Innovative Technologies for Active Language Class Erasmus Project

Project Title

Innovative Technologies for Active Language Class

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Access for disadvantaged; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Teaching and learning of foreign languages

Project Summary

Innovative Technologies for Active Language Class is a three-year ERASMUS+ strategic school partnership. It involved eight secondary schools from Czech Republic, France, Greece, Lithuania, FYR of Macedonia, Romania, Spain and Turkey. These schools were located in urban underprivileged areas where education and the fighting of failure was first priority. An important number of learners in these schools came from families with low opportunities for learning, self-educating or traveling. They often lacked motivation, were ICT illiterate and ignored the importance of foreign languages in the labor market. Therefore, our partnership primarily focused on these learners.

On the one hand, we first intended to enhance these learners’ motivation and to allow them to develop their spoken English communication competencies. On the other hand, we wanted to offer them an opportunity to meet their European neighbors, to discover European cultures in native place, to put forward their own culture, and thus, build their European citizenship.

To implement our partnership and hit our objectives, first we organized a five-day ICT workshop for teachers. They learnt how to use a variety of ICT tools. Then, we compared our teaching methods and exchanged our know-how. Besides, we organized four transnational project meetings which offered the teachers who attended them the opportunity to observe classes in the other partner schools and to compare. They had the chance to give innovative classes themselves to local learners and get their feedbacks.

As regards to our learners, we first made preliminary assessments and rated their comfort/ability level on a number of skills. Based on the results we purposefully created small groups that blended abilities and backgrounds. Then, we incorporated team-building activities carefully adapted to their abilities and possibilities. Moreover, we incorporated learning activities based on the use of new technologies to facilitate the group work processes, and had them participate in video conferences and complete tasks using oral communication skills as well. Finally, learners participated in three ten-day language and cultural camps which were organized in different partner countries. These meetings put them in authentic communication situations amongst other European learners of their age.

As a result, the partnership helped learners involved to develop oral communication skills in English and to acquire new competencies in ICT. It also helped them to broaden their cultural horizons, to foster tolerance and to build their European citizenship. Teachers involved were given the opportunity to develop their language skills and to learn how to incorporate innovative digital teaching tools in their practice to make their classes more engaging and more challenging for their students.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 379885 Eur

Project Coordinator

COLLEGE GEORGES POMPIDOU & Country: FR

Project Partners

• Scoala Gimnaziala Speciala pentru Deficienti de Auz “Sfanta Maria”
• Centros de Educación Integral S.L.
• OOU Goce Delcev
• 1st GYMNASIUM OF SITIA
• Zakladni skola Odry, Komenskeho 6, prispevkova organizace
• bakirkoy cumhuriyet ortaokulu
• Nidos vidurine mokykla