The European Dimension across the Curriculum of English Language Teaching Angela Charalambous Eudhokia Anastassiou

EUROPEAN DIMENSION QUALITY EDUCATION

The European Dimension = cognition+affection Activities to equip children, young people and adults with knowledge, skills and competences to understand, participate and benefit from Europe Towards The development of Quality Education and encouragement between Member States

Acting Together European Citizenship being active - having the knowledge and skills and competences to make a difference

Schools can foster the idea of European integration through 1) the harmonisation of the system to the new challenge (outside the classroom) 2) the curricula (inside the classroom)

The Cyprus curriculum is humanistic, aiming at the development of “round personalities”, mentally, morally and aesthetically refined, healthy, active and creative, able to promote intercultural understanding, tolerance, cooperation and respect among individuals so that the ideas of democracy, freedom, justice and peace democracy, freedom, justice and peace can prevail and the European dimension of education can be realised.

European Dimension and the Cy Curriculum  separate subject – Civics Citizenship education in schools is offered as:  integrated into traditional subjects (e.g. history, religious education, geography, literature, music,art, Languages )  cross-curricular educational theme present throughout the curriculum  extracurricular activities in the context of Lifelong Learning Programme

Role of Languages The teaching and dissemination of the languages of the member states are key issues in the process of developing active citizenship ***Call for new approaches in teaching and learning

Cy English Curricula “learners with fully developed personalities empowered by multilingual competencies, are better prepared to take on both individual and collective responsibility, have a better chance to benefit from the opportunities offered to them in national, European and international contexts and are more willing to commit themselves to the promotion of such values as Equity, Tolerance, Justice and Peace”.

Allocation of teaching periods of languages PRIMARY2h per week at the last three years LEVELCLASSAGELANGUAGE(S)/ PERIODS GYMNASIUM (lower sec) A12ENGLISH /3pFRENCH /2p B13ENGLISH /3pFRENCH/2p C14ENGLISH /3,5pFRENCH /2p LYCEUM (upper sec) A15ENGLISH /3pFRENCH /2p B16ENGLISH 2p or 6p FRENCH 2p or 6p *Other languages C17ENGLISH 2p or 6p FRENCH 2p or 6p * German, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Russian

Teaching Methods and Approaches Learner-centred “eclectic approach” Differentiated Instruction- equal opportunities for ALL Communicative competence Intercultural competence Cooperation- Collaboration - Partnerships Content based/Thematic -oriented Active, experiential work – Learning how to Learn Lifelong Learning Skills

Language rooms A place with a mission! If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day If you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime (Confucius BC)

Language rooms A serious proposition to move away from the rigid boundaries of the traditional classroom and open new ways in language learning enhancing Ss’ cognitive and metacognitive development

user-friendly flexible multimodal pleasant A communicative and collaborative centre! multifunctional

Technology Real language in context, away from coursebooks and conventional classrooms

Teaching materials/Coursebooks Gymnasium Level - Magic Moments series Lyceum Level – Going for Gold Adaptation of authentic material Cross-curricular training English- a medium of communication

European Language Portfolio Accredited model No Class A Gymnasium, years old Piloting Basis in 2005 AIMS : a) provide and sustain motivation through longer term continuing education, b)enhance the recognition of the language learning achievement of learners and c) enhance coherence in educational systems and efficient interfaces between educational sectors

European Language Portfolio

Actions to ensure the successful implementation in Class A, Gymnasium 1.Two-day Seminar on Training teachers ton use the European Portfolio, by Ulle Turk 2. Teachers who attend become multipliers and co-ordinators in their school unit 3.A guide prepared by the Ministry with suggested steps 4.Informative leaflets for the parents

Extracurricular activities  Lifelong Learning Programme – Comenius  European Language Label  Spring Day for Europe  European Day of Languages  Partnerships - Euroscola  e-twinning  European Youth Parliament

Coming together is a beginning Keeping together is a progress Working together is a success Henry Ford

‘Coming together is a Beginning Keeping together is a Progress Working together is a Success’ Henry Ford