Spring Gillard’s scientific contributions

This article examines the role of storytelling as an arts-based educational approach in an older-adult immigrant language-learning program. As a special group within the adult language-learner population, immigrant seniors benefit from educational strategies that emphasize recognition of life experience over knowledge accumulation, which is a common goal of more traditional educational approaches. We present a small study of a storytelling class held within the English Conversation Program at the University of British Columbia Learning Exchange. Based on compelling results, we argue that storytelling is a powerful strategy that not only facilitates language learning, but creates a safe, inclusive learning community.

Through the case of Jacqui, this article describes a community-based project called Seniors Thrive, which was intended to help immigrant seniors learn English, build social connections, and strengthen their leadership in order to support their health and well-being. The programming merged language learning and leadership opportunities through arts-based programming. Multiple classes offered through Seniors Thrive brought together individuals from all walks of life to learn together and from each other. As a result, many learners, including Jacqui, demonstrated heightened confidence in their English speaking abilities and increased their social connections. The arts-based program enabled the voices of older learners to be heard beyond their closed communities. We pose that arts-based activities have the potential to transform language learning in later life, if arts-based programs follow a flexible and community-driven design.

This paper describes three intertwined initiatives located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside that used arts-based programming to enhance language learning experiences of immigrant seniors. The three cases described in this paper speak not only to the benefits of creative expression in later life learning, and in particular with adult immigrants, but also open a conversation about the importance of innovation and cross-centre collaboration to address challenges of community-based adult education.

This article examines the role of storytelling as an arts-based educational approach in an older-adult immigrant language-learning program. As a special group within the adult language-learner population, immigrant seniors benefit from educational strategies that emphasize recognition of life experience over knowledge accumulation, which is a common goal of more traditional educational approaches. We present a small study of a storytelling class held within the English Conversation Program at the University of British Columbia Learning Exchange. Based on compelling results, we argue that storytelling is a powerful strategy that not only facilitates language learning, but creates a safe, inclusive learning community.

his paper showcases three innovative takes on storytelling for the benefit of community-based and adult education. First, we present a community language learning program. Second, we present storytelling as an arts-based approach to language learning in older adult classrooms. Third, we reflect on the role of storytelling in a grassroots social and economic initiative with waste pickers. The paper challenges readers to envision storytelling not solely as a creative process, but as an educational one as well.