FEATURES
The initiative that engages pupils through translation and
widens their cultural understanding. By Gitanjali Patel
Translation requires more than just broad
political understandings that are
transplanted from the contexts of majority
English-speaking countries and supposedly
applicable to all… It requires a chess
player's understanding of what you
understand and what may be oblivious to
you regarding the politics of literature
within the area(s) and language(s) you are
translating from, and between them.
Khairani Barokka, Modern Poetry in Translation
I
t is the multi-step process of reading closely,
re-reading and reflecting on how we have
read that makes translation a powerful tool
for education. Translation teaches us how to
be resilient by demonstrating the benefits of
multiple revisions, collaborative work and
(re)sourcing contextual information. It offers
us the opportunity to engage with different
perspectives on the terms in which they were
expressed, and creates a space in which
assumptions can be challenged. It encourages
us to be flexible and creative in our use of
language, while simultaneously reflecting on
the many forms in which our language exists.
Shadow Heroes is a London-based
organisation that draws on the dynamic
potential of translation in the classroom.
Through creative workshops, we use
Inspired bydiversity
KEEPING IT FUN
Students enjoy a Shadow Heroes workshop
translation to teach students to think critically
about the world around them, stretching
them beyond the requirements of GCSE and
A-level examinations.
Our workshops challenge the hierarchy of
languages in schools, which creates value for
certain languages over others, by drawing on
the full range of languages spoken in the
classroom. We prioritise developing students'
awareness of literature, film, music and other
art forms from outside Western Europe,
asking them to reflect on the spaces and
