A Global Virtual Village for Languages and Art Erasmus Project

Project Title

A Global Virtual Village for Languages and Art

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 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

Foreign language learning has been of high priority in Europe since the millennium. In 2002, the Barcelona European Council meeting called for greater actions towards foreign languages learning in an early age and it also established the “mother tongue language plus two”- strategy, which encourage pupils to know at least two foreign languages. In 2017, data from Eurostat shows that 59% pupils speak two foreign languages in upper secondary school, though most pupils in primary schools only learn one foreign language: English. In countries such as Denmark, Sweden, The United Kingdom and Czech Republic the numbers of foreign language learners have decreased since 2010.

ARTinLANs objective is to develop a teaching methodology that incorporate art in foreign language courses in primary school and establish an international teacher network that exchange experiences and inspire to try several art-activities in the classes. Hereby, ARTinLAN aims to increase young pupils’ motivation to learn foreign languages through art forms such as dance, music, painting, theater etc. Through creative learning, ARTinLAN wants to develop the attitude that foreign language learning is fun and introduce a learning methodology that includes all pupils in the classroom, also those who normally may find language learning difficult for instance: refugees, immigrants and pupils with dyslexia. Studies show that positive experiences with foreign language learning from an early age increases pupils’ motivation to learn more than one language, which sustain through adolescence (Artsed 2009, Saunders, C. M. 1998, Robinson, D. W. 1992, Genesee, Cloud, F. and N. 1998).

The primary target group is foreign language and art teachers, who teach pupils in primary school. Five teachers from each country will participate (30 in all). The secondary target group is their pupils aged 6-11, who either are learning a foreign language in their country of origin or are learning a foreign language and the national language of their host country.

To achieve these objectives, the ARTinLAN will:

– Develop ARTinLAN activities
Based on an initial survey that determine the pupils’ specific needs, ARTinLAN will develop activities engaging a particular art form in each class i.e. dance, theatre, music etc.

– Develop the Global Virtual Village
The Global Virtual Village will serve as an online platform, where the teachers can exchange their experiences of implementing the ARTinLAN activities into their foreing language classes. It will also be the platform for the Online Event, where the pupils will share their end products of the ARTinLAN activities, which will be exhibited on the platform afterwards.

– Write the ARTinLAN methodologies
Based on the teachers and pupils user and learning experiences of the ARTinLAN activities and the Global Virtual Village, the ARTinLAN methodology and good practice will be written.

At the end of the project, the teachers would have experimented on incorporating creative learning into their foreign language teaching. They would have cooperated with the local art teachers and also developed an international network with whom they can exchange experiences and good practices on the online platform “The Global Virtual Village”. The pupils would have tried new learning activities and they have established an European network among pupils during the Online Event, where they have shown each other what they have learned. The ARTinLAN methodology that has been created during the project will be accessible on the Global Virtual Village, which is an open platform. This will enable external teachers to access and take part in the network and ARTinLAN activities in the future.

The project seeks to uphold and cherish the diversity of European languages and ensure that they are passed on and advanced by the next European generations. ARTinLAN contributes to the European Year of Culture 2018 by sustaining, promoting and celebrating the European language heritage and culture through education.

Project Website

https://sites.google.com/artinlan.eu/globalvirtualvillage/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 197296 Eur

Project Coordinator

Municipality of Vejle & Country: DK

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITY OF CUKUROVA
• The Mosaic Art Sound Limited
• Jazykova skola s pravem statni jazykove zkousky PELICAN, s.r.o.
• Viksjöforsbaletten
• SPOLECZNA AKADEMIA NAUK