COMICS AND GAMES ABOUT CIVIC VALUES AND DIVERSITY
English version
Box 1 : Industrial landscape with tall buildings: your first living environment might not be exactly as you imagined.
Box 2: Your first accommodation may not be perfect either.
Think about watching the two columns in parallel and discuss how the roles of the family members have changed in the new living environment.
Box 4 : It's an occasion to talk about the necessity to put aside the feeling of shame and to accept help.
Again, roles within the family might change. You can incite the readers to think of with humour. The most important things will not change anyway.
READING ORIENTATIONS
Losing all your reference points that you've learned as an adult is like being suddenly sent back into childhood. You have to relearn how this complex machine-like structure that we call society works. Moreover, you also have to adapt to being treated like a child and returning to school. However, it won't be as easy as it once was: your overwhelmed spirit might not be as receptive to learning. According to the comic's author, Kata Keresztely, setting aside pride and accepting that roles might be reversed—when your child becomes your teacher—could be easier with a touch of humor.
GAMES
The first two games based on this comic allow you to practice professional vocabulary in any of the six languages. You can enhance this by discussing what professions the workshop participants dream of.
The third game delves into the various tasks of the comic's mother character, Marjane. Participants must determine the urgency of these tasks. The game's goal is to help prioritize tasks based on their importance.
For a complementary exercise, consider creating your own priority lists in a playful manner. This could be through a game format, or other fun methods such as drawings or diagrams.
Recommended complementary activities:
- Play a role game in groups: you are forming a small family, think of the different roles that each of you play in dealing with everyday tasks.
- For language learning purposes, use the comics in different lagunages in parallel and with the whole family: you can permit your learners to familiarise with new expressions in the language that you are teaching while the children can also maintain the active use their language of origine.
- Initiate cross-reading activities: first give the version of the comics to the participants in a language that they know better. Let them read it. In case you are working with families, give first the version in the languages of origine to parents and the version in the host countries language to the children. Than tell them to exchange and read them again. Then ask questions such as which is your favourite scene? Why? Which scene is the most resembling to what you are confronted to in your everyday life? Participants will have to answer there question by using words and expressions from the comics in the language that they are learning.
The Headache
Frame 1: Have Patience
When you arrive at a new place you might not be happy right away. Give it some time.
Frame 2-6: Be Critical
It could be that in the beginning you won’t know a lot of people who could help you. It might take some time to find friends and acquaintances. The internet might seem like an easier option to consult for your worries. However, don’t forget that the internet is not always useful and might have misleading information.
Talk about how important it is to check the sources of information that you can find on the Internet. and to have a critical mind when getting advices.
Frame 2: Be Honest
Try to be honest with your feelings and don’t feel ashamed to admit that you need professional help.
Frame 6: Ask for help
Unlike this man, you can encourage exchange, to ask for help in the metro or in the street.
Frame 7: You Deserve It
Even if you don’t speak the language, don’t get discouraged. Every beginning is hard, but it is important that you take care of your physical and mental health.
Don’t forget that you deserve professional help and you have the right to access it.
Frame 8: Resources and Knowledge
The bureaucracy can be overwhelming and the new lifestyle will need some time to adjust to, but don’t forget that asking for help will always give you important resources and knowledge.
READING ORIENTATIONS
Making a phone call, visiting a doctor when you're sick, or navigating public transportation may seem effortless when you're accustomed to life in a big city. However, for newcomers who don't speak the local language, these tasks can become daunting challenges. Turkish artist Ercan Arslan, known as #ercanarslan, humorously portrays the adventures of individuals grappling with these everyday struggles, particularly in the bustling metropolis of Berlin. Through his comics, Arslan sheds light on the comical yet relatable experiences of newcomers, offering a lighthearted perspective on navigating unfamiliar territories. By engaging with these narratives, readers can find solace in shared difficulties and perhaps be inspired to seek assistance from those who can truly offer help, rather than relying solely on dubious online advice.
GAMES
The games related to this comic are designed to improve orientation skills and autonomy in the use of local transport. This is achieved first by identifying metro stations in the cities of Berlin, Paris, and Marseille, and then by matching public signs related to traffic rules with their meanings.
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READING ORIENTATIONS
The comic addresses the challenges of sharing traumatic experiences. Reporting these experiences often involves interacting with strangers and retelling the story multiple times in various forms. We might encounter people, bureaucrats, police officers, etc., who may lack the sensitivity to comprehend our ordeal during the recounting of a traumatic event. This becomes even more challenging if we are not entirely comfortable with the language we have to use in telling our story.
DISCLAIMER:
Please be aware of the potentially disturbing content of the comic. If you intend to use it as a conversation starter about your interlocutor's similar experiences, especially those related to sexist, racist, or other forms of violence, it is recommended to have a background in psychology.
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Boxes 8-9: Occasion to evoke the hardship of telling a traumatising story repeatedly and being contorted to "neutral" reactions within official contexts.
Boxes 4-6: ccasion to mention the importance of finding a community in which one can feel at ease.
GAMES
The games associated with this comic explore significant female icons from all over the world and their actions. Secondly, you can play with lesser-known public signs that can help us adhere to civic rules.
READING ORIENTATIONS
Do you remember your first airplane journey? Where did you go? What kind of trip was it? Perhaps it was an eagerly anticipated holiday with your parents, filled with excitement about soaring high above the ground and the adventures awaiting you at your destination?
Hamza's inaugural journey is of a vastly different nature. It marks his first departure from his homeland for an extended period. While he must familiarize himself with airport procedures, the essence of his journey lies in confronting the profound sadness and fears that accompany such a departure. Blaise Guinin's comics accompany Hamza on this journey with kindness and optimism, guiding him into a world of diversity and, hopefully, a warm welcome at his destination.
Occasion to prepare children for the travel: What they have to do? How do they need to behave? , etc.
Frames 1-4 and 1 on the opposite page: Occasion to prepare parents and children for the travel: What they have to do? How do they need to behave? , etc.
Frames 3-6: Occasion to talk about fears and anxieties before the travel.
Occasion to talk about ethnic diversity in European countries.
Frames 2-6: Occasion to talk about the possibility to have new friends, new adventures; things and people to discover.
GAMES
The related games, designed for children, are intended to help them practice what should be done at the airport before and during the travel and after their arrival to the destination.
In relation to diversity, children can solve two online puzzles to learn how to say "Hi" in different languages.
Resolve the puzzle to learn how to say and write "Hello" in Arabic, English, French, German, Turkish and Ukrainian
Can you recognize every language ?
AIRPORT
PUZZLE 1
Resolve the puzzle to learn how to say and write "Hello" in Arabic, English, French, German, Turkish and Ukrainian
Can you recognize every language ?
AIRPORT
PUZZLE 2
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READING ORIENTATIONS
The final comic in the series, dedicated to civic and democratic values, encourages vigilance when seeking new opportunities. For novice users of remote and online communication, these tools can also pose serious risks.
Topics to discuss:
- How do you recognise if there is fraud? What are the signs? Has it already happened to you?
- Different kinds of fraud that exist (sms, phone calls, companies targeting people for services…) - compilation of a list next to the comics
- Why are people more vulnerable to internet fraud in a new country than in their own?
Do they have bigger need for personal contact, for patience to find opportunities ?
Complementary exercices:
- Group discussion to find possible endings of the conversation with John in the form of a role game
- What makes someone sympathetic and trustful? (role game)
GAMES
The first game, based on the comic, includes fictional announcements. Players must determine whether these announcements appear to be serious or potentially fake, therefore dangerous ones.
The second game helps to detect fake offers and recognize signs and methods used by their initiators.
The appealing opportunity to move freely around Europe, which also motivates Yulia to move to a Western European country in the comic, should be paired with a solid understanding of Europe. You can introduce a conversation about the knowledge you have about different European countries with the third game that involves identifying countries on a colorful map.
For language learning purposes, you can also listen to the name of each country.