Transnational Meeting takes place at TU Dortmund

On August 3rd and 4th, the ELLeN consortiuum met in Dortmund, to discuss the current state of project work and to plan next steps. Special focus was on IO3 – a “Lessons learned” report on using inquiry based learning in teacher education with a focus on neurodiversity – and IO4 – multimedia material for teacher education. The next – and last – TPM will be held in Vienna in November.

Three women, two men and a non-binary person sitting around a conference table, looking at the camera and smiling On the conference table, there are laptops, documents, coffee cups, etc.

Multiplier Event at Goethe University Frankfurt brings together different stakeholders

On July 17th, 2023, different stakeholders met at a Multiplier Event focussing on drawing on neurodivergent experiences for teacher education. Jules Bündgens-Kosten greeted the attending teachers, teacher education students, teacher educators and researchers and presented a “beta version” of the ELLeN interview book, made available exclusively to participants at this event. This interview book comprises a selection of interviews with neurodivergent individuals and stakeholders in inclusive education, which were conducted by teacher education students within the ELLeN project. Then, Aleksander Knauerhase held a workshop on autism. Finally, everybody had plenty of opportunity to exchange experiences, questions and ideas at “thematic tables”.

A finalized version of the ELLeN interview book will soon be published and made available to all interested individuals.

Aleksander Knauerhase, a teacher educator and two students in discussion at one of the thematic tables. The four people are sitting at a table covered with a white paper table cloth. One person is writing on it, another person seems to have finished writing on it. One person looks at the camera.

ELLeN projects hosts successful event on “Neurodiversity in a Capitalist Era”

On June 13th, 2023, Geert Van Hove (University Ghent) and Michelle Proyer (University of Vienna) welcomed nearly 40 participants from around the world to their online seminar on “Neurodiversity in a Capitalist Era”. The keynote speaker, Alica Broderick from Montclair State University, presented an engaging talk on how neurodiversity is commodified, and what this means e.g. for activism. Jospehine Go Jefferies from Newcastle University and Oliver Koenig (Bertha von Suttner Privatuniversität) served as respondents, who added their own research perspectives and considerations to create a complex tapistry of ideas and challenges. A short introduction to the ELLeN project was featured as well.

Alicia Broderick presenting via Zoom. You can see a woman with long, slightly curly hair, glasses and a light blue top. She is sitting on a sofa or armchair, looking at the camera, smiling while speaking and gesturing. In the background, you can see a tree through a large window.

Free event on Neurodiversity & English language teaching

Teachers, future teachers, teacher educators and anybody else interested is invited to attend a multiplier event by the ELLeN project on June 17th, at Goethe University Frankfurt. The event will include a presentation of IO2, a book of interviews with neurodivergent people and stakeholders at inclusive schools, conducted by university students, a prentation by Aleksander Kanuerhase, and an exchange on the topics of neurodiversity in EFL teaching and in teacher education. Registration is possible via email: r.dieckhoff@em.uni-frankfurt.de.

Kostenfreies Event: Neurodiversität und Englischunterricht: 17.7.2023, 15:30-18:00, Goethe Uni Seminarhaus, SH 6.105 und SH 5.106. Programm: Buchpräsentation, Vortrag des Autismus-Experten Aleksander Knauerhase, Austausch im Themencafé. Anmeldung per Email an R.Dieckhoff@em.uni-frankfurt.de (bis 30.6.)

Transnational Project Meeting at Frankfurt

On May 8th 2023, the project consortiuum met in Frankfurt to discuss current work and upcoming events. Key topics were the publication of IO2 (a book of interviews), finishing of IO3 (a lessons-learned report on inquiry based learning in teacher education), design decisions regarding IO4 (a multimedia material for teacher education), and our key messages for IO5 (accessible multimedia summaries of project results).

Five women, three men and one non-binary persona are standing on a balcony, smiling. Trees in the background.

Project Presentation at TU Dortmund

Carolyn Blume presented on September 23rd 2022 at the colloquium of the TU Dortmund’s Institute of Diversity Studies (Link: https://div.kuwi.tu-dortmund.de/) on behalf of the ELLeN Project Team. In keeping with the colloquium’s theme with the title “How to Research Diversity,” she gave a lecture entitled “How to Research Neurodiversity with Pre-Service Teachers.” In this brief presentation, Carolyn summarized the theoretical foundations and practical implementation of the ELLeN Project. Joining researchers from the departments of Rehabilitation Sciences, Social Studies, and the English and German Cultural Studies, Linguistics and Literature Departments, Carolyn’s brief presentation focused on the interplay between method (inquiry-based learning) and content (neurodiversity) in the ELLeN project. In discussion with colleagues, she was able to discuss the connections between this approach to inclusive teacher education and themes of linguistic decolonization, migration experiences, and intersectional narratives. Exploring issues surrounding participative philosophies, methodological challenges, and complex data types, the participants used the opportunity to learn how diversity is constructed – and examined – in various academic fields.

Multiplier Event at University of Wuppertal: Version 1.0 of Teacher’s Handbook available now

On September 12th 2022, different stakeholders involved in the ELLeN project shared their experiences and perspectives on using inquiry-based learning in the context of preparing English language teachers for the heterogeneous classroom. The event, taking place as a pre-conference symposium within the Professionstagung 2022, was also used to launch version 1.0 of the Teacher’s Handbook, which details methods and materials developed within the project, suitable for teacher education seminars. The full text and supplementary material are available online for download.

Group photo, showing Carolin Wosch, Bella Tee, J. Buendgens-Kosten, Michelle Proyer, Carolyn Blume, Manuela Schlick, Raúl E. García López in front of a projected slide with particiants' feedback