Training in Icelandic through play and friendship
Shared Voices (I. Sammála) is a new project by Reykjavík City connecting children with Icelandic as their first language and children learning Icelandic through challenges and games aimed at improving language skills and relationships.
Shared Voices is part of a 300 million króna collaborative project between Reykjavík City and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Representatives visited Vesturbæjarskóli this morning to learn about the project.
The idea arose from conversations with parents and teachers
The goal of Shared Voices is to increase Icelandic in children's language environment while fostering better connections between them. Children participating in Shared Voices are called lingonauts, similar to astronauts, with the idea of exploring language and playing with words and concepts.
The project idea came from conversations with parents and teachers when addressing the challenge of improving the situation of multilingual children in Reykjavík.
Projects in collaboration with Bloomberg begin with a challenge related to City services. Before seeking solutions, research is conducted on the subject, including detailed user interviews and conversations with experts. Today, about 70 languages are spoken in Reykjavík's primary schools.
Interviews revealed that children with Icelandic as a second language don't spend much time in Icelandic-speaking environments. Icelandic-speaking children often switch to English when talking to children practicing Icelandic. The interviews also showed that all children want to make friends.
Becoming lingonauts for 12 weeks
Shared Voices has been tested in four Reykjavík primary schools with 48 children participating. The project lasts 12 weeks. Children meet once a week, play fun games, do exercises, and imagine being in a new country learning a new language.
The participants are called lingonauts. The project's visual theme is based on space. Children imagine being astronauts exploring a new planet, learning a new language, and discovering a new culture.
High satisfaction with the project, to be implemented nationwide
The pilot project has been well-received. School administrators say it positively affects the entire school community. All children report making new friends among their schoolmates through participation. Children with Icelandic as their first language say they better understand the experience of those with other first languages. Awareness has increased about the importance of speaking Icelandic around children learning the language.
The Center for Education and School Services plans to implement Shared Voices nationwide. All learning materials are prepared and given to participating schools along with instructions for teachers.