Search for European Projects

French Language and Cultural Awareness Initiative
Start date: Sep 1, 2014, End date: Aug 31, 2015 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The staff at St Elphin's school share a passion for ensuring the children in our care experience the very best teaching and learning experiences we can provide. We understand that many of our children will have limited opportunities to experience the wider world and as a consequence we strive to give them every opportunity to lift their eyes to the stars, to understand that they are part of an amazingly diverse and multi-cultural global community. We understand that these experiences have a knock on effect in other areas of their lives - that they can be inspired to be more outward looking and at the same time to understand the world is a smaller place for them - they can have very real links with other communities around the world. The mobility project had very clear aims and objectives in supporting this vision: Aim 1 - to inspire life long language learners! - to develop staff fluency and confidence in French, to enable them to teach French more confidently and effectively in school and promote exemplary language teaching and learning. - to lead staff training and maintain links with our French counterparts. Aim 2 - to promote cultural awareness and celebrate diversity. - to develop a detailed cultural understanding of a specific area of France and to embed real and meaningful teaching and learning opportunities within a creative curriculum for 2014 through links to schools and other cultural organisations in the area, developing an ongoing program of projects. The project involved participation in a French language and culture immersion course for 2 members of staff over 2 phases outlined below. Phase 1 - Autumn 2014 - a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and subject lead for Languages - to extend languages skills and establish initial links with a host school; to cascade the project to other stakeholders at St Elphin's. Phase 2 - Summer 2015 - an emerging subject leader with a commitment to developing language skills and continuous professional development (CPD); to develop confidence and fluency in language - promoting exemplary practice back in school through leading further staff training and advocacy of language learning; to strengthen links with our host school in France through visits and further project work. Project activities included the strategic improvement of language learning and the development of cultural awareness through strong, meaningful cross curricular links and extensive quality CPD, including the participation of staff in an in-depth language and methodology course. In addition we established a strong link with a host school in France through which the children's language and cultural development were extended. The dissemination of the project to all partners and stakeholders took place through a range of presentation media, focused meetings and reports.There was detailed monitoring and assessment of the impact by the school's SLT and subject leader for languages, with detailed planning between phases 1 and 2 to ensure focus and progression. The following methodology was used in carrying out the project: -Aim to develop significant enrichment of the curriculum with a clear focus on promoting a wider international, cultural and language awareness of pupils and staff through real and meaningful links in France. The project has had a significant impact on St Elphin's C E Primary - the school now demonstrates an increasing global awareness, celebrates the diversity of our community and has a commitment to developing exemplary cultural understanding and language learning through real and meaningful links and ongoing projects with contacts in the region. This is evident through clear links to the schools creative curriculum across all year groups, displays and ongoing on-line sharing . Above all the staff and children demonstrate an enthusiasm for language learning and an awareness that they are part of a wider global community. We anticipate there will be significant long term benefits to both our staff and pupils.The initial phases have established strong links with host schools and have established meaningful curriculum links with the Carcassonne region. In addition it has inspired new connections to other French speaking nations and raised the profile of the diverse languages spoken within our own school - demonstrating that we are a true global community which aspires to reach out, communicate and share with others.
Up2Europe Ads

Coordinator

Details