Description
Being Human is the UK’s national festival of the humanities. A celebration of humanities research through public engagement, it is led by the School of Advanced Study at the University of London, the UK’s national centre for the pursuit, support and promotion of research in the humanities. The festival works in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy to support humanities public engagement across the UK.In this session, titled "Draw Your Ideal Classroom", participants will draw their own “Ideal Classroom” and dream up spaces that support diverse learners who may be less willing to communicate.
This session will begin with a short introductory talk where we will explore the concept of "willingness to communicate", which is a term used in language and communication studies to describe how people choose to talk - or not talk - in daily or classroom situations. People who speak English as an additional language may be more or less willing to communicate in their different languages, and we want to find ways to help them learn in active and inclusive ways.
Participants will then be invited to imagine and draw their “Ideal Classroom" using coloured pens and papers. If they prefer working in pairs, they are welcome to do so. All materials will be provided and they are welcome to bring their own. Participants will have the opportunity to share their ideas and showcase their drawings with others at the session.
We will explore ideas around good teaching, meaningful learning, and contributions beyond oral or spoken communication.
Children who are at school, and those who have memories of school, are welcome to join us. We hope they will bring their real-world insights from different educational settings, languages, and cultural contexts.
| Period | 11 Nov 2025 |
|---|---|
| Held at | Being Human Festival 2025 |
Keywords
- Willingness to communicate
- Class participation
- Ideal Classroom
- Art and craft
- Public Engagement