Thinking Globally, Learning Together Erasmus Project

Project Title

Thinking Globally, Learning Together

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: Pedagogy and didactics; Access for disadvantaged; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

Thinking Globally, Learning Together project united a group of seven European special needs schools sharing the same need to review their curriculum for SEN students. Staff in all partner schools were very interested in how personalized learning could fit into the education of children with severe and profound learning difficulties across Europe. The students in our partner schools did not have equal access to a wide curriculum, due to their SEN. In all our partner countries inclusion was very important issue, which could be interpreted very differently from school to school. We have studied and learnt from these different European educational systems and pedagogic approaches for the benefit of the SEN children in our schools. Also , our children which until now had their horizon limited by their disability have had the opportunity to travel, to meet their peers outside their own country, to widen their knowledge on European culture, and to gain autonomy and new life skills etc
The main project objectives were for staff to learn and implement innovative approaches to personalized learning from partner schools; to improve student’s learning outcomes within their schools, through personalized learning, supported in the work of the special needs schools, increasing understanding and awareness of different education systems in partnership countries, and learnt from these various approaches, to develop and explore cultural awareness, including SEN students of in collaborative project work e.g. art display, improving the use of ICT within all the partner schools for both staff and pupils.
The participants in this project were the staff from all 7 partner schools and 450 SEN children involved in the project. The project was also of benefit to parents and school Governors (they were invited to attend host schools activities and social events),local schools ,local community (by means of this project, the local community had the opportunity to be known in the partners’ countries, to participate in different Project events (conferences, workshops, lessons, meetings, etc.)
The main activities in the project were the training/learning activities organized by each school : a work shop on multiple sensorial disability approach and early intervention techniques (in Romania) a workshop on self-dependence training and another in autism (in Belgium),a training in Intensive Interaction (a communication approach for students with very early development communication skills) and Outdoor Learning (in UK), a work shop on biofeedback usage and therapies in SOSW (in Poland) , another training on logopedical Management in voice and fluency disorders and the Montessori method(in Bulgaria) , the work-shop ways of working with SEN students (in Spain) , horse and dog therapy for children during students visit to Poland etc.
The main results of the projects (in terms of attitude, knowledge and skills) were that staff will be trained in European innovative teaching methods for SEN students and they were able to train staff in their home schools in this area and trial new methods with their own pupils after producing them or learning about their use at training sessions. They gained attitudes of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect generated by the work in an international group: the students gained new life skills which helped improve opportunities for future enterprise initiatives, they also improved their cultural awareness and expression.
The project also produced intellectual outcomes created jointly (a sensory book, a joint guide on innovative approaches to personalized learning from partner schools) or by each school individually (brochures, power-point presentations, DVD-s etc)
The project also included events one during the Blended Student Mobility of students from partner schools in UK( a SEN Festival – celebrating and exploring a wide range of creative arts in the outdoors) and a conference in the final visit to Turkey as a form of final evaluation and dissemination of project results.
The impact of the project reflected on different levels : pupils developed their skills and knowledge about arts, music, food, sports, cultures, customs, life styles etc. in different European countries, organization and communication skills with new friendships , increased self-esteem ; staff improved their professional knowledge by learning through training of new approaches of personalised learning ,different experiences and concepts of teaching SEN pupils ,different pedagogical methods of active learning and therapeutic approaches ; the schools benefiedt from an extended curriculum of new adapted methodologies and a portfolio of best practice – including approaches, methods of active learning, they tightened the relationship with family and local partners , the wider community gained tolerance and respect towards SEN children.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 254205 Eur

Project Coordinator

Lakeside School & Country: UK

Project Partners

• Centro de Educación Especial PROA
• GO! SBSO Nautica
• Tsentar za spetsialna obrazovatelna podkrepa ‘Dr. Petar Beron’
• OZDEBIR Ozel Egitim Uygulama Merkezi 1. Kademe
• Specjalny Osrodek Szkolno-Wychowawczy im. sw. J.Pawla II w Lezajsku
• Centrul Scolar de Educatie Incluziva ”Cristal” Oradea