Language, culture and living-together

Topic(s) addressed

This project addressed wellbeing, the promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity, the success of pupils who are removed from school culture and the French language, and the development of a sense of European citizenship.

Target group(s)

The project’s target group included 20 teachers, the headteacher, and 350 students aged from six to ten years old.

Methodologies

Innovative approaches were used to meet the needs of the students. For language and intercultural skills, a tool called the Language Flower was used. The Creole language and culture were taught in a Creole-speaking environment with contrastive analysis of Creole and French and a promotion of Creole language and culture. E-twinning projects and language learning through play and movement were also used. To promote wellbeing and a positive school climate the school introduced secular meditation, yoga, and philosophical workshops. Other methods including emotion and conflict management were also used.

Innovation environment

Wellbeing is one of the two pillars of this project. A peaceful environment was fostered through wellness techniques and sports, which promote physical and emotional wellbeing and teach respect and cooperation. It was hoped that the multilingual and multicultural skills of teachers and pupils along with wellbeing could be mutually reinforcing. The whole school was involved in the project, experimenting with new approaches, organising events, and promoting the activities.

Teachers’ role

The presence of a teacher trainer in the project team facilitated the search for solutions to the school’s problems. This was achieved through various means, including self-development, support from local trainers, and training mobilities in Europe. The new approaches were adapted to the school’s environment, and new tools were created to implement these solutions. The teacher’s creativity and capacity for innovation is truly at the heart of this project. This three-year project has strengthened the teacher’s competence, opened up new horizons and given them a great sense of satisfaction.

Impact and output

This project has been a fantastic opportunity to develop teachers’ linguistic, educational, organisational, and cooperation skills. The project team organised a number of events to promote the new learning approaches: Language Week, European Day of Languages, Erasmus Days, English sports mornings, and an online challenge. The project was communicated with parents and other schools along with the opportunities offered by Erasmus+. 

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