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 Loafing Little Cloud

FAIRY TALE

Main element: Air

Language of the original: Slovenian

Date of origin: 1995

Author: Janez Bitenc

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

The Loafing Little Cloud is white and it likes idling away time, strolling through the sky. It is ready to offer its services and is helpful in different situations. It is a gentle, mild creature who helps the helpless stars, as a kind of sky guide. The stars trust it. The Loafing Little Cloud knows what might interest the stars, therefore it sets up their travelling itinerary. When a star gets lost, the Loafing Little Cloud goes to its rescue. They are all happy when they are reunited.

Oblaček Postopaček

PRAVLJICA

Element: Zrak

Jezik izvirnika: slovenščina

Datum nastanka: 1995

Avtor: Janez Bitenc

Več o legendi lahko preberete tej povezavi.

Oblaček Postopaček je oblak bele barve, ki se rad potepa po nebu. Je ustrežljiv in pripravljen pomagati v različnih situacijah. Je milo in prisrčno nebesno bitje, ki nebogljenim zvezdicam razkaže čuda neba, se pravi, da je nekakšen nebesni vodič. Zvezdice mu zaupajo. Oblaček ve, kje je za zvezdice kaj zanimivega in sam določi pot potovanja. Zvezdice imajo rade balet, vrtiljak, med. Vse to tudi dobijo. Ko se neka zvezda izgubi, jo Oblaček poišče in reši. Skupaj se veselijo ponovnega snidenja.

Bitenc, J., Cerjak, M. (1995). Oblaček Postopaček. Maribor: Obzorja.