Socrates M A B E L Project (2001-2002)
The M.A.B.E.L. project aims to explore the potential of a multi-disciplinary approach to Adult Basic Education and Learning for prisoners and young offenders, with emphasis on a common core curriculum involving Basic Numeracy, Literacy, ICT and Social and Life Skills. Staff involved in the teaching of these subjects will explore themes together, share ideas on methods and techniques and develop lessons that can be delivered to adult learners using a cross-curricular approach.
Central to this study will be the work carried out with the prisoners themselves to produce three collaborative magazines, in both paper format and on audio-tape for the visually impaired. Prisoners will share information about themselves, prison life, their local area, their country, customs, traditions and beliefs. In year 1 the magazine will focus on the key topics of ‘Isolation’ and ‘Society’ to help prisoners explore their own feelings of isolation as well as the needs, feelings and beliefs of others. The magazines will also include creative writing, poetry, quizzes, language games, artwork and photography and will be produced by the prisoners themselves using the most up-to-date ICT packages. The magazines will be also be developed as a teaching/learning resource of real life experiences that can be used for learners by all partners to improve communication skills (mother tongue/foreign languages) and European Awareness. At the end of the project all partners will have a rich library of real life experiences. A project website will be created so that the results of the project can be widely disseminated.