Link to Europe with Léargas
Summer holidays can seem distant come September , and it might feel like a long time before you ’ ll be away again … so why not bring Europe closer to you ? Léargas manages European programmes on behalf of the Irish government , and all of them are about connecting people in different countries so that we can learn from each other and create a better future together . Read on to see how you and your organisation could join in .
The largest programme we run is Erasmus +, the European Union programme for education and training , sport and youth . You might know that many students do European exchanges at university , but did you know that schools , school organisations and youth groups can also take part ? Adult Education groups as well as organisations involved in Vocational Education & Training can apply too ! Erasmus + connects people from Irish organisations with their counterparts in more than 30 countries , either through mobility ( travelling to another country ) or strategic partnerships .
For schools , this means that as part of their European development plans they can apply for staff to job-shadow or go on training courses abroad . Alternatively , schools can organise projects where they collaborate with European partners to develop new ideas or materials on specific themes , and raise standards of teaching and learning as a result . Students and teachers can spend time learning in other countries as part of these projects too . Erasmus + projects often become a central part of school life , and bring benefits to everyone : in a recent project about inclusion , the teachers said they developed their understanding of the cultural background and individual needs of their students , while the students enjoyed more diverse teaching styles as the teachers put into practice the new skills they ’ d learned in Europe !
As well as projects like these , Erasmus + supports other programmes and tools that can enhance school life . The School Education Gateway has many free resources , including a toolkit on tackling early school leaving , and an Erasmus + course catalogue . eTwinning links European schools online , so that classes in different countries can collaborate and create together . eTwinning projects can be in any subject area and really bring far-away places close to home : instead of reading about Pierre or Frieda in a text book , you can chat to and work with real-life students using the secure online ‘ twinspace ’. One student in Spain who ’ d linked with an Irish school said she liked eTwinning “ because you work in a group and have fun with your friends , and you learn at the same time ”. eTwinning projects can begin immediately after registration and be as short or long as needed , so they are well suited for individual class work . They also create new connections with Europe — in fact , many Erasmus + projects have come from the eTwinning network !
If you love languages you ’ ll want to celebrate the European Day of Languages on 26 September , and enter our competition to mark the day . We ’ re asking students , with the help of their language and geography teachers , to choose a country where the language they are learning is spoken and find out how climate change is viewed there . The prize is an environmental fieldtrip to a European country , and there ’ s lots of time to enter – the deadline is 28 October 2016 .
So , if we ’ ve inspired you , why not find out more ? Go to www . leargas . ie to find out about information and application sessions , and read about others who ’ ve used Erasmus + to bring Europe into their daily lives on our blog ‘ Insights ’, www . leargas . ie / blogs . You can also follow us on Twitter or Facebook but be warned : if it ’ s a rainy day , you might end up feeling just a little jealous !
Léargas King ’ s Inns House
Parnell Street Dublin 1
01 873 1411 www . leargas . ie info @ leargas . ie www . twitter . com / Leargas
www . facebook . com / Leargas . Ireland 11