Fairy tales as a bridge between cultures Erasmus Project

Project Title

Fairy tales as a bridge between cultures

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 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Teaching and learning of foreign languages; Migrants’ issues; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

The Inclusion School Bernd Ryke Elementary School in Berlin and the Collège Sophie Germain in Strasbourg join many students with a migration background. There are numerous working groups, including theater working groups. The CSG offers bilingual classes, German and English are taught, in the BRG only En.
Our french partner, with whom we have been in contact due to the german-french-teachers-internship program, faces similar challenges as we do. There are language barriers for the active use of foreign languages.
The pupils have a very heterogeneous level of different competencies and misconceptions about the following stages of education. That leads to a loss of motivation. Traditional methods no longer help here.
The project outside the “classroom” enables to achieve interdisciplinary work optimally (German, Art, Theater- and French-Working group), to recognize differences in identity of the pupils as a benefit, to consolidate the school profiles and to experience the cultural heritage of Berlin and Strasbourg in a variety of ways. The bilingual classes, the theater group and the non-inclusion children are to be promoted optimally in times of great competition on the international job market.
The project is called “Fairy tales as a bridge between cultures”. 27 ten, eleven, twelve-year-old pupils from different cultures and social levels, as well as 5 german-french-language teachers, a theater teacher, all with great intercultural experience, take part in the mobilities.
The project grounds on the ongoing eTwinning project, which is based on the “Digital Fairy Tales” kit. The virtual exchange is expanded and results in real meetings in Berlin and Strasburg. These are prepared and followed up on eTwinning. To keep the language barrier as low as possible, we plan guided communication with body language through theater performances. The children perform the original fairy tale, then interpretations of the fairy tale, prepare and present the exhibition “Experience fairy tales with all your senses: see-hear-smell-taste-feel”. Voice animations, games and energizers should contribute to intercultural exchange. There are excursions under the motto “fairy tale” (fairy tale fountain in the Volkspark Friedrichshain), “painting techniques” (city tour “Street Art”, visit of Musée Tomi Ungerer), “bridges” (boat trips under Strasbourg/Berlin bridges), “bridge” in the sense of shared values (visit of the EU Parliament, cross-border garden on the banks of the Rhine). The project results are then reflected, documented and published. This also corresponds to the school’s own curricula form, which provide working with fairy tales and extra-curricular learning.
Project goals:
1) Promotion of language learning from an early age for the Strasbourg school in the german-french border region and for the multilingual Berlin pupils,
2) Active inclusion/integration of pupils and students from different cultures and social status in the project, also outside the classroom, gaining the knowledge that diversity of identities is a wealth and benefit for our pupils.
3) Appreciation of the cultural heritage of both international cities by direct experience, promotion of intercultural skills in particular, experience of common European values, awareness of the principles of unity and diversity.
We try to achieve these goals with the creative fairy tale performance. Since fairy tales are common property of all peoples, we build a “bridge” between cultures with Grimm’s fairy tale “Happy Hans”: We are looking for common ground. That is half the battle for a successful integration of our pupils.

Results: Fairy tale performances and their interpretation, cooking dishes from the fairy tale, vernissage “Experience fairy tales with all your senses” and their documentation / publication, DIRECT experience of the culinary and cultural heritage of both world cities, creating pin boards, motivational and competence growth, establishment of a French-working group the BRG; Promoting equal opportunities for pupils, thinking outside the box, first useful experience in Erasmus +. EU values of unity in diversity were experienced personally.

We expect a long-term positive effect for pupils, students, schools, parents. Learning outside the school fence enriches formal school education and increases the attractiveness of schools.
The eTwinning platform and Erasmus offers become known through our example and encourage other students to also take part in projects. The pupils act as multipliers for other pupils. Project results are available digitally as a source of inspiration. The pupils understand the meaning of school learning through the direct application of what they have learned (foreign language, acting, development of media competence). This increases the motivation to learn. The school-parental home cooperation and the LuL cohesion will be strengthened. International cooperation is expanded through further projects with new partners.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 29085 Eur

Project Coordinator

Bernd-Ryke-Grundschule & Country: DE

Project Partners

• collège Sophie Germain