Author Archive

Alliance for multilingual and multicultural competences for teachers

The European context is extremely significant, with three alphabets and 24 official languages, and some 60 other languages spoken in particular regions or by specific groups. Current (initial and in-service) teacher training practices often do not correspond at all, or only partially, to the plurilingual and intercultural approach. Generally, they remain enclosed in monolingual traditions; only very rarely are the boundaries between disciplines (in the case of both languages and other subjects) overstepped.

The project “LINGO+” intends to bridge the gap between schools and teaching in multilingual and multicultural settings creating a set of tools and teaching materials addressed to teachers of foreign languages, as they are on the front line in teaching one or more languages; teachers of other subjects that would like to teach in other languages; students of all ages, even if we believe our tools will be especially (but not only) implemented by high-schools.

The main objectives of this project are facilitating the acquisition of linguistic and intercultural abilities; promoting coordination of lessons, with a view to greater coherence and synergy between the learning of foreign, regional, minority and classical languages, the language(s) of schooling, and also the language dimension of all subjects; supporting teachers to acquire the principals of multilingualism and intercultural awareness and learn how to incorporate them in their daily routine; developing both dimensions of language (linguistic, sociolinguistic and pragmatic knowledge, skills and existential competences) and cultural (knowledge, skills and existential competencies relevant to social groups who speak a given language and their cultures) competencies; develop multilingualism competencies emphasizing their social role in terms of employability, social relations and tolerance towards other cultures.

The results of the project will be: A Methodological Guide for a role-model bilingual and plurilingual education for teachers with a repository of the best bilingual and plurilingual existing teaching practices; the development of educational tools and designed game-based and project-based activities that could be used in a classroom; the development of a platform with video courses for teachers combining classes about bilingualism and plurilingualism together with cultural intelligence, intercultural communication, and multicultural education providing teachers with knowledge, skills and existential competencies relevant to an understanding of other cultures and cultural diversity, prompting reflective and critical thinking about one’s own culture; the development of an online self-assessment questionnaire, with pre-recorded recommendations, an online tutorial explaining how to use the repository, video courses and developed tools and games.

Funding
Erasmus + Program (European Union)

Project Reference
2020-1-UK01-KA201-079026

Period
15/10/2020 to 14/10/2022

Duration
24 months

Researchers

  • Professor Ana Cunha (Principal Investigator)
  • Professor Anabela Mateus

Partners
The project brings together 6 entities from 5 European Union countries listed below

  • Amolingua Ltd (United Kingdom)
  • Euphoria Net Srl (Italy)
  • Krystal Microsoft Academy Ltd (United Kingdom)
  • Istanbul Avrupa Arastirmalari Dernegi (Turkey)
  • Budapesti Metropolitan Egyetem (Spain)
  • Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias (Portugal)

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Developing and Sharing Adults´Language Teachers´ (e)Skills

The title of this Strategical Partnership is “Developing and Sharing Adults’ Language Teachers´ (e)Skills” of duration of 18 months with the aim to Exchange of Good Practices.

The main objectives of the Strategic Partnership are Teachers´ Development through Exchange of Good Practices with the help of four International Training Courses carried out in all participating countries; Digital skills as an integrated part of curriculum in theory and practice; Creation of Erasmus+ Teachers Development Course by each partner organization; Intercultural Dialogue between the participating countries from Nord and South; Internationalization of Adult Education in the field of language learning is one important objective of our project.

The expected outcomes of the Strategic Partnership are a Teachers´ Development with Digital and Distance Teaching Skills and Language Methodology; a collection of Guidelines of the most important online resources to use for language teachers to make distance language teaching more effective; an Erasmus+ Teachers’ Development Course for each institution; Development of curriculum will be in theory and practice: Digital teaching skills and resources will be integrated into the current curriculum;; the intercultural competences and cultural awareness of the teachers will rise through the international teamwork; Internationalization of adult education in the field of language learning ; Satisfaction of Adult Language Learners due to the improved quality of lessons both in the traditional or virtual classroom Impact of the Strategical Partnership

At the local, regional, national level it is expected to have opportunities of working together and sharing ideas and experiences, improving on ICT and foreign language skills, promoting the quality of Education, providing Educational development with the participating institutions in Europe and add the European dimension to Education, learning multicultural diversity; learning the International and global cultural values, providing opportunity of equality, and compare the different educational systems.

At European and International level, it is expected to Raise awareness of Multicultural shape of Europe.

Funding
Erasmus + Program (European Union)

Project Reference
2020-1-EE01-KA104-077624

Period
01/10/2020 to 28/02/2022

Duration
18 months

Researchers

  • Professor Ana Cunha (Lead Researcher)
  • Professor Lucimar Dantas

Partners
The project brings together 4 entities from 4 European Union countries listed below:

  • Multilingua Language Centre (Estonia)
  • LatInSoft SAI (Latvia)
  • Escuela Oficial de Idiomas Estepa (Spain)
  • Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias (Portugal)

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