Literacy, Education and Arts Partnership: A community-system programme integrating the arts across the curriculum

Abstract

The Community Arts and Education Partnership (CAEP), a community-system arts and literacy programme for every student at all grade levels, began in four different schools during the initial 5-month pilot period of a 5-year cumulative project. In a large board of education in metropolitan Toronto, Canada, professional community artists and generalist classroom teachers delivered a sequential, integrated curriculum to over 500students of diverse ethnicities. Grounded theory analysis of data collected via video and audiotapes, observations and interviews revealed key infrastructure issues that coalesced into a pivotal implementation principle. Teacher observation suggested literacy gains at the grade VI level although no systematic assessment procedures were implemented. Literacy gains by grade I students may be specifically attributed to experiences within this programme. This learning through the arts across the curriculum model offers promise as an effective methodology for multicultural classrooms.