Speak up, even if your voice shakes Erasmus Project

Project Title

Speak up, even if your voice shakes

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 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Teaching and learning of foreign languages; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning

Project Summary

“Speak up, even if your voice shakes” was aimed at the students and teachers of Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących nr 6 in Bydgoszcz (Poland), Istituto di Istruzione Superiore don Lorenzo Milani in Gragnano (Italy), Hebbelschule Kiel (Germany) and Gimnazija Bežigrad in Ljubljana (Slovenia).

The aims of the project were to increase students’ competence in soft skills, enhance skills connected with self-presentation, increase competence in social skills and team building. The pupils enhanced linguistic competence and increased motivation to learn foreign languages. They developed skills connected with ITC (using multimedia tools, searching for information). Last but not least, they raised their awareness about the refugee crisis in Europe.
Our Mission is to prepare students to be enthusiastic, caring, self-motivated life-long learners and active inquirers who respect different cultures and values. We aimed to develop critical thinking, effective communication and creativity so that our students could become responsible, active and compassionate world citizens. We believe that each student should strive to understand people with their differences and develop empathy and respect. The teachers involved got acquainted with new methods of teaching and learning and exchanged ideas and experience. All the participants learned about the cultural heritage of partner countries and increased tolerance towards other cultures and citizens of other nations. We strengthened the European dimension of participating schools.

During the twenty-four months of the project there were four international exchanges, each partner hosted the participants of the project once. In total, there were 109 international mobilities, with 81 student and 28 staff mobilities. Moreover, there were two meetings for the coordinators of the project.

Formal and informal methods of work were used in the project. The activities included: IT classes, workshops on intercultural communication and refugee crisis, meetings with Syrian refugees, Cultural Heritage activities, workshops on public speaking and self-presentation, meetings with representatives of city councils and diplomats, a round-table discussion on diplomacy and its role in the 21st century, a series of lectures and workshops on debating (the introduction to Oxford-style debate, argument building and team strategy) culminating in a debate competition, dissemination activities. In between meetings all the participants used the eTwinning Platform for communication and cooperation. The results of our work are available on two Twinspaces: “Speak up, even if your voice shakes” and “Speak Up Debating Society.”

As a result, the students increased linguistic and interpersonal competences. They overcame the barrier of speaking in English and enhanced their vocabulary. They practiced speaking, writing and translating. They learned how to be a professional public-speaker and how to prepare an effective self-presentation. They acquired skills valuable not only during graduation exams but also in the job market. All the effects and products resulting from the project have been shared and made available to the communities of participating schools. Due to experience exchange in the field of methodology, the teachers developed their teaching skills and by this increased the level of education in their respective workplaces.

Potential long-term profits are as follows: boosting the level of education and educational offer of the schools, increasing the quality of international cooperation, strengthening tolerance, openness and respect amongst employees and students.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 120540 Eur

Project Coordinator

VI Liceum Ogolnoksztalcace w Bydgoszczy & Country: PL

Project Partners

• Gimnazija Bezigrad
• Istituto di Istruzione Superiore don Lorenzo Milani
• Hebbelschule Kiel