The DIALLS teacher resource bank includes many resources to support you in your planning, teaching and assessment for cultural literacy learning.
The resource bank includes:
- The Cultural Literacy Learning Programme (10 lessons for KS1, KS2 and KS3)
- Professional Development materials with accompanying session notes
- Scales of Progression to support the assessment and planning of cultural learning and dialogue
- A library of wordless texts with supporting discussion prompts to help you extend cultural literacy learning
The Cultural Literacy Learning Programme (CLLP) is a teaching resource developed as part of the DIALLS project by a multi-national team of researchers and teachers. It was developed, piloted, implemented and then refined in over 350 classes in seven countries.
The programme has two main aims:
- Cultural learning: support children and young people to discuss topics related to living together, being socially responsible and exploring cultural heritages and identities
- Dialogue and argumentation: enhance the class’s ability to talk and reason together, teaching them the importance of listening carefully to other views, building on these and sometimes challenging or disagreeing with them
The CLLP includes:
- A guidance booklet with an overview of the programme and ideas for getting started
- A series of 10 lessons for each age group (KS1, KS2, KS3)
- Each lesson includes a short, wordless film as an exciting and engaging stimulus for discussions, and a lesson prompt card. As the films are wordless, they can be used in any language of instruction!
Linking with other schools
DIALLS is all about connecting and exploring ideas together. Our School Networks page offers suggestions for how you can find other schools across Europe who might be interested in collaborating with your class in DIALLS discussions.
There are three professional development sessions to support the Cultural Literacy Learning Programme. Each session includes a short video with an accompanying PDF of session notes.
Promoting and Building Dialogue in the Classroom
The Scales of Progression for Cultural Literacy Learning (SPCLL) comprise two tools to help you assess and plan for cultural literacy learning and dialogue in the classroom.
Dialogue Progression Tool
The dialogue progression tool draws on research about the development of dialogue and argumentation in the classroom, and is illustrated with examples from real classrooms involved in the DIALLS project during the 2019-2020 school year.
We look specifically at how dialogue enables us to act with tolerance, empathy and inclusion, thinking about not only our own ideas, but how they relate to the ideas of others and how we can work together in a dialogic community.
Access the Dialogue Progression Tool here.
Cultural Learning Progression Tool
The cultural learning progression tool draws on existing frameworks from UNESCO, Council of Europe and Oxfam which consider the growth of cultural literacy and the knowledge, skills and understanding that underpin it.
Access the Cultural Learning Progression Tool here.
The DIALLS Library is a curated collection of wordless books and films that can stimulate discussion about DIALLS themes They were carefully selected by DIALLS researchers using feedback from teachers and students.
If you would like to extend cultural literacy learning beyond the CLLP, our library has over 40 specially licensed films with discussion prompts to support you.
Within the library, you will find:
- The 20 films we have included in the Cultural Literacy Learning Programme
- Over 40 additional films accompanied by discussion prompts to extend cultural literacy learning
- Descriptions of 74 wordless picturebooks that could be used to support DIALLS themed discussions
For further support, look at our guidance on Mediating Wordless Picturebooks. Our Professional Development materials also include a session on The Wonderful World of Wordless Films.
DIALLS has published many peer-reviewed journal articles, monographs and edited books over the course of the project. All are freely accessible, and the full list can be found on our Books & Articles page.
An article that sets the scene of DIALLS and explores some teacher responses to the CLLP is Building a European Community through Responses to Books and Films (2020) by F. Maine, published in English 4-11 (available in English).
