New Angles of good practices on Inclusion for all Students Erasmus Project

Project Title

New Angles of good practices on Inclusion for all Students

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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Disabilities – special needs; Early School Leaving / combating failure in education; Inclusion – equity

Project Summary

As a starting point we chose to approach inclusion and diversity from a common experience we all share, and we wanted to arrive at a destination of inclusion, where difference did not represent a barrier to individual fulfillment and social opportunity.
There were four partners representing different schools with experience on inclusion: a general secondary school from Latvia, special needs school from Belgium and vocational schools from Romania and Croatia.Our differences in terms of the inclusion were the richness of our project as we could share our experience.

The target groups and participants of the Project were:
• Teachers,staff active in education from special needs, mainstream and vocational schools
• Students
• Parents and school authorities

The Project focused on equity and inclusion, guidance, synergies between policy and practice, creativity, innovation and modernisation, successful transfer of experiences and good practices.

The objectives of the project were:
-to create professional skills to work as integrative schools and do active outreach to open up schools as institutions to our local communities gaining/developing new knowledge and skills in managing diversity.
-to promote inclusive practices in school creating a learning community in which everyone – staff, students, parents are involved and valued for their input
-to promote the inclusion,integration and career guidance of all students no matter what their origin, previous experience, abilities and social skills
-to support teachers in dealing with diversified groups of learners

During the first year of the Project teachers evaluated the process of inclusion. studied materials and resources on inclusion and shared good practices by producing materials,activities and games to stimulate inclusion of all students which were tested and evaluated at every partnerschool and during the exchange of students in a completely new environment by connection between main stream students and special need students–differentiation, diversity and multicultural education in the classroom.
During the second year teacher joint staff trainings were organized to improve study materials for inclusive students and to maintain an effective learning environment, cooperative learning, implementation of inclusive practices and career guidance. Key competences and attitudes of an inclusive teacher were brought to a higher level during the trainings. Non-formal activities were organised to students at each institution by volunteers. The materials, games and activities produced by teachers of all partnerschools during the joint staff trainings and during activities were tested during the short term exchange of groups of pupils.

All the participating schools :
– shared their experience and good practices focusing on abilities rather than disabilities,
-improved their individual support system introducing the good practice of other countries reducing the risk of failure and preventing students drop outs,
– learned how to make effective and motivating study materials adapted to the individual needs of every student which will lead to a greater success,
-used the project as a resource in long-term development of the school.

All the teachers involved in the project :
-raised their motivation to recognise and support individual needs of students,
-developed new professional skills, competences and strategies.

Resources and activities available for dissemination on project website, school websites, eTwinning and Padlet and in paper format:
• Recommendations on equity and quality
• PowerPoint presentation about inclusion in partner countries
• A collection of materials,worksheets and activities
• Recommendations how to create effective and innovative study materials
• Recommendations on competences and attitudes of inclusive teacher
• Teacher training courses for European teachers
• A collection of games and activities organised to special needs students by mainstream students and volunteers
• Career start-up portfolio containing self-assessment, CV and letter of intend
.Questionnaire to test students’ interests, learning styles and attitudes.
• Celebration of the Day of the Inclusion
• Running internal training sessions for non-participating staff
-Articles,leaflets and newsletters
-A Padlet
The project assisted institutions to have well-motivated students in their studies and career choice according to their specialisation, helping them apply their new skills, enthusiasm and their interest in their local environment and future career.
The key outcome of this project was the empowerment of participants in the sense of their capability to identify techniques and approaches that are suitable for them in everyday life and their work.
All the schools will use the project as a resource in long-term development of the school in the future.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 94440 Eur

Project Coordinator

Tukuma Vakara un neklatienes vidusskola & Country: LV

Project Partners

• Medicinska skola Ante Kuzmanica – Zadar
• Sint Jozef Instituut voor BuSO
• LICEUL TEHNOLOGIC FRANCISC NEUMAN