Our Erasmus+ Project

Project Title: The use of Digital Technology to support the teaching and learning of Oral Language

• Designing digital technology activities to enable the development of Oral language skills.
• Introduction and Implementation of the “Pineapple Chart” (peer observation/tutoring) to support staff learning and developing DT skills.
• Students as “agents of change” – students to deliver workshops on Digital Technological skills to peers and staff.
• Design activities where pupils use Digital technologies to further support and enhance learning in different curricular areas.

Therefore, our school needs teachers who are proficient in new digital technology skills. We believe in taking part in a KA1 the opportunity to learn new teaching methods from our colleagues in other parts of Europe. Training of staff is imperative to acquire competences.

Our plans for European mobility and cooperation activities fit into our school plan. Our school self-evaluation is currently focusing on oral language and all staff are involved in the development of a new digital technology policy. The digital technology coordinator has recently surveyed all staff, using SWOT analysis. The finding included a wish and a need to up skill in digital technology. Currently a pineapple project which is based on peer teaching has been presented to the staff. Teachers involved in the European mobility will indeed on return from their European experience share their new acquired skill using this method.

We hope to send two members of staff on two courses- Estonia, as we have learned that this is our countries area of expertise. Finland, their approach to teaching oral language.

Our school wants to meet the above objectives over the next 2 years. Therefore, training of staff is required to achieve the following competences:

• ICT/DT skills, methods and strategies for using ICT/DT in both the primary and secondary school, The use of apps in education especially those in language. We as teachers wish to empower our students. Therefore, we as teachers need to develop a deep understanding of how students learn.  so that we can effectively apply and adapt our teaching strategies to meet our own goals and our student’s needs. Well-motivated teachers convey their enthusiasm to their students, and this encourages them to learn.

As a result, having the opportunity to learn from our European peers presents itself as a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills and acquire new competences in our preferred area. We identified 2 courses which would provide the adequate training for our teachers. we wish in turn to disseminate this information or new knowledge using different methods. Our priority will be to use the “Pineapple Project”. It is peer tutoring/mentoring at its best!

In our school we believe that digital technologies should be used for teaching, learning and assessment across the curriculum. Digital technology must play a pivotal role in both today’s teaching and learning. We wish to enable students to develop and use Digital technology skills in the attainment of curriculum learning objectives.  It is our aim to facilitate students to use a range of Digital technology tools in a relevant curriculum context. Our aspirations include fostering confidence in the use of Digital Technology through enjoyable learning experiences.

This is what we are going to focus on during our Erasmus project, to improve our digital learning practice for this academic school year.

• Designing digital technology activities to enable the development of Oral language skills.
• Introduction and Implementation of the “Pineapple Chart” (peer observation/tutoring) to support staff learning and developing DT skills.
• Students as “agents of change” – students to deliver workshops on Digital Technological skills to peers and staff.
• Design activities where pupils use Digital technologies to further support and enhance learning in different curricular areas.

Therefore, our school needs teachers who are proficient in new digital technology skills. We believe in taking part in a KA1 the opportunity to learn new teaching methods from our colleagues in other parts of Europe. Training of staff is imperative to acquire competences.

The main objective of the project is Continuing Professional Development of our staff. We anticipate that our participating staff will be exposed to new and exciting ways of implementing Digital Technologies in the classroom. On return from their KA1 mobility/ trip they will present their findings and learning to the rest of the staff using the Pineapple chart. This is a visual timetable where teachers welcome/invite their peers into their classroom. The invited teacher will observe and engage in the class and the intention is that they will then impart this new knowledge in their own teaching within their own classroom.

Opportunities will also be facilitated to present at staff meetings. They may add additional information on staff notice boards. The long-term objective is that new methods and technologies will be introduced into our classrooms which will enhance the learning of our pupils. We wish to use our KA1 experience to upskill our teaching staff in Information and communication technology/Digital technology activities. This in turn will facilitate our teaching staff to use their new peer learned knowledge to create and foster a familiarity of use of appropriate ICT/ DT activities to scaffold the curriculum in Oral Language.  In turn this will expose the students to a learning that will enhance their ICT / DT skills.  The teaching staff will feel confident and empowered enough to create and be creative when planning their lessons using digital methodologies and strategies.

The result or our intention of becoming involved in a KA1 project is to ensure our teaching staff feel that such participation in such a project will make them more fluent in an area which otherwise would be seen as out of their reach and capabilities.  We feel that peer mentoring and tutoring is the perfect way to disseminate this newfound knowledge as we are limited by time tabling restrictions and practical things like sub cover for teachers who wish to engage with continuous professional development in these fields.

We have been involved in two Comenius Projects and both have been student centred with emphasis on independent living and learning and promotion of our student’s voice within our school and community. We were also partners in an Erasmus+ Project on the theme of Inclusion.

Our school aims to promote positive attitudes and fulfilment from formal and non-formal activities in an educational setting during our erasmus project. We aim to develop in all students continued and an increased ability for independent life, creativity and an openness for other cultures.

We as teachers endeavour to ensure that our students can develop and be included at a local, national and European level. We would anticipate that our students can be integrated in all areas of society, especially in further education. Being involved in a KA1 project would certainly cement all these factors which encourage all members of our school community to engage in activities on an international and European level.