Learning with Intangible Heritage for a Sustainable Future: Guidelines for Educators in the Asia-Pacific Region

17 Apr 2017

Learning with Intangible Heritage for a Sustainable Future: Guidelines for Educators in the Asia-Pacific Region

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Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok, 2015.

TH/DOC/CLT/15/03-800

The guide provides teacher educators and teachers with an understanding of the concept of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and explains why ICH should be integrated into the curriculum in tandem with the principles and perspectives of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This guide explains how the strategic incorporation of ICH elements and ESD principles into the curriculum can enable learners to gain the knowledge and skills that are necessary for ensuring sustainable development in the future.

Within the framework of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, this guide is intended to raise the capacity of teachers to incorporate local elements of ICH, and principles of ESD, into teaching and learning practices. The guide provides examples of how the teaching and learning of ICH for sustainable development has been creatively incorporated into several disciplines – such as mathematics, science, music and social studies – in various cultural settings. It also suggests steps for preparing and assessing lesson plans.

UNESCO developed this guide based on the results of pilot projects conducted in four countries in the Asia-Pacific region, where participants developed locally-customized guidelines and materials for the incorporation of ICH elements and ESD principles into teaching and learning in schools. The examples of ICH given in this guide are not more significant expressions than others and are not necessarily those that should be prioritized, they are just illustrative samples.

National Guidelines for Writing Lesson Plans

These guidelines were developed by the pilot countries to facilitate the replication and expansion of the programme within their respective countries. Each country based their own set of guidelines on their context and needs.

These can be used as sources of inspiration for similar activities in other countries.

Resource Kit: Modules & Lesson Plans (Pakistan)
A Guideline for Writing on Intangible Cultural Heritage Lesson Plan (Palau)
Instructions on Preparing a Curricular Lesson Plan with Integration of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Viet Nam) English version / Vietnamese version

Sample Lesson Plans

Pilot countries developed lesson plans addressing a variety of curricular subjects, ICH elements and ESD principles.

These sample lesson plans demonstrate how several ICH can be incorporated into school subjects. They also show the innovative and creative pedagogical approaches teachers can use to enhance the quality of the lessons and improve learning outcomes. Furthermore, these lessons show that textbook knowledge takes on meaning for students when they are able to relate to it through a cultural practices and familiar contexts.

Each team participating in the pilot projects developed their own lesson plans, based on their requirements, so the formats of the lessons vary.

The table below displays a short selection of these lesson plans.