Guiding Activities and Methods for Teaching English to Pre-Primary Children Erasmus Project

Project Title

Guiding Activities and Methods for Teaching English to Pre-Primary Children

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: ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Teaching and learning of foreign languages

Project Summary

The project PC- G.AM.E. developed a theme that is more than relevant in the social and political context from nowdays,namely the study of English,which has become a necessity in the education of children,even from an early age. The project encourages the study of English, as a modern foreign language,and aimed at improving the methodology and teaching techniques in order to increase the motivation of preschoolers in learning.Moreover,this project represented for all partner institutions an opportunity to have a better understanding of this European Policy and framework,and to find and adopt the right means to apply it,by promoting the concept of European Language Portfolio,CLIL(Content and language integrated learning) and CALL(Computer assisted language learning).
The project objectives were:
General objective:
-To improve the quality and the efficiency of the English teaching process at pre-primary level, in order to reach European standards and to raise the motivation of children and the proficiency of English classroom activities in partner schools.
Specific objectives that were accomplished:
-improvement of linguistic competencies of 30 pre-primary teachers and English skills of 300 pre-primary children from 3 partner schools until September 2017
-enrichment of at least 30 teachers’ portfolio of interactive methods,that combine playing and learning,used in teaching English at kindergarten level in the 3 partner schools until September 2017
-improvement of the use of ICT tools during English activities,adapted to the teaching needs and age level of at least 300 children, until September 2017
-To develop the concept of cultural diversity and intercultural communication in 3 partner institutions, from 3 different European countries in order to promote common European values such as:tolerance,respect,linguistic diversity,nondiscrimination until September 2017
The participants to the project PC-G.A.M.E. were 30 pre-primary teachers(English teachers and class educators) and 300 pre-primary children from 3 schools (Romania, Italy,Spain), chosen according to an important criteria-all partners provide English teaching to pre-primary children. The participant institutions are schools with previous European project experiences(Italy and Spain) and local project experience regarding the study of English at an early age(Romania) . The key-persons involved in the project were both inexperienced teachers and teachers with several years of teaching experience, with high linguistic competencies, good technological skills, e-learning platform users and experience in national and international educational projects. they demonstrated the ability to work in a group, they were creative and open-minded.
The project included 4 transnational meetings, during which all partner institutions focused on the implementation of the project, the common methodology to adapt, pedagogy and agreed principles into sections and class,observing and evaluating the progress, dissemination of activities and results, designing proposals for further cooperation. The English classroom activities developed in each partner institution regarded the use of interactive group methods, ICT tools, innovative teaching materials, video conferences between pre-primary children from partner institutions. Moreover, teachers developed activities on 6 main themes,established by the the project team according to the pre-primary curriculum; the materials gathered during this activities represent the content of 2 final products-teacher’s guide and workbook.
The final results of the project consist of a teacher’s guide for pre-primary teaching of English(theoretical suggestions,lesson plans, songs,poems), an workbook for pre-primary children(worksheets, illustrated vocabulary), a CD with interactive computer games(used on interactive boards or computers), videoconferences between the partner institutions’ children,a brochure with interactive group methods,a website(including all teaching material gathered during the development of the project).
The project’s activities and results have the greatest impact on partner schools(pre-primary teachers of English and children)and local institutions that provide the study of English at pre-primary level, but also on primary level schools. The desired impact at local level was to provide a well-structured, innovative, age-level adapted guidance for teachers of English, in order to increase the proficiency and quality of teaching this language to very young learners. The long term benefits concern a better understanding and application of the programmes and instruments offered by the European policy for languages,according the Erasmus+ programme’s priorities, in partner institutions and other educational providers that participated to dissemination events.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 42975 Eur

Project Coordinator

Gradinita cu Program Prelungit “Castelul Copiilor” Vaslui & Country: RO

Project Partners

• C.E.I.P. Los Campanales
• I Circolo Didattico San Filippo
• Utenos mokykla-vaiku darzelis “Varpelis”