Thursday, March 4, 2021, 3:00-4:14pm

Dialogue for Change - Session #2 – “Transforming Challenges into Learning Opportunities: Inspiration from Refugee Language Education” with Giovanni Fontana and Holly Dawson from Second Tree

This discussion series will address how to ensure open communication while discussing the challenging topics of today’s current politically and emotionally charged world. How can we design lessons that encourage language students to openly express their perspectives on these topics in a language that may feel “foreign” to them?

Sponsored by the RLL Language Program and the Harvard Language Center

Contact Nicole Mills (mills@fas.harvard.edu) for further information.

Zoom link for the Discussion Series: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/96718354427?pwd=TjlrV2J1Wk5FUTYvaEx1WWhCZndUQT09

Access code : 163171

The session will begin with an interview with Giovanni Fontana, Founding Member of Second Tree, a  community-led, volunteer-run, grassroots NGO that supports and teaches refugees (English and Greek) across Northern Greece. Their mission is to “both empower individuals with the skills needed to engage in their new community by providing them with access to information, services, and opportunities as well as strengthen their capacities and linguistic skills.” Giovanni Fontana will discuss their mission statement and their model of language education.  

Moving from mission to practice, Holly Dawson, Second Tree’s Education Program Manager, will discuss her personal teaching philosophy and Second Tree’s language teacher training model. Holly will then present scenarios from her teaching context where challenging topics/situations were confronted in the language classroom and how they were successfully navigated. Topics include a combination of both spontaneous and prepared lessons in different learning contexts. 

The session will conclude with ample time for question/answer and discussion among participants.  

Valentina Frasisti and Giulia Pellizatto, former volunteers for this organization, will moderate the discussion with the presenters.