Introduction

An artist painting the view over Florence, Italy
An artist painting the view over Florence, Italy
Photographer: Pete Stevens

According to UNESCO, in 50 years' time 90% or the world will live in an urban environment. In many parts of Europe this is a fact today. The time is right to start exploring the city and how to use it as a resource in teaching and learning. The place where we are born, as much as the people we first meet, forms the basis of our own self-image and identity, an essential ingredient in making us who we are. This combination gives us our language or regional dialect, our civic pride, our sense of belonging. People participating in an urban way of life develop ways of reading their city. They ‘feel’ the city. They can feel the city's pulse, read its atmosphere.

Reading the City provides learners with skills and resources that will enable you to investigate Europe through its cities and towns. Exploring a number of aspects of cultural identity and comparing the various identities expressed by other Europeans.

Task



Plaza de Espana in Barcelona. Leyy M, www.unslash.com

You have two activities to complete. Activity one – Advantages of Living in a Big City, you are to read the passages and answer the questions. For Activity two – Reading Buildings, you are to answer question 1 to 32 and can use your creative imagination to answer the questions. The activities could be found in the 'Task' document attached in the resources section.

Process

Activity one: You are to read the passages and answer the questions, all the answers are contained with the passages so you would need to focus. Activity two: Look around at the buildings. Follow the questions in the ‘Reading Buildings’. For both activities you are to read the passages in the 'Tasks' document and then read the 'Process' document for some tips and hints when reading the city. You are encouraged to read the documents attached in the resources section in particular the document titled 'EUCourses Reading the City'.

 

Conclusion

Once learners have undergone Reading the City they will be able to investigate Europe through its cities and towns. Exploring a number of aspects of cultural identity and comparing the various identities expressed by other Europeans. Through a fun way learners can explore what the city looks like today, where do people live, work and play? Are the small local shops still functioning? Is there still a place of worship, a library, a post office, a bank, a pub or bar in every quarter? Does everyone take the car to the shopping mall and has the internet changed our cities forever.

Evaluation

Learning Outcomes

  • Reading the City provides adults with skills that will enable them to “read” cities and towns. Giving them the grammar and vocabulary to explore a number of aspects of cultural identity and comparing the various identities expressed by others.

Knowledge Acquired

  • After having followed the training material and the example exercises, the trainees should have required a good knowledge of describing different aspects of city development in at least two of the following: Identity, History and heritage, Styles Division

Skills Acquired

  • The participant will develop written and oral skills in order to describe a city or town from different aspects.

Competences Acquired

  • The participant will be able to reflect upon his/her own texts and communicate said texts with others to a good oral level.