for students studying literature as their subject of concentration. English teachers help in formulating the communication. The idea of the project is to study, in both our countries, two stories (or poems): a Hebrew one that is translated into your language and one written in your language that has been translated into Hebrew.

The project has five main phases:

1. The students study the story that is written in their native language.
2. The students build a Web site, in English, that presents some aspects of the story: explaining metaphors, understanding the cultural context, pictures of places, etc.
3. The students study the other country’s story, both in class and on the Web.
4. The students communicate with one another using asynchronous (email, web forum) and synchronous communication (IM).
5. Video – conference between students

Main principles:

1. Cooperation
2. Communication through the Internet
3. English as the language of communication
4. Students’ age: 15-17 (high school)
5. Subject matter: literature (we are thinking of expanding the project in the future to include other subjects such as Moving pictures, etc).

Goals:

1. To enrich the students’ English communication abilities
2. To study literature in an enjoyable and interesting way
3. To enrich the understanding of literature
4. To expose the students to another culture

Facilitators: Project is sponsored by the Israel Ministry of Education, Pedagogical Secretariat, and facilitated by Reuven Werber and Liora Cohen in Israel

Website: http://www.education.gov.il/Ipncl