eTwinning Visibility Newsletter no. 4 eTwinning Visibility Newsletter no. 4 | Page 55

Visibility of eTwinning Projects Group July 2014 Newsletter -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------eTwinning for Erasmus+ Programme by Cinzia Masia Several policy documents by the European Commission have highlighted the importance of learning other languages in order to prepare people to perceive themselves as European citizens. One of the main school aims is to support students in developing their own skills, particularly communicative competences in foreign languages, useful to better interact in different situations. Since 2005 the online community of eTwinning has been offering teachers several opportunities to know other school contexts and to give students from other European countries the possibility to interact with each other. During the years, this platform has revealed to be really useful in supporting school activities. Giving to all the eTwinners more chances to interact, in 2013 it has been extended to six countries from the European neighbourhood such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and also Tunisia. communicating throughout the different available tools when developing their own ICT and foreign language skills at school. In fact, this platform can be considered as a huge “European B ox” full of devices and chances through which it is possible to create a new approach to motivate students and enable them to develop their skills and competences in an involving way. …“the community for schools in Europe”, as suggested in the homepage, it is the suitable platform in order to find colleagues to cooperate with at projects or simply to be involved in Professional development seminar or workshops. Recently, eTwinning platform has been recommended in Erasmus+, the new European programme for Education, Training Youth and Sports. It is a didactic platform where it is possible to communicate by speaking 27 languages, so it really sustains teachers’ interactions! Its tools and links keep continuous people’s contacts letting them work together and taking advantages of the available instruments, particularly the ICT ones. It is also a web community where partners of different school levels and roles, such as headmasters, teachers, school leaders, students etc. can interact in a safe and easy way because only school members can access to this platform which is constantly checked by the National Agency Support. Plus, it is free. In Erasmus+, eTwinning platform achieves a specific role in both KA1 (Learning mobility of individuals) and KA2 (Cooperation for innovation and best practices) because of its own opportunities and tools. eTwinning provides teachers and students the possibility to create new learning situations by exchanging information, materials and 55