Perspectives on educational initiatives based on collaboration between the National Gallery of Denmark and Danish language centres

In recent years the National Gallery of Denmark has explored and developed new educational initiatives in collaboration with Danish language centers for foreign adults learning Danish as a second language.

The projects and educational activities pose the following key questions: How can art museums help adult second-language learners acquire a language? How can such initiatives constitute a framework for cultural citizenship for new citizens in Danish society? How can the museum contribute in the creation of new cultural and historical frameworks for new Danish citizens as well as for the museum as part of a collective learning process? And how is these kind of projects reflected in the strategic framework of the museum?

Working with language and integration centres means working with groups of individuals who share at least two, if not more, key life experiences: they have all relocated to a new country (the reasons for which can be many) and are all endeavouring to learn the Danish language and acquaint themselves with the social and cultural parameters of Danish society. Our goal is to play an active part in this process, allowing the museum to serve as a social framework and art as a point of departure for personal narratives and experiences.

This presentation deals with: the development of new learning methods, educational activities and materials based on inclusive learning processes, dialogic pedagogy and multi-voiced perspectives through language training; and finally, what happens when new citizens become part of the museum as an organisation as part of the museum staff.

During the session we will try out examples of activities from the program.