Europe in love v

“ Europe ………. in love thanks to tongues & languages” By

Vicky Archondi , ΠΕ 06

, 1ο EPA.L ALMYROU & Lefteris Plavos , ΠΕ 17.01 , PTELEOS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Stimuli behind the specific project 1)The European Day of languages itself (26/09) 2)Need to promote multilingualism & cross-culturalism 3)Wish to do something out of the ordinary 4)Desire to make a cross-curricular project that would involve students that belong to different school levels. (here EPA.L students cooperated with students of a junior High School)

Why is it a cross-curricular project ?

Because English, Art, Music, Technology and I.T

were

fruitfully

implementation.

combined

for

its

Stages of the project A.Lefteris & Pteleos’ students 1.Students along with their teacher photographed each other’s tongues.

2.Photos were developed, printed, photocopied and distributed to the students.

3.Students intervened artistically upon the photocopies of their tongues during the technology and art class.

B. Vicky & EPA.L students 1.Discussed about the European Day of Languages.

2.Divided languages into three families : a) Roman , b) Germanic , c) Slavic.

3.Split students into three groups, one for each language family.

4.Each group surfed the net in order to find how the word “LOVE�

is written and pronounced in the

respective European Languages.

5. A group of students wrote the word “LOVE” in all these languages using their own handwriting.

Handwritings were collected.

6. Another group, carefully selected for their clear and

accurate

articulation,

pronouncing “LOVE” in all E.Ls.

was

recorded

How the end product came about…

1.Collection of all the material 2.Material photographed & edited via Adobe Photoshop 3.Creation of a video (with the aid of Power Director) where the colourful tongues appeared in layers at the top of which the handwrittings were placed while at the background the word “LOVE” was heard in all E.Ls 4.The project was musically “dressed up” with a modern version of Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy” – officially hymn of E.U – having taken into consideration students’ unanimous decision.

The Pros of a Cross-Curricular Project 1.Promotes the “blending” of different school subjects.

2.Student – friendly approach.

3.Fosters team spirit.

4.Facilitates

movement

towards

learner-centered

language

learning.

5.Helps students exercise their initiative.

6. Urges students to get actively involved in their own learning.

They become the decision – makers of the “what” and “how” of the learning process.

7. Consequently promotes learner autonomy.

8. Implicitly trains students in the use of Cognitive strategies (i.e. guessing , practice, repetition, memorization ), Metacognitive strategies (i.e. self-monitoring, self-management, self-evaluation), Affective strategies (i.e. encouraging oneself, taking risks, rewarding oneself) and Social strategies (i.e. join the group, ask for clarification, cooperation, empathy).

9.Encourages fruitful collaboration between students and teachers alike.

10. Caters for different types of learners and it, thus tallies with Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory.

The Cons of a Cross-Curricular Project 1.Not

all

students

will

be

equally

enthusiastic

or

hand

in

assignments.

2.Obliged to select students that won’t let you down or abandon the “trip“ somewhere in the middle.

3.Students language level must be relatively high 4.Devotion, willingness and industriousness are demanded from both sides.

5. Asks for teachers who are risk-takers, open-minded and ready to strive away from the security that a coursebook offers and dive into new “cognitive� oceans.

6. Time is limited. For a project like this to be successfully completed both sides must know beforehand that they should devote time out of the classroom, too.

CONCLUSION •

Hope that Europe will remain…..in Love and allow tongues to utter languages and promote civilizations despite all kinds of obstacles

• Fear not to plunge into such kind of projects simply because there is only one way to see the view ……..by climbing up the mountain…….

“ Europe ………. in love thanks to tongues & languages”

Thank you for your attention and attendance!

Vicky Archondi, Lefteris Plavos & our students

Contact information: vicky_archondi@yahoo.com http://vickyarchondi.blogspot.gr eleftherios_plavos@yahoo.gr http://plavoseleftherios.blogspot.gr