In 2004 the Dutch
Ministry of Education
asked schools to come up
with innovatory
educational projects
that might qualify for
governmental funding.
The Pallas Athene
College, together with
the Horizon College,
developed “The
European”, which was
judged to be among the
ten best entries.
This ministerial
acknowledgement and the
consequent financial
award enabled us to
start on the project in
March 2005 and as things
stand, it will be
rounded off in July
2007.
Because of the steady
unification and
expansion of the
European Union and the
growing possibilities
for people to work and
study in the other
member states, it will
be increasingly
necessary for young
people to become
proficient in foreign
languages and to be
aware of different
customs and values
elsewhere in Europe. In
short integration in
Europe should be an
essential item on every
school’s curriculum and
that is where our
project comes in.
At the base of the
integration process is,
of course, learning the
language of the country
in question. Once having
mastered the vocabulary
needed to make yourself
understandable, the next
step will be to acquire
basic knowledge of the
country’s culture in a
wider sense.
So far our project has
primarily been focused
on German, French and
English. The emphasis is
not only on linguistic
skills such as fluency
and listening, but also
on the country’s
history, economy,
geography and daily
life.
Besides assignments
(linguistic exercises,
searching the internet
etc. for information
about country and
language) creative play
is also interwoven, both
as motivator and testing
method.
The development of “The
European” is based on
the Common European
Framework of languages,
which means that the
various levels are
clearly recognizable.
The use of the Common
European Framework as
point of reference as
far as the levels are
concerned has great
advantages. On the one
hand does it provide a
firm footing for the
development of the quiz,
on the other hand does
it make it easier for
the foreign language
teachers to compare and
evaluate each other’s
products.
The levels for our
project have been A1/A2
for beginners and A2/B1
for advanced students.
We have developed 3
products in the project
so far:
1. An internet quiz,
where the individual
student can match
him/herself against
other students as far as
their knowledge and
skills are concerned. It
is also possible for
classes to compete.
The “engine” for the
quiz is in operation and
in the meantime over a
thousand questions for
each language have been
made so that, as I
speak, students (and
anyone who might be
interested) can take
part in the quiz if they
feel like it.
The categories from
which you may choose
questions are:
1. Shopping and going
out
2. Taking an outing with
your parents
3. Country and history
4. Words and expressions
5. Food and drinks
6. Sports and games
7. In and around the
house
8. Education and work
9. Literature and music
It is unlikely that
three or more players
have chosen to play the
quiz at exactly the same
time. That is the reason
why the computer will
provide two imaginary
opponents to play
against when you log in
on the quiz.
This technical tour de
force makes it possible
to play the quiz at any
time you wish, even in
the middle of the night
or at four o’clock in
the morning.
When you start playing
and register yourself as
a regular player your
name will be put on the
score table so that your
scores can be compared
to those of other
players.
The idea is to
eventually expand the
competition to classes
and schools all over
Europe and this can
simply be achieved by
adding the name of the
school/class to the
students name when
he/she registers.
2. Apart from the
internet quiz, the
European also offers
modules intended to
increase relevant
knowledge and skills.
There are exercises
based on short films
made by students of the
Pallas Athene College.
Real life situations are
shown and acted by
native speakers. Some 20
short films have been
produced so far, shot
and edited by Pallas
Athene College students.
3. A digital exercise
book with possibilities
to revise and adapt all
sorts of assignments
(outdoor instructions)
to the needs of every
individual student.
Our project “The
European” is an
opportunity for schools
to train and test
language skills without
being dependant on a
particular teaching
method or system.
The possibility to play
against yourself, a
fellow student or as a
class against another
class even from another
school and country, in
let’s say Bulgaria, is
enormously stimulating.
“The European” opens new
roads to improving
foreign language
teaching.
In the development of
so-called competency
based education we
distinguish two teaching
approaches: the thematic
and the cursory
approach.
The cursory approach is
based on the development
of reading and writing
skills. Vocabulary and
grammar are the main
focus. The cursory
approach provides
linguistic support and
is usually dependant on
a particular teaching
method, that is used
generally in the country
or at a particular
school.
The thematic approach
runs parallel at the
cursory approach and
emphasizes speaking and
listening skills. As far
as foreign languages go:
the thematic approach
means putting into
practice what you have
learned through
submersion.
“The European” is
basically thematic in
its approach. In other
words speaking and
listening skills are its
primary concern. This
doesn’t mean, however,
that vocabulary and
grammar are neglected.
When the Dutch
project is finished in
July 2006, schools
anywhere in the European
Union will have access
to the material that has
been developed, for
instance by taking part
in the quiz competition.
We have opted for a
scheme that will allow
and perhaps even invite
other schools to
participate by improving
ad adding to the various
elements of the project.
In that sense it may
remind you of Wikipedia.
The project can be
expanded and added to in
various directions. A
rough outline of what
would ideally be the
final result of a fully
worked out program could
be:
- In every EU-country a
site will be operational
which is essentially the
same as “The European”.
It will give access to
all fields as developed
within the framework of
the project.
- These sites will
altogether comprehend
all official languages
spoken within the
European Union.
- The basic structure of
“The European” is a
division into categories
and subcategories which
will also explicitly
include knowledge of
countries, their
histories and inherited
cultural identity and of
course have a European
dimension.
- Competition between
schools and classes will
be possible, both in a
national as well as in
an international
framework.
- In every language two
levels will be
distinguished.
Our project has so
far been limited to the
three foreign languages
that are taught in every
Dutch school. However,
within the framework of
the European Union, it
is only logical that all
languages should be
represented in the
program.
To achieve this each
country will have its
own team that will work
out a local variety that
will fill in the formats
designed by the Dutch
project leaders.
Wherever possible: local
youngster (natives) will
provide short films
supporting the modules
and quiz questions. As
mentioned before: every
country has its own
small team of which the
coordinator will be the
pivot. He or she will
attend meetings that
will take place on a
regular basis.
The coordinator is a
person who is familiar
with education, project
development and
implementation. He or
she will be the one who
is, in the end,
responsible for the
“output” of his or her
language and country
website. In principle
the idea is for
participating countries
to work out their own
local variety within a
time span of two and a
half years.
A few languages are used
in more than one
country. For instance
the German language is
the official language of
Austria too. And the
same goes for Dutch,
German and French in
Belgium.
It is important for
these countries to have
a website of their own
as well, so as to be
able to present
themselves as having
their own characteristic
approach.
The extended project
“The European” is a very
ambitious program, but
it has a lot of
potential. It might
contribute to the
teaching and learning of
the various foreign
languages (including the
less obvious ones as
Polish or Swedish) in
schools and families in
the European Union.
Besides it would link up
schools all over Europe,
introducing students to
other languages and
countries, making them
aware of a common
European heritage and
future. “The European”
is easy accessible,
playful, instructive and
attractive to in
particular young people.
click on the website
itself
www.europeaan.net
to try out its
possibilities.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] 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.
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