IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION A

Abstract

This presentation analyses a small-scale arts-based experiment in a CEFR A1.2 German class with four university students, which transcended the original aim of language acquisition into a journey of inner development. Students crafted and staged stories using handmade puppet avatars that symbolised alternate selves, drawing on textbook themes (Momente A1.2) such as favourite cities, asking for directions, and dream houses. A key aspect was the collective storytelling activity. Each student articulated their preferred location through words and art, after which their peers suggested new experiences and actions in that space. Moreover, the puppet-as-self allowed learners to imaginatively “travel” and undergo transformations, engaging in experiences they hadn’t lived but came to feel emotionally. This process reflects the soul-building journeys found in literature, especially in Goethe’s Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship or Rousseau’s Confessions, where the protagonist grows through symbolic, reflective travel. This embodied narrative approach encourages optimism, visualisation, and personal development within a structured curriculum. Backed by frameworks such as positive psychology (Seligman and Snyder), narrative learning, constructivism (Vygotsky), embodied cognition, and Inner Development Goals (IDGs), the experiment served as both a language class and a space for personal growth and self-reflection. The proposed pedagogical model Avatarial Bildung promotes learners’ inner development through performative, symbolic stand-ins while enhancing self-awareness employing imaginative storytelling. This model situates itself within contemporary educational needs of student-centred curricula, emotional engagement, and resilience in times of uncertainty. Notably, reimagining even the most basic classrooms as personal transformation spaces is crucial.