Folk DC - Digital Children's Folksongs for Language and Cultural Learning

The Digital Children’s Folksongs for Language and Cultural Learning project (Folk DC) is a European Union project designed to motivate young language learners to engage with language learning through using Folk songs, and activities around the songs, in 10 European languages.

The project culminates in a simultaneous, live concert in 5 countries, streamed over the Internet to audiences all over Europe. School choirs will sing folk songs in non-native languages that will be streamed to the other concert venues and also made available to an Internet audience.

The project will introduce an understanding of the number, richness and culture of other languages at the earliest possible age when children start to learn a foreign language and thus begin to understand the meaning of additional languages. It will engage children in a fascinating and engaging activities that will resonate in to the future and answer the need for materials that can directly engage and motivate children to enjoy their learning.

Resources produced

The "Folk DC" project will research and collect children’s folk songs in 10 European languages and produce a pedagogical toolset for teachers to use with their students that includes:

• Lyrics, translations, background story, music score, recordings
• Activities to stimulate children’s language and cultural awareness
• Singing practices to enhance musical communication
• ICT training for recording and sound effects.

The resources will be completed in cooperation with schools, piloted and perfected; uploaded on the project’s website and widely disseminated to schools as an Autonomous Teacher Training Tool kit (ATTT). 

Schools will be able to use the ATTT and create audio and video recording of their school choirs singing the project folk songs. These can be uploaded on to the Internet and shared as an open source.

Five Workshops will be organized by the partner institutions for local teachers and teachers from other EU countries who may apply for grants to cover expenses. A Telephone Technical Support Service will be active for a period offering technical and content related support to teachers using the ATTT.

European concert

A synchronized Concert will be organized in five prestigious venues in London (UK), Adana (TR), Sastamala (FI), Prahova (RO), Madrid (ES). These will feature a local school choir, distinguished folk singers and a projection of the concerts from the other four locations.

Schools who cannot attend the live concert will be invited to view the concert online via webinar software.

Joining the project

Educators can join the project either as piloting schools, involved in the concert or just using the resources produced.

Contact: joel_josephson[at]kindersite.org