Lifelong Learning Programme

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This material reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

Also available in:

Webmaster: Pinzani.it

Case Studies

Homepage > Case Studies

Case Studies

back to the list

basic information

Title of the Project
Practice Makes Perfect: Promoting European Citizenship Through Language
Brief description
The project examined how command of foreign language could help promote the intercultural awareness and active participation of European Citizens, and therefore, break personal, cultural and social frontiers. It searched for possibilities to put adult European students in contact, so they could practice the target languages authentically.
Country
Lithuania
Year
2004
Target Language
English, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian, Spanish
Sector
Adult Education
Further Information

THE INITIATIVE PROMOTER’S PERSPECTIVE

Background

The project examined how the command of a foreign language can help to promote intercultural awareness and active European citizenship. It aimed to break personal, cultural and social frontiers and looked for possibilities to put European adult learners in contact so that they could practice their target language authentically.
The project resulted in creating a portal, where learners could virtually travel around Europe: visit places of interest, book hotel rooms or buy souvenirs. They acted as travelers and hosts and in such a way had the chance to express their own cultural identity and get more information on other cultures and traditions.
With the process of globalization and the enlargement of EU being an indisputable reality and the buzz words like mobility, work mobility including, accompanying them nowadays, a question arises: ”Is competence in the target language sufficient to be successful in communication both on a personal and professional level internationally?” In order to find the answer to this question and examine how the command of a foreign language can help European citizens develop their intercultural awareness and participate actively in local, national and European society, the project
implemented the strategy, which involved the procedures of language practice, investigation and analysis of the impact of learning on the adult students, assistance to the students, implemented by modern ICT means: on-line, discussion boards, videoconference, also visits and exchanges, magazines and newspapers, leaflets.
The content of the project was based on the strategy of the use of modern technologies to carry out the process of language practice.
Target groups got involved into virtual trips without boarders and could practice the target languages (EN) with learners from a foreign country and exchange intercultural information on many different aspects. During the trips virtual tourists had a chance to visit places of interest, try local food, make a hotel reservation, buy souvenirs and interact with locals, who in their turn acted as tour guides. At the same time they could practice language for specific purposes.
Learners had a good chance not only to express their own cultural identity, get more information on other cultures and traditions, but to establish successful intercultural relationship with their partners on-line. Knowledge managed platform was a place of meeting and a place of self-reflection, also a place and possibility for communication.

To contribute to European citizenship through the process of language practice, due to which social interaction among people from different countries could be promoted, resulting in better intercultural awareness. The practice of language is a fundamental part in the language learning/teaching process and absolutely necessary for adult learners who are highly motivated and want to make use of their knowledge of a language in a natural and authentic context.
Target groups:
Local community groups
Elderly people
People with physical disability
People living in socially detached areas or geographically hard to reach region
EN was used as it’s Lingua Franka and people mostly use it while traveling to other countries. ES was used as an additional language.

Objectives

-To promote European citizenship and intercultural exchange between adult learners on local, national and European levels
-To induce critical thinking about our own country, and tolerance towards other European ones
-To establish a permanent transnational European network of electronic learning facilities in which cultural, historical, economical and geographical information can be exchanged by adult learners to promote their knowledge of foreign societies and cultures.
-To offer learning opportunities to socially excluded groups
-To improve spoken and written language use in local target community groups by authentic target language practice and encourage their personal development

Approach

Virtual trips provided learners with a good chance not only to express their own cultural identity, get more information on other cultures and traditions, but to establish successful intercultural relationship with their partners on-line and during face to face meetings. Knowledge managed platform was a place of meeting and a place of self-reflection, also a place and possibility for communication. Students could both practice language for specific purposes and develop spoken and written language skills. It provided learning and development opportunities to socially detached groups.
Evaluation strategy adopted
The evaluation strategy adopted and the following tools used
Researching, analyzing and gathering information about previous and present best practices which foster lifelong learning of foreign languages, and how they contribute to the achievement of intercultural, social and personal developmental goals. Appropriate questionnaires and surveys on an international scale to evaluate the extent of the achieved objectives were used to evaluate project stage development. Overall monitoring and evaluation of the project was conducted by expert evaluation.

Results

- Raised awareness about other cultures
- Free communication in any intercultural context
- Better opportunities of employment in other European countries
- Modern IT application in the process of language teaching
- Programmes available to other adult educators
Deliverables:
- Portal for virtual communication
- Virtual communication program “Virtual Trips without boarders
Final product: CD- A supplementary material for teaching English language and for intercultural learning
Outcomes met the expectations. People could raise awareness of other cultures and gain language skills for communicating in any intercultural context. Modern IT application in the process of language learning made language learning more attractive and accesable to everybody. Virtual trips resulted in establishing personal contacts between virtual travelers.
Was an assessment of the quality of results carried out? If yes, which were the indicators adopted?
Appropriate questionnaires and surveys on an international scale to evaluate the extent of the achieved objectives were used to evaluate project stage development. Overall monitoring and evaluation of the project was conducted by expert evaluation.
The project encouraged the learners to understand that they are a part of multi-cultural European environment, which offers a rich variety of cultures, nations and languages. The project introduced critical thinking about own traditions and cultures as well as tolerance towards other European nations and cultures. It strengthened motivation to learn language, by bringing students to realize their importance for personal, social and European awareness. Learners came to realize that one can easily travel vitually and get to know multinational and multicultural Europe if they can‘t afford real trips because of their physical conditions or because they live in detached areas far away from cultural centres.

Why the European Language Label?

Motivations leading to the application for the European Language Label
The content of the project was based on using modern technologies in language learning. It was an innovative tool for language acquisition. It’s successful implementation encouraged to apply for the European Label award
Methodology for applying for the European Language Label
We filled in a specially developed application for the European Label Award form, developed by the Education Exchange Foundation with an expectation to be awarded
Initial expectations
We applied with the expectation to be awarded.

Activities following the award of the European Language Label

The project was disseminated using a great variety of dissemination channels:
1. Dissemination strategy:
Template for the dissemination plan prepared and approved
Project dissemination situation discussed and evaluated during each partner meeting
Dissemination was carried out in the following ways:
- presenting the project in general at local and international events (conferences, educational fairs, Language day events locally and on an international level);
- providing information about the project and achieved results to other institutions and respective organizations;
- spreading information about the project via national websites of the participating institutions; information via websites and meetings of other local and international projects; and local authorities; information about the project in mass media (newspapers, magazines,
- producing promotional materials: folders, leaflets, brochures, bookmark calendars
- displaying info about the project during national and international events

Assessment of the Impact of the European Language Label

-Possibilities for sharing good practices and exploitation of the products
- Source of inspiration for creating more projects in the field
- Invitations to participate at different projects’ fairs on an international level

Impact of the initiative following the awarding of the ELL
Impact:
Being among the nominees provides new possibilities for visibility on a much wide range of the developed ideas and results, it stimulates and encourages to create new language learning initiatives based on using modern ICT in language learning processes, it ensures the sustainability of the project results
Consistency of the impact with initial expectations
While working on any initiative, first of all we have in mind the benefits it will bring to people, especially those considered as socially excluded group (disabled, from far detached areas or people with special needs). And if the project results in the increased participation of the target group in the social life of the society, it’s the best reward for the project team.

Recommendations for future applicants for the ELL

Generate innovative ideas, which could imply innovative language teaching methods, set up a good team, goal orientated. Be persistent in working towards your aim and you will succeed.

THE NELLIP NETWORK’S PERSPECTIVE

Consistency with European Policies in the field of Language Learning

Promotion of European integration is based on the actual involvement of people, on their awareness of other cultures and traditions; on openness and readiness to cooperate. The project make good use of teaching languages as means of communication between people from various countries

Consistency with European, National and yearly priorities

The use of IT created exciting and effective communication between people from different countries and cultures; contribution to social inclusion

THE NATIONAL AGENCY’S PERSPECTIVE

Motivations

Using modern technologies in for language and cultural exchanges.
Promotion of multicultural awareness, and open and distance learning

back to the list

Comments on this Case Studies

Your comments are welcome


Date: 2014.11.12

Posted by Marinica Maftei (Romania)

Message: The project is an interesting example of how new technology caters for very many needs – for economically and socially challenged students, for people isolated in remote places, for people with special physical needs or for any citizen that wants to progress in learning a foreign language. The approach chosen builds on using the 2 components –the linguistuc one and the cultural component,in an interwoven frame , with the student geting the ncessary linguistic practice connected to culturally relevant information and specific communication settings.
The ICT technology allows for the touristic virtual tours to be accompanied by videoconferencing, real time communication or alternative systems of reflection and feedback to partners, with a wide variety of assumed roles – from that of the tourists to that of the guide, local authority, teacher, or interlocutor in a virtual street, up to real visits, as the supreme evaluation moment of the newly acquired pratice of communication in a multilingual context.

Date: 2014.10.02

Posted by Carmen Antonita (Romania)

Message: The idea of the project of creating virtual trips, where learners act as real travellers is very good, as they practise the target language while exchanging intercultural information on different aspects.Learners express their own cultural identity and, at the same time, they find out about other customs and traditions.

21 December 2014

Audio- video presentation of the NELLIP project

An audio- video presentation of the NELLIP project has been created and made available in the Information section of the NELLIP portal. To access the presentation please click here: http://nellip.pixel-online.org/IF_intro.php.