This week, 34 creative fellows were awarded iTunes University certificates for successfully completing an art history course organized in a partnership the ZaZa language school under the Art Academy umbrella.

This module focused on the role of the arts in various cultures, development of the arts throughout history, and the factors that influence cultures. Through a combination of fun introductions to art history and interactive practices, the fellows learned to unravel the cultural codes around them.

Over five months, the young creators learned about Ancient Greek, Egyptian, Roman and Medieval art. They also studied the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and were introduced to the world’s greatest composers and the history of opera and ballet.

English teachers built interactive edutaining exercises aimed at enhancing speaking skills and vocabulary using the topics in the Art Academy module. Through interactive exercises, the students learned how to discuss the Art Academy course materials and express their impressions on a given topic. The classes were based on an active collaboration between students and teachers via the online platform.

The materials also covered several topics for building the students‘ motivational skills in order to make them more aware of their talents and abilities, to always give their best, and strive for success.

The structure of the Art Academy lessons featured:

  • Conversation module to reinforce vocabulary learned at the previous session
  • Introduction to the new historical period and new vocabulary words
  • Listening and reading: edutaining video on the history of art
  • Quiz on the introduced topic
  • Summary of the lesson

This language and art collaboration was designed to contribute towards the creation of the global virtual gallery of HAPPINESS. As a result, six Art Academy listeners sent their art works to the SAAS Gallery in London and were exhibited amongst other young artists.

Commenting on her experience with teaching language through arts, Sandra Nohemy Pérez, an educator from Guatemala, said:

Apart from an improvement in English language skills, you could see during classes how the children learned about art from a global perspective. They were able to travel through ancient times and see cultures that they did not imagine existed. I witnessed the results of the Art Academy during the culture trip to Antigua and Guatemala City. At the museum, the boys compared the art studied in class with the Guatemalan artworks exhibited at the museum.