Strategies Towards Radical Intercultural Values in Education Erasmus Project

Project Title

Strategies Towards Radical Intercultural Values in Education

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: Inclusion – equity; Pedagogy and didactics; Integration of refugees

Project Summary

One of the most challenging issues Maltese schools are currently experiencing, is a global reality that is affecting Europe as a whole, causing an increasing influx of international students from both European and non-European countries, who do not always speak English and thus find it difficult to integrate. According to the National Statistics Office (2018), between years 2012 and 2017, ‘the total share of non-Maltese students in pre-primary, primary and secondary formal education was seen to more than double, from 4.5 per cent in academic year 2012/2013 up to 9.7 per cent in 2016/2017’ (Annex 1: p. 25). The same can be seen prevalent in most schools within Europe facing an influx of immigration, more specifically within the countries involved in this project. Moreover, whilst the influx of non-local students is increasing each year, significant difficulties are being met by non-local students who are introduced in mainstream schools, without possessing the knowledge of either the local or English languages. Initiatives taken by national governments in this regard, unfortunately do not offer the necessary support for our teachers to cope with the challenging situations faced within a multicultural setting, which is constantly on the increase.

Objectives:
• to establish Integration Committees in each participating school, tasked with developing, hosting and implementing project activities and the school’s integration plan
• to participate in two training sessions, strengthening teacher’s ability to deal with multi-cultural classrooms
• to experience firsthand different multi-cultural settings and ideologies through three job shadowing activities
• to implement monthly e-twinning and blended learning activities, involving both students and teachers
• to develop two handbooks on integration with schools for teachers and pupils respectively

Through the above objectives the project seeks to strengthen the teacher’s ability to deal with a multicultural classroom and enrich their pedagogic knowledge to be able to develop and implement an integration strategy within their schools, with the aim to decrease the formation of sub groups, increase integration and improve the overall emotional and psychological behaviour of middle school pupils; contributing directly to promoting equity within schools, and also integration of refugees.

Results:
• Improved School Development Plan capable to account for intercultural strategies that will eventually support other teaching counterparts within the five school communities
• Improve pedagogic coping skills of teachers
• Improve non-local students’ morale and their emotional and cognitive development
• Improve international collaboration and organisational skills of educators and schools
• Build stronger school profiles at national and European levels
• Make participating teachers and students aware of common traits between different cultures, encourage cultural appreciation and value cultural diversity
• Prevent segregation and marginalisation of minority groups of students
• Create a handbook for teachers and a handbook for students that provide specific information and guidance on how to deal with multiculturalism and promote interculturalism in schools.
• Increased capacity of EU project development, management and reporting

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 45660,93 Eur

Project Coordinator

St Benedict College Middle School Kirkop & Country: MT

Project Partners

• BEREKET YATILI BÖLGE ORTA OKULU
• Tolnai Szent István Katolikus Gimnázium
• Osnovna sola Brsljin
• Klaipedos Prano Masioto progimnazija