Multilingual Exploration of Languages in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Multilingual Exploration of Languages in Europe

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 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Teaching and learning of foreign languages; Access for disadvantaged

Project Summary

Context of the project
The role of English in upper secondary learning is nearly uncontested – 92,7% of students in (EU-27) Europe learn English. But other languages also play a role – in 2009/10, 60.8 % of students in lower secondary education learn at least two foreign languages (http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/key_data_series/143EN_HI.pdf , p. 2). How can learners – especially those who are challenged by or feel disengaged with formal language study – be supported in the development of communicative competence in English as lingua franca as well as in other European and heritage languages? In other words, how can “Education systems (…) ensure the harmonious development of learners´ plurilingual competence through a coherent, transversal and integrated approach that takes into account all the languages in learners´ plurilingual repertoire and their respective functions [including] (…) promoting learners´ consciousness of their existing repertoires and potential to develop and adapt those repertoires to changing circumstances” (Council of Europe 2008: 5)?

Objectives of the project, results envisaged, longer term benefits
The project MElang-E aims to support learners attending 6th-8th grade of schooling in their development of communicative competence and sociolinguistic awareness. It aims to motivate learners to work with the product through gamification elements, and to encourage continued study of languages, especially of English, by pointing out contexts of using different languages in one’s own community and throughout Europe. Improved English language skills and enhanced language learning motivation may raise chances of overall school success.

Number and profile of participants
7 Project partners from four European countries (Estonia, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain) cooperated in the creation of this project, including universities (Talinn University, Goethe University, Université du Luxembourg, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona) and local schools (Secció d’Institut Sunsi Móra in Canet de mar, Spain; Lycée Michel Lucius in Luxembourg; Woehlerschule in Frankfurt, Germany) .

Description of activities & methodology to be used in carrying out the project
This strategic partnership developed a gamified online language learning platform for youth across Europe. The platform presents cultural and linguistic content connected to Oxford, Luxemburg, Germany, England, Spain and Estonia, and arranges this geographically, using a city-metaphor. When visiting different ‘cities’, learners can access language learning content tailored to that city and experience in semi-authentic discourse situations how they get along with their languages.
The game uses interactive dialogues, produced by school teachers, pupils, university teacher trainers and their students. The choice of languages available reflects sociolinguistic reality: Different (fictional) characters within the same city may possess different linguistic resources: In addition to speaking the local language(s) and English as lingua franca, they may speak heritage languages. Learners encounter native and non-native speakers with a variety of accents who successfully use English to deal with everyday challenges.
Using all three, local and heritage languages and the lingua franca English to successfully complete dialogues and complete ‘missions’ or ‘quests’, learners will experience the linguistic diversity within Europe and develop their communicative as well as their intercultural competences.
The product utilizes gamification to motivate learners. On the one hand, different dialogues are connected via missions or quests, which provide an overarching plot and avoid an experience of fragmented learning. Another important aspect is the use of badges (cf. Khan Academy, Edubadges movement, MOOCs). Learners’ progress is reflected in the number and type of badges they earned.
The project acknowledges that learners have diverse needs. The teacher’s manual outlines how the product can be used with heterogeneous groups. The design provides sufficient scaffolding to help students with lower language skills to successfully complete quests, while also providing challenges for stronger students.

References
Council of Europe (2008). Council conclusions of 22 May 2008 on Multilingualism. Official Journal of the European Union, C 140, 06/06/2008, pp. 14-15.

The final product, i.e. the MElang-E online game, can be found on http://htk.tlu.ee/melange/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 234105,83 Eur

Project Coordinator

JOHANN WOLFGANG GOETHE-UNIVERSITATFRANKFURT AM MAIN & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Woehlerschool Frankfurt
• TALLINN UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERSIDAD POMPEU FABRA
• Lycée Michel Lucius
• Secció d’Institut Sunsi Móra
• UNIVERSITE DU LUXEMBOURG