1. The Region of South Bohemia (CZ) Language Initiatives in the Region of South Bohemia Brussels, 30/11/06

2.  Area: 10,056 sq. km  Number of municipalities: 623  Population: 629,241 inhabitants  Population density: 63 inhabitants per sq. km

3. Cross-border cooperation of the Region of South Bohemia Partner Regions UPPER AUSTRIA (Austria) LOWER AUSTRIA (Austria) LOWER BAVARIA (Germany) REGION OF KOŠICE (Slovakia) KANTON BERN (Switzerland) REGION BRETAGNE (France) GERMANY AUSTRIA

4. Cross-border Language Initiatives Projects 1/ Kindergartens – Association of municipalities „Růže“ 2/ Primary schools Drosendorf – Dešná: To Learn Together the Language of the Neighbours

5. LANGUAGE LEARNING IN KINDERGARTENS Association of municipalities „Růže“

6.  Partner: Kindergarten and primary school of Harbach and Großschönau  Time framework: 1.9.2006 – 31.7.2007  Languages: Czech, German  Target group: pre-school children  Participants: 80 pupils + 3 teachers on CZ side, 60 pupils on A side LANGUAGE LEARNING IN KINDERGARTENS Association of municipalities „Růže“

7. Project description  providing language courses in the kindergartens involved  friendship-building among the pupils, teachers, parents  financial sources for didactical tools, cultural performances, travel expenses, alimentation and teachers´salaries LANGUAGE LEARNING IN KINDERGARTENS Association of municipalities „Růže“

8. Goals  to continue in cooperation of kindergartens, pedagogical staff and pre- school children > overcoming the language barriers  to create a cooperation network among CZ and A municipalities  to improve the language skills of children + to prepare them for the German language courses to be provided in further stages of education LANGUAGE LEARNING IN KINDERGARTENS Association of municipalities „Růže“

9. Methods  language learning  exchange stays  short trips to abroad  public performances  exchange of didactical tools LANGUAGE LEARNING IN KINDERGARTENS Association of municipalities „Růže“

10. TO LEARN TOGETHER THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEIGHBOURS

11.  Partner: Stadtgemeinde Drosendorf – Zissersdorf  Time framework: 1.9.2006 – 30.6.2007  Languages: Czech, German  Target group: 1st – 4th class pupils (6 – 10y old)  Participants: 40 pupils, 5 teachers, parents TO LEARN TOGETHER THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEIGHBOURS

12. Project description  project co-financed by INTERREG IIIA  language skills and friendship-building in the cross-border region  2004/2005 – cooperation with the school of Raabs  2006/2007 - cooperation with the school of Drosendorf  main activity – exchange language courses for pupils (10 runs / year) TO LEARN TOGETHER THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEIGHBOURS

13. Goals  to moderate the peripheral character of the region  to create cooperation network  to encourage friendship building  to teach the pupils the language of their neighbours  to get familiar with the region over the border TO LEARN TOGETHER THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEIGHBOURS

14. Success  in 2006 – the third year of the project was co-financed by EU  pupils are not afraid of the foreign surroundings  pupils do not hesitate to communicate in the language of neighbours  good progress in language skills TO LEARN TOGETHER THE LANGUAGE OF THE NEIGHBOURS

15. The Region of South Bohemia U Zimního stadionu 1952/2 CZ-370 76 České Budějovice http://www.kraj-jihocesky.cz bosak@kraj-jihocesky.cz