Reading in English for Amusement and Dialogue in Europe Erasmus Project

Project Title

Reading in English for Amusement and Dialogue 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 Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Teaching and learning of foreign languages

Project Summary

The aim of the project was to come up with ways to develop students’ literacy skills with reading, writing and acting out literary pieces of participating cultures. There were 6 schools in the partnership with different experience in international projects and programmes. The project was a continuation of an Etwinning project and it was also partially based on a previous professional relationship of three partner schools (Hungary, Lithuania and Spain) made in the course of the implementation of a Comenius project.
We wanted to improve students’ basic language skills: reading, writing and speaking, with exposing them to natural and meaningful foreign language environments. During the work we thoroughly used modern technology: web2 tools, social media, electronic devices, making a bridge between traditional and 21st century literacy skills. All participants brought their experience and expertise into the project and were extremely motivated and eager to join this multicultural community. The Italian partner had great knowledge in TIC (technology, information and communication), Lithuania had a drama club and Hungary included drama in the language learning curriculum while Spain involved parents and stakeholders in their storytelling activities and used CLIL. The Spanish partner also uses cooperative teaching method. Turkey had expertise in organising literature-related activities and competitions. Croatia was a newcomer to the Erasmus programme and wished to improve their knowledge and skills in using new methods and technologies in language teaching. They had strong connections with local societies and institutions and severaly local projects that were really beneficial to the partnership.
Both students and teachers took part in several activities including reading and discussing selected books, writing drama scripts and acting out their play. Other areas of art such as design, illustration, taking photos and shooting films were also incorporated in the tasks. The final products were jointly written short stories, a drama script and performance, six issues of our project newspaper, literacy corners at schools and the establishment of a student volunteer system to ensure the longevity of project results after the completion of the project activities. During their work students read literary pieces, magazines, wrote stories and drama scripts collaboratively, shared their ideas with presentations, discussions and debates. They also visited local theatres, publishers, and contemporary artists. Students could also explore their European citizenship as they carried out research about the operation of the European Union and explored their own and the partner countries’ history and role within the EU. They commemorated important international days such as European Day of Languages, Europe Day and World Book Day. Students also took part in non-formal extra language courses with the aim of providing them with extra language practice and help them become independent learners and prepare them for lifelong learning. They have learnt how to use European Language Portfolio and Europass documents to monitor their own progress.
Besides the pre-planned project activities we have managed to carry out several extra tasks. During the second project year students from all partner countries took part in a creative writing competion that lasted for an entire school year, resulting in students’ considerable development in written language. They were invited to take part in optional extra reading tasks and most of the students participazed in them. Several project-related activities have been introduced and incorporated in partner schools’ curricula, ensuring the longevity of project results. Every partner set up a reading club within their schools, introduced Translation and Reading competitions on local and regional levels, introduced new regular programmes (Europe Day, Reading Day), and every partner incorporated drama techniques in their curricula. All partners that had not had drama clubs and drama performances embedded in their curricula before managed to introduce it to their school programme and will have new classes offered un this topic in the long run.
Parallelly to students’ activities teachers strongly cooperated to share good practices and they continuously took part in joint teacher training sessions, lesson observations and peer-teaching sessions. They mainly focused on methods, tools and techniques used for developing reading, writing and speaking skills. A special emphasis was put on drama techniques, so both students and teachers took part in drama workshops led by professional educational drama trainers. As a result of all this the participating teachers created lots of teaching materials for lessons, competitions and non-formal sessions and compiled a handbook of ICT tools.
Link to project webpage:
http://readineurope.weebly.com/
Summary of the project:
https://1drv.ms/p/s!AgFprhPXSos_hj67H5IHy91nNkSd

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 280510 Eur

Project Coordinator

Százhalombattai Arany János Általános Iskola és Gimnázium & Country: HU

Project Partners

• Srednja skola Hvar
• FEC Santo Tomás de Aquino La MIlagrosa
• LICEO SCIENTIFICO PASTEUR
• BURHAN FELEK COK PROGRAMLI ANADOLU LISESI
• Pr.Zadeikio gimnazija