Reading and Literacy through Language Learning Erasmus Project

Project Title

Reading and Literacy through Language Learning

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 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; Access for disadvantaged; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

RALLY (Reading and Literacy through Language Learning) was a three year project developed by Gladesmore Community School, London; Collège Irène Joliot-Curie, Argenteuil; and IES Azorin, Petrer, their staff and students.

The schools developed strategies to address EU-wide issues of disengagement by many young people from reading for pleasure, low chronological reading ages and gaps in literacy skills in home and taught languages. Gladesmore Community School is a high-performing, mixed 11-16 school in the economically deprived area of Tottenham, London. There are 1230 students on roll, who speak 80 different community languages and are representatives of many faiths. Our partner school, Collège Irène Joliot-Curie, is a mixed 11-15 school in Argenteuil, with 650 students on roll many from diverse francophonic countries. Collège Irène Joliot-Curie is also in a challenging area just to the north of Paris. IES Azorin, Petrer is a mixed 11-16 school in the industrial town of Petrer, 30 minutes form the coast and Alicante. This school is in a mixed economic area with 750 students on roll from local families. All participating schools have developed a strong relationship.

The objectives of the project were to develop teaching and learning strategies to promote reading for pleasure in home and taught languages, creative writing skills, oracy and presentation, as well as literacy skills such as prediction, clarifying, questioning and summarising. The development of expert ICT became central to the project. Each school developed their students’ confidence in the production of personalised, extended and creative writing, and spontaneity and confidence in spoken language. RALLY schools developed methodologies to improve students’ reading levels in home and taught languages by producing relevant, engaging and challenging authentic reading materials, and by using technology to develop students’ levels of language and confidence in spontaneous talk. Students worked collaboratively to produce and present work using creative approaches, digital storytelling and performance. Students developed real world of work skills in order to produce finished products.

During the project there was a sharing and development of outstanding teaching and learning strategies across the curriculum areas of each school through collaborative planning, reviewing and quality assurance of work. Each school brought specific expertise into the project to be shared and developed – ICT skills, creative writing strategies, the use of drama conventions,engagement with local communities and the teaching of literacy and reading skills.

RALLY’s aim was for our students to become life-long learners of languages and the hope is for the excitement and engagement to continue in the schools as we continue to work together in the future. Through the use of student perception surveys the young people and staff involved in the project reported back that this project has empowered them with language learning skills and enthused them to continue with language learning. Students involved in the project in all schools have become highly- skilled and confident modern language learners, have higher levels of functional literacy skills in home and taught languages and have developed transferable skills to enable them to be successful in the EU and international job market, for example, ICT skills, real work skills developed in project work and excellent independent and group work skills.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 274050 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gladesmore Community School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• IES Azorín
• Collège Irène Joliot Curie