Cooperation events
Writing Poems and Exploring the World
Creative Writing Workshop
Writing Poems and Exploring the World: Creative Writing Workshop
Michelle Valladares
City College New York, USA
Summary
Words had an energy and power and I came to respect that power early. Pronouns, nouns, and verbs were citizens of different countries, who really got together to make a new world. - Audre Lorde
The power of creative writing and poetry to honor our humanity, to reveal the divine, to observe the details of our world and to transform the writer and reader will be the focus of this creative writing workshop. Participants will express themselves through writing. We will write from prompts and take a deep dive into the power of language to shape our perceptions of the world. As poet and philosopher Thomas Merton writes:
When we experience the world as alive, we share an intimate connection with all that exists. We can see the world as being made of a life-giving language, and our awareness of this language goes deep into our psyches and deep into the cosmos.
Goals
to develop their writing and creative skills
to learn to establish a written voice and persona in their texts
to use their personal experience in writing
to use creative writing as a resource for individual creative processes
- to think of ways of how to use the technique in the classroom
Dates, Times, and Locations
02.07.2026
2.30-6.00 PM
A0112, Hasnerplatz
02.07.2026
2.30-6.00 PM
A0112, Hasnerplaz
Sign-up
For further information and sign-up, please write to roberta.maierhofer(at)uni-graz.at
DOWNLOAD THE FLYER HERE
Promoting Plurilingualism and Wellbeing Through Arts-Based Activities
Teaching English through Art
Promoting Plurilingualism and Wellbeing Through Arts-Based Activities: Teaching English through Art
Fabianna Fazzi
Ca’ Foscari Venice, Italy
Summary
This two-session workshop invites participants to explore their plurilingual identities and creatively express their linguistic repertoires through design and arts-based activities.
Session 1: Reflecting on Plurilingual Identity and Dominant Language Constellation Artifact (4 UE): This session will introduce participants to the concepts of plurilingualism and plurilingual identity and will help them reflect on the emotional, social, and personal value of each language in their lives. Specifically, they will be guided to design and create their own Dominant Language Constellation artifact. They will choose materials to embody their languages and linguistic experiences as a tangible object.
Upon completion of the artifact, participants will be asked to:
- Describe the artifact;
- Explain their choice of object;
- Detail the materials and colors used and the rationale behind these choices;
- Reflect on what these choices reveal about their relationship with their languages.
At the end of the session, participants will reflect on how this activity can be adapted for use with their students.
Session 2: Multilingual Arts-Based Activities (4 UE)
Building on the reflection of their plurilingual identity carried out in Session 1, participants will explore various multilingual arts-based activities. These activities are inspired by best practices from two key projects:
- The Creative Language Practices in Scotland project (Resource Link: https://multilingualismthroughart.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cards_digital_final.pdf)
- The Io vado al museo project (Peggy Guggenheim Collection) in Italy, focusing on accessibility and inclusion (Project Link: https://www.guggenheim-venice.it/en/learn/programs-for-accessibility-and-inclusion/i-go-to-the-museum/).
At the end of the session, they will reflect on which activity they would implement with their students, providing a rationale for their choice and considering the necessary adaptations.
Goals
to define the concepts of plurilingualism and plurilingual identity and understand their relevance in the classroom context.
to reflect on their personal linguistic repertoire and express their complex relationship with their languages by designing a Dominant Language Constellation artifact.
to think of ways they can use the arts to cultivate linguistic confidence and positive identity formation, thereby supporting student emotional wellbeing
- to plan and adapt a minimum of one arts-based, multilingual activity suitable for their own teaching context, justifying their choice based on student needs and learning goals.
Dates, Times, and Locations
29.06.2026
2.30-6.00 PM
A0112, Hasnerplatz
30.06.2026
2.30-6.00 PM
N0107, Hasnerplatz/Neubau
Sign-up
For further information and sign-up, please write to roberta.maierhofer(at)uni-graz.at
DOWNLOAD THE FLYER HERE
