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.

Saint Socerb

LEGEND

Main element: Earth

Language of the original: Slovenian

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

Not far from the Slovenian village of Socerb is the only underground church in Slovenia, named The Holy Cave. In the 3rd century the cave was a shelter of a young Christian, Saint Socerb. He was very religious and was only 12 years old when he heard the call of God and went to live in the cave. He lived there for several years, alone, drinking water and eating nothing else but bread. Later, he miraculously healed a lot of people and died as a martyr because the authorities in Rome were jealous and did not want him to exert such healing powers and to have such a strong influence on people. In 2006, an English healer showed up. He pretends that he is a reincarnation of Socerb. Allegedly, he performs miracles during his sessions in the cave and therefore attracts crowds.

Sveti Socerb

LEGENDA

Element: Zemlja

Jezik izvirnika: slovenščina

Več o legendi lahko preberete tej povezavi.

V 3. st. Je Sveti Socerb živel v Sveti jami, ki se nahaja blizu slovenske vasi Socerb. V Sveti jami je tudi cerkev, edina podzemna cerkev na slovenskem ozemlju. V 3. st. se je vanjo zatekel mladi krščan Sveti Socerb. Bil je zelo veren in samo dvanajst let mu je bilo, ko je zaslišal klic Boga in je šel živet v jamo. Več let je preživel tam povsem sam. Pil je zgolj vodo in jedel le kruh. Kasneje je čudežno ozdravil številne zelo bolne in je umrl kot mučenec, ker je bila oblast v Rimu ljubosumna in ni hotela, da bi Sveti Socerb imel tako veliko zdravilno moč in tako velik vpliv na ljudi. Leta 2006 se je pojavil nek britanski zdravilec, ki trdi, da je reinkarniran Socerb. Pravijo, da dela čudeže in zdravi množice.

Suhadolnik, S. (2017). Slovenia in tales, myths and legends.