OECD’s Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) has shed light on the number of low-qualified adults in Europe who lack key competences. Moreover, the population of migrants keeps growing, and they generally have lower education levels and higher unemployment rates than natives (Eurostat, 2017). Low-qualified adults, both migrant and local, are at risk of social and economic exclusion: TANDEM intends to provide them with opportunities to improve their key competences through non-formal learning methodologies, in order to boost their employability and participation in society as strongly emphasised by the Council Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways. OBJECTIVES TANDEM - TAsk-based laNguage teaching anD collaborative lEarning for upskilling low-qualified Migrants aims to improve low-qualified migrants’ key competences and employability, enabling them to capitalise on their linguistic abilities through an innovative learning opportunity based on non-formal methodologies, and promoting cultural exchange and peer-learning between low-skilled migrant and local adults. TANDEM shall hence develop an innovative upskilling pathway based on the Task-Based Language Teaching methodology, providing migrants with a set of tools enabling them to teach their languages. TANDEM will involve six partners from Italy, Greece, Austria, Denmark, Cyprus, Germany, chosen for their experience in the field of innovative education methodologies, language teaching and digital tools, their knowledge of the project’s target groups. The partners will collaborate to the development of the project’s outputs and the implementation of its activities. ACTIVITIES - Mapping of linguistic diversity, Skills screening and needs analysis, to create an interactive map of Language Communities and Skills (IO1) - Focus groups with teachers on Task-based Language teaching (TBLT), development and finalization of an Open Textbook on Task-Based Language Teaching (IO2) - Design of 5 learning modules and of a MOOC on TBLT (IO3) to be piloted in blended learning with 15 low-skilled migrants; delivery of a mock class by low-qualified migrants participating in the blended learning for 15 low-qualified locals as a final step of the pilot-testing - Development of a hand-out for cultural & language exchanges (IO4) and arrangement of language cafés workshops to pilot-test the hand-out with low-qualified migrants (15) and locals (15) - Set-up and adjustment of a Framework on Skills Screening, Monitoring and Validation (IO5), inspired by ECVET and oriented to learning outcomes, also including a badge and certificate system to ensure the validation of skills acquired through non formal learning - TANDEM Open Classes (E1-6) organized in each partner country to present the project’s results and to give an opportunity for the target groups to test the methodologies acquired with IO3 and the IO4 - TANDEM Language Bazaars (E7-12): organized to present TANDEM project and its results, and to engage participants in the Language Bazaars involving low-qualified migrants - Training of Trainers (C1) aimed at enhancing their knowledge of the target groups and of the methodologies to be used during the blended learning, the Language Cafés, the framework and the multiplier events RESULTS and IMPACT The project will have an impact on low-qualified adults, both migrants and locals, organisations working with the targets, language centres, and relevant stakeholders in each partner country. The main results that TANDEM sets to achieve are: - Newly-created upskilling pathway leading to a strengthened ability among low-qualified migrants to capitalize on existing skills and to improved employability - Enhanced key competences of low qualified migrants and acquired innovative methodology for non-formal language teaching based on TBLT approach - Improved self-awareness of migrants’ skills and ability to turn their competences into assets for their personal development, upskilling and employment - Improved intercultural understanding and language skills of both migrant and local low-skilled adults and new opportunities for interaction among migrant and local communities opened - Increased social inclusion and enhanced sense of belonging to a shared community LONGER-TERM BENEFITS TANDEM will ensure the prolonged availability of its results and products on the project website and partners’ dissemination channels. Adult education organisations, associations working with the target, language centers, additional low-skilled adults across EU countries will be able to use the materials produced and the methodologies promoted by the project in their professional work. Moreover, participants will be encouraged (and given tools) to go on with the project activities and language exchanges after the completion of the project, enhancing the TANDEM’s potential for long-term impact, such as improved knowledge of foreign languages and social cohesion.
The project aimed to improve the key competences and employability of migrants by promoting their use of existing language skills through an innovative learning opportunity. Simultaneously, the project promoted cultural exchange and peer-learning between migrants and local adults. Specifically, TANDEM aimed to: - design and deploy an innovative upskilling pathway for migrant adults, based on the capitalisation of pre-existing language skills as well as the improvement of their local language skills, thus opening new employment opportunities; - foster the development of key competences among migrant adults by proposing an innovative language teaching methodology based on the use of task-based language teaching, non-formal approaches, creativity and digital skills; - raise migrants’ awareness of the value of language skills they already possess, turning this into assets and motivating them to use their skills to create employment opportunities; - improve linguistic abilities among migrants and local people, creating opportunities for exchange and interaction among different communities; - promote social inclusion of migrant adults, by encouraging intercultural dialogue, enhancing a sense of belonging to a shared community.
Research on adult and migrant adults’ skills indicated the correlation between missing key competences (digital skills and language skills) and unemployment. For migrants who came recently to Europe, this situation is even more severe as their educational levels are often lower than locals, they have difficulties in getting their qualification recognized and have often higher unemployment rates. There is thus a need for upskilling of both local adults and migrant adults in order to increase employment as well as social inclusion. Furthermore, there is a need to get new competences recognized, especially If they are acquired through non-formal learning. The skills that were addressed by the upskilling are the key competences for lifelong learning outlined by the Council of the European Union in 2006: ability to communicate in the mother tongue, in foreign languages, cultural awareness and expression, and digital competences. These competences can contribute to empower individuals, boost employability and promote social inclusion of migrants in the society.