Bringing culture through music: the contribution of the Erasmus+ SMILE project

Abstract

This paper examines the outcomes and impact of the Erasmus+ SMILE project (Share the Music for Inclusive Education), an initiative aimed at integrating music as a cross-cultural pedagogical tool to enhance inclusive education in preschool and primary school settings. The project focused on equipping teachers and educators with the necessary knowledge, competencies, and resources to effectively use music as a didactic tool in multicultural classrooms. By exploring music’s unique ability to transcend cultural barriers, the SMILE project sought to create educational environments where all students, regardless of background, could experience holistic personal growth, both emotionally and cognitively. The paper highlights the collaborative efforts of European partners, which facilitated the development of key resources such as a digital repository, a teacher’s guide, and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). These tools provided educators with practical strategies to integrate music into their teaching, leading to improved student engagement and more inclusive classroom dynamics. The SMILE project significantly advances the field of inclusive education by promoting a new, adaptable paradigm of inclusion across various educational contexts, while also establishing a collaborative network to inspire and connect educational communities globally.

L’articolo presenta gli esiti del progetto europeo Erasmus+ SMILE (Share the Music for Inclusive Education), un’iniziativa volta a promuovere l’educazione inclusiva e interculturale nei contesti della scuola dell’infanzia e primaria. Il progetto ha valorizzato la musica come linguaggio universale per favorire la diffusione di pratiche di accoglienza e di integrazione culturale. In questo contesto, il progetto ha contribuito a sviluppare, negli insegnanti e negli educatori coinvolti, competenze e conoscenze necessarie per impiegare la musica in modo efficace come strumento educativo e didattico in contesti eterogenei e multiculturali. L’articolo mette in evidenza un quadro di buone pratiche e di strumenti educativo-didattici, valorizzando gli sforzi collaborativi dei partner europei coinvolti, la cui sinergia ha consentito, in ottica comparativa, lo sviluppo di risorse fondamentali quali un repository digitale, una guida per insegnanti e un MOOC per valorizzare la musica come strumento educativo inclusivo in prospettiva interculturale.