Our aim was to update our school culture to be more aware of different languages and multilingualism. With this project we wanted to -learn and update the pedagogy of language learning and teaching methods, acquire experiential hands-on methods in language teaching -develop and improve teachers’ own language skills, strengthen the feel of capability to teach English and implement language enrichment -learn how to observe other cultures and languages around and also raise interest towards them -learn how to benefit from the ethnic multiculturalism in class -update A1 language path, develop and create the principles to language enrichment, tolerance and multicultural education in our school
The need of the project Languages and Cultures, please! arose from the Turenki School strategic action plan developed by the principal, pedagogic planning group and teachers. It was found necessary to improve the following areas: the early learning of the first foreign language, language enrichment and internationalisation. Teachers needed in-service training in how to teach languages as well as how to learn foreign languages through action. The teachers of early grades felt that their knowledge of language teaching and the methods used needed updating. Also many teachers thought that the improvement in their English skills would refine courage and the feel of capability in order to teach language lessons. Also multiculturalism and multilingualism in our school was experienced challenging. Teachers wished to acquire knowledge, skills and common tools to face these challenges. As teachers we also should encourage the pupils to use different languages, not just Finnish and English. Language enrichment is a major part of global education.