4 ELEMENTS

Project logo
Improve the foreign language learning and intercultural competences of adults through e-learning

The project

FOUR ELEMENTS is an initiative called to raise awareness and appreciation of the importance of culture and heritage as well as to train educators working with adult learners who want to improve their skills and competences necessary in today’s EU labour market.

The project will take advantage of the potential of the common European cultural values associated to the 4 elements earth, water, air and fire) to empower adults to improve their digital, foreign language and intercultural competences.

The partnership expects to develop and deliver innovative teaching materials presented in a culturally accessible E-book consisting of European legends and stories – giving visibility to the underlying common EU values and principles, especially adapted to learners with special needs.

To achieved such objectives, partners will develop:

An interactive map: a collection of legends and stories related to earth, water, air and fire, in different EU countries.

Digital Books with national legends and stories related to the four elements.

Methodological recommendations for adult educators.

To find more information, access the Four Elements platform here.

Digital books

The nations of Europe all have rich cultures of myth and folklore which give the different regions their particular individual flavour. Here we have grouped traditional stories from Belgium, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain according to the four elements: earth, air, wind and fire.

They are specially adapted to adult learners and can be used to develop language or ICT skills among your students while enhancing intercultural understanding.

Alongside the stories, this digital book contains interactive exercises and is in Easy Read format. All the material in it can be downloaded and printed. Teachers and trainers will find tips and suggestions for how to use it on the Recommendations section of this site.

European partnership

Four Elements is an Erasmus+ KA204 project designed to highlight the importance of culture and heritage at European Union level. It aims to train educators working with adult learners to enable them to acquire the skills and competences, including linguistic and digital skills and competences, required in the European labour market.

The project is coordinated by : CVO EduKempen (Belgium). The partnership also includes DomSpain Consulting (Spain), The Central Library of Võru County (Estonia), Les Apprimeurs (France), Istituto dei Sordi di Torino (Italy), Slovenian Third Age University (Slovenia), MyArtist (Greece).

Erasmus+ project

Erasmus logo The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

The Drummer of the Bruc

LEGEND

Main element: Air

Language of the original: Catalan

Date of origin: Beginning of the 19th century

To find more information about the legend, access the Four Elements platform here.

The legend of the Drummer is situated in Catalonia, concretely in the mountains of Montserrat, during the war of the French in 1808. It is believed that it happened in June 1808, when the Napoleonic soldiers approached too close to Manresa.

The legend says that, when the Napoleon’s troops were arriving at Catalonia, they outnumbered the Spanish soldiers that had to resist the French army. Everybody in Catalonia was worried, but there was a little boy called Isidre who asked if he could do anything to help. He was told that he could do nothing. The French attacked with even a bigger army. The little boy asked again if he could do anything and he was answered that nothing. The boy became angry and went home to play the drum. However, his anger was increasing and he went to the mountains of Montserrat where he saw the French troops. He was scared and said, “Oh, dear”, which echoed in the mountains. At that moment, Isidre decided to play the drum and he did that during the battle in the mountains of Montserrat. The sound of the drum echoing in the mountains made the French soldiers think there were thousands of drummers with a big and powerful army meeting them. The French decided that their enemies were more numerous than it really was and they left. Due to the trick, the Spanish army defeated Napoleon’s troops far superior in number and that little Isidre was considered a hero.

El timbaler del Bruc

LEYENDA

Elemento: Aire

Idioma original: Catalán

Fecha de origen: A principios del siglo XIX

Para más información sobre la leyenda, accede a la plataforma de 4element aquí.

La leyenda cuenta que, cuando los soldados de Napoleón avanzaban hacia Catalunya, los españoles tenían que hacerles frente con muchas bajas en el ejército. Los soldados estaban preocupados, pero por allí había un chico que preguntó qué podía hacer para ayudar y le respondieron que nada. Los españoles les hicieron una emboscada a los franceses, que se fueron. Después de ese ataque fallido, los franceses, volvieron a atacar con un ejército más grande. El chico volvió a preguntar que qué podía hacer para ayudar y le volvieron a responder que nada. El chico, se enfadó por la respuesta y se fue a tocar el tambor en casa. Pero su rabia creció y salió de casa para ir a las montañas de Montserrat. Allí vio al ejército francés. Se asustó y dijo “ay, madre”, lo cual produjo un eco en las montañas. En ese momento se dio cuenta que podía tocar el tambor en medio de las montañas de Montserrat, donde el sonido rebotaría y haría creer a los franceses que cientos de tambores con un ejército grande y poderoso se acercaba. Los franceses se fueron corriendo y fueron perseguidos hasta la frontera. Debido al engaño, el ejército español tuvo muy pocas bajas, derrotaron a los franceses y el chico fue reconocido como un héroe.

Contes a la voreta del bloc.