One of the aims of the LEIS project (Literacy & Equality in Irish Society) is to develop and pilot innovative methods and approaches within adult literacy education.  Interest has been expressed in using art workshops with learners.

We have prepared some Art Kits & Collage Kits for tutors to use to pilot with their adult literacy group(s).

If you are interested in giving an art workshop to your group & would like to pick up an Art Kit from Bonnie, please be aware that you will be required to do 3 things:

1. Read & sign a consent form (for use of your name, words, photos in our reports and/or website)
2. Fill out a participant form (required by funding body), if you haven’t done so already.
3. As well, we ask that you report back after using the kit, using a format of your choice – written, spoken on audio tape, or visual/word combination.  We are interested in hearing your reflections on the experience of using the art kit.

 Guidelines for reflection on use of Art Kit

This is a general outline of things to think about, aspects that we are interested in hearing. Please choose the questions and guidelines that are of relevance and interest to you:

1. Generally, what happened?
2. What did you do? How was it organized, explained, set up?
3. What was the setting? Who was involved? How many?
4. What was the level of participation or non-participation?
5. What did participants like/not like about the experience?
6. Any stories, issues arise from their participation that you can share?
7. What did you like/not like about the materials provided?
8. Would you do this again? Why? Why not?
9. If you did this again: what would you do differently?
10. How do you envision further use of the art kit fit with your program or curriculum?
11. What would you need to continue using the art workshop as a teaching method?
12. What are the concerns and issues for you in using this as a teaching method?

Please send your reflections to Bonnie via

          Email:  b.soroke@qub.ac.uk
          Audio tape:  Room 1003, Institute of Lifelong Learning
          Telephone conversation: 028 9097 2562

SUGGESTIONS for Art Workshop   **you need to supply SCISSORS, more FOAM BASES

Keep materials neat, organized – use one container (provided) for each set of materials.  See attached photo with each kit.

Demonstrate techniques of attaching materials (poking wire & toothpicks into foam, use wire & pins to attach objects & tissue paper). Collage: grouping items, creating a centre of interest, making paper 3-D by crumpling, folding, bending.

Use scissors to cut and shape the materials (e.g.: foam, wire, zigzags)

Suggest to participants to add other kinds of materials to replenish the art kit (eg: feathers, fabric pieces, golf tees, plastic milk lid pieces, and …)

To read others evaluations of the art kits please click here.