Cross Borders with English Erasmus Project

Project Title

Cross Borders with English

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

Background:
-The project Cross Borders with English was created and developed by our English teachers from secondary schools in Italy, Portugal, Turkey and Poland, with the aim to exchange experiences about using English outside classroom and developing students’ autonomy. The idea was to engage schools from possibly different parts of EU, as it would provide variety, refreshing points of view and specific, cultural factors which influence the approach to English and its practical use.
-The motivation for the project originated from the fact that although students often possess a decent theoretical knowledge of English, they often have a problem with using it practically, in real-life situations. The problem, among others, results from the fact that according to the curriculum, students are supposed to concentrate more on the preparation for written tests. On the other hand, students often have a limited contact with the language outside and few chances to speak, which apparently was an area which left room for improvement. The idea was to start working with a pilot group of students and to shape in them the need for autonomy in language learning, which in the future would serve them as a tool to communicate in English in an independent, self-sufficient way. If the work with the pilot group proved successful, it could be then implemented on a regular basis in the years to come, with other students. The aim was also to show to students that Europe is a market filled with chances of education and employment, ready for them to be explored, if only they are autonomous enough to make their own choices and possess practical language skills sufficient to function on it.
Objectives:
-The main objective of the project is decreasing problems with using English in practical, real-life situations outside classroom, among secondary school students aged 15-18, in the period of 2 years. Particular objectives:
– building students’ autonomy
– awakening and shaping the need for learning, seen as a lifelong learning
– learning to organize one’s own learning process
– building up confidence as a foreign language user
– confronting the theoretical knowledge with the working knowledge in English-speaking surroundings
– promoting students’ curiosity and openness to a variety in a language and promoting tolerance towards differences, including other cultures
– emphasizing the need to be able to ‘sell’ the knowledge of English in the most effective way. This ability, in perspective, may be used on an international education and employment market

Number and profile of participants:
The project encompasses 4 secondary schools from Italy, Portugal, Turkey and Poland (the coordinator). The coordinators’ meetings will take place 5 times; as a separate activity at the beginning of the project (combined with a training session), and during each short-term students’ exchange (4 times, the last one will sum up the project activities). 4 students’ exchanges are planned: Portugal (March 2020), Italy (October 2020), Turkey (March 2021) and Poland (May 2021), each of them will comprise 5 working days. Each exchange is planned for 7 guest students, accompanied by 2 teachers and 7 host students. Students will be selected on the basis of specific criteria, such as, for instance, involvement in the project activities or progress with English

Activities:
All the project activities will be complementary to the schools’ curricula. They will include among others: preparing and sharing presentations, students performing various roles (as teachers, story-tellers, tour guides, etc), participating in workshops, for instance about EU, in sport events etc.

Methodology:
Individual work, team work, individual tasks, research tasks, competition, logical game-puzzles ,observation, problem solving, workshops.

Results and benefits:
The desired result of the project is: to develop and strengthen the collaboration among EU teachers and students, exchange good practices and establish contacts which will last after the project has finished, to develop critical thinking, problem solving, language efficiency, collaborative learning, entrepreneurial skills, information management, adaptability, curiosity or reflecting on one’s own performance. Also, the project should lead to promoting using English outside classroom, making the students become more like global European citizens, able to interact in any country, fostering intercultural dialogue including teachers and students, supporting participation in transnational projects and peer exchanges, establishing sustainable partnerships between schools.
All partners will also be responsible for the dissemination of the results of the project both locally and regionally. Communication will be carried out via e-mails, e-Twinning, chats, partner meetings; ICT technologies available in schools will be used to improve communication among all the participants.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 108825 Eur

Project Coordinator

Zespol Szkol Ogolnoksztalcacych nr 7 & Country: PL

Project Partners

• Fevzi Keskinoglu Anadolu Lisesi
• Liceo Scientifico Statale G. Battaglini
• Agrupamento de Escolas de Vilela