PROJECT CONTENT AND ORGANISATION

Concrete Aims:
¢ To make use of various methodologies in teaching languages
¢ To develop new early language learning/teaching methods
¢ To discuss examples of good practice
¢ To achieve a successful language competence related to the age groups involved (2.5-13) in correspondence with the European Language Portfolio Criteria
¢ To investigate, discuss and share with partners
¢ To develop a suitable program for students with special needs
¢ To start a language and methodology support program for language teachers in other schools in our regions as well as having an in-service training program for our own staff in our schools
¢ To cooperate with the regional universities and teacher training institutions in technical terms on regular basis, carrying out an Action Research Process in early language learning education
¢ To analyse and discuss the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
¢ To discuss how to adapt it to pre-primary and primary levels
¢ To make use of common themes, tools, materials, evaluation tools and didactic materials
¢ To organise a web-site of the project to achieve a wide spectrum dissemination
¢ To develop intercultural awareness

Expected Impacts on Students:
¢ To have better performances in the use of the target languages
¢ To develop a sense of belonging to the community at local, national and European level
¢ To improve social skills and be open minded for other cultures and the diversity of languages

Expected Impacts on Teachers:
¢ Consultation and comparison of approaches used by partner teachers and
integration of genuine material from project partners in lessons
¢ More involvement in cross-curricular work
¢ More frequent use of new teaching methods, materials, tools, ICT
¢ Development of intercultural experiences in a wide range

Expected Impacts on Schools:
¢ Intercultural education
¢ Foreign language integration
¢ Cooperation among schools
¢ Project related methodology, content, didactic approaches in the lessons
¢ Regular contacts with media, local authorities, local societies and parents

Expected Impacts on Partnerships:
¢ Development of cooperation and collaboration
¢ Communication, evaluation, feedback and exchanges on regular basis
¢ Embodiment of Socrates priorities

Activities to be Carried Out:
¢ Creating didactic methods
¢ Discussing, sharing, developing new early language learning/teaching methods through meetings and ICT
¢ Production of evaluation tools and didactic materials
¢ Preparation of a program for children with special needs
¢ Organisation of a web-site of the project
¢ Preparation of a language and methodology support program for our staff in our schools and in the other schools in the region
¢ An Action Research in Early Language Learning in cooperation with universities and teacher training institutions
¢ Project meetings
¢ Study visits
¢ Teacher exchanges

End Products:
¢ The project web-site (BELL)
¢ New didactic materials, documents, tools
¢ Reports on researches
¢ School exhibitions
¢ Conferences and workshops
¢ Exchange of various kinds of students' materials

Evaluation:
¢ The evaluation will be done on regular basis at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of each school year via MICE as well as some other different tools such as questionnaires designed by partners, group discussions among teachers, presentations in conferences or workshops, diaries on the web page using the webblog.
Dissemination:
¢ Project web-site
¢ Conferences and workshops
¢ School exhibitions
¢ Local media

Specific Measures:
¢ Designing a cross curricular, multiple intelligence theory based program where students with special educational needs will also be fully integrated in the activities
¢ Promoting intercultural education programmes to underline the importance of 'linguistic minorities' enhancing the participation of students from ethnic and minority groups, particularly immigrants.

Roles of Participating Institutions:
¢ All partners will work on the same topics, will prepare materials and send these materials to the coordinator
¢ All partners will write a monthly diary