Triregional literary project between Burgundy, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bohemia Erasmus Project

Project Title

Triregional literary project between Burgundy, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bohemia

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 : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Creativity and culture; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Teaching and learning of foreign languages

Project Summary

Background:
Six years ago, this project was initiated by teachers from Middle Bohemia, Rhineland Palatinate and Burgundy, all of which are states in Central Europe.
By applying for an Erasmus project, we intend to put literature in Europe in the focus of interest. Young people prefer media that are more easily accessible to them, like movies or music which is why we have conscientiously opted for a literary project. Our project intends to invite young people to read and to experience this literary space which always conveys national and European values. Every nation approaches literature and teaching literature differently. These multifaceted approaches enhance the students’ understanding of literature. By reading literature together, we add another level to the traditional student encounter, as the participants have to read and work on a novel or short stories before the actual encounter.

Concept of the exchange:
Over a three-year term, every participating nation chooses a contemporary novel or short stories to be read in French during the exchange. There is only one condition the literary work has to fulfil: there must be a French edition of it. The literature chosen will be read BEFORE the exchange by all the pupils in their respective literary classes. During the exchange, pupils work in trinational groups with this novel or the respective short stories.

Aims of the project:
In the course of the project, the pupils develop an understanding for Europe and become aware of intercultural differences. In the past, the Czech culture posed the bigger challenge to French and German students, who tended to feel an affinity between their cultures. The exchange furthers mutual understanding between these three rather different cultures. Most of all, it helps overcome linguistic barriers. An important asset of our exchange is that we mostly communicate in French.

Number of participants::
In 2021, approximately 45-50 pupils will take part in the exchange comprising 18 French pupils, 18 Czech pupils and 18 German pupils. The French participants are of course native speakers, the Czech participants are level A2-B1 and the German pupils can be categorised level B1.

Description of activities:
Reading and working with short stories by Karen Köhler will be in the center of interest in Germany in 2021. In 2022, we will read a novel by Czech author Jaroslav Rudis. We will approach literature in a multifaceted way. We will do reading logs, practice role play or work on mediation tasks during the actual encounter. Pupils know that the utmost aim of our exchange is talking about and dealing with literature. Together, they will work on a “carnet de lecture/ebook” consisting of the different modules mentioned above. Moreover, our French partners always prepare exercises for second language learners of French. In 2021, we will visit Bonn, Cologne, and the famous “Regierungsbunker” in Ahrweiler in the afternoons. In 2022, we will explore the area around Pribram in the Czech republic. The proximity of Prague is of particular interest. The pupils of the host country always inform their guests about the highlights of the area by doing short oral presentations.

Methodology:
The participants will be working in mixed tri-regional groups and the teachers intervene whenever there are linguistic problems or any comprehension barriers. Usually, the students all have a different level of French and thus they help each other to communicate and enlarge their understanding of the foreign language. The French students practise their knowledge of Englisch and German. Altogether, all the participants profit linguistically from the encounter.

Results:
The eBook will be uploaded by each of the participating schools. Furthermore, a video of the exchanges will be produced. In Germany, this will happen with the help of a professional journalist. Above all, we hope that our exchange will strengthen the pupils’ interest in the French language and culture and that it will further their empathy towards the unfamiliar partner. In addition, it hopefully helps overcome the pupils’ fear of speaking. All these intrinsic results cannot be put online, but the exchange will most certainly contribute to the pupils’ personal development.

Long-term effect of our exchange:
Due to the omnipresence of digital media, reading literature has generally and universally become an issue of minor importance. Many pupils do not really read anymore which is why we wanted to further reading. Reading needs stamina, concentration, and imagination. By reading a contemporary literary work, the participants get to know the aesthetic values of a certain era. Moreover, they enlarge their linguistic proficiency and their empathy towards other nations. The ebook will be included in our internal curricula. We hope that other foreign languages, like Spanish or English, will profit from our trinational concept and create similar projects.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 77691 Eur

Project Coordinator

Are-Gymnasium Bad Neuenahr & Country: DE

Project Partners

• Gymnazium,Pribram,Legionaru 402
• Lycée International Charles De Gaulle