The project is conceived following successful visits from the partner school ,to educational settings in Poland on the first occasion and then a longer visit to the applicant school over a period of 5 days. Both schools recognize the need for continual development in the areas of both visual and sensory learning for children with unique learning abilities and are keen to share and further develop innovative teaching practices. The applicant and partner schools are both schools for children with special needs. The applicant school caters for pupils aged 3-19 with autism and the partner school is for pupils aged 2-11 and it is a special school. The majority of the children at ZPE School (Poland) have profound and multiple learning difficulties. A significant number of their children have additional autism, sensory and physical impairments. Objectives and needs to be addressed: - to improve teaching and learning within both schools, - to provide opportunities for interaction, - to develop the use of technology to create baseline assessment, evaluation and evidence for the purpose of enhanced teaching and learning, - to further develop the expressive arts curriculum within both schools, - to develop peer learning and support for teachers, particularly through lesson observations and feedback, - to develop proactive learning and engagement for pupils, - to identify ways of developing life skills / work related learning for our pupils. The following focus areas and activities have been identified in order to achieve the above outcomes: - exercises to identify cultural differences and similarities between schools - explore teaching & learning styles in our schools with a view to identifying learning opportunities - focussed learning encounters through co-taught lessons between Czech/Poland staff - the use of technology to record, analyze and support pupil learning and self evaluation - the use of technology to assist teaching staff in analyzing lesson effectiveness and as a means for self reflection, peer feedback and critique - attendance at the applicant school annual Arts festival (performing arts, drama, art and music) and the partner school Motylek Art show - expressive arts will support and encourage expressive communication and interaction - video evidence of pupil baseline and progress - environment, animal therapy, aquatherapy, art therapy, Snoezelen - opportunities for life skills/work related learning Although not all pupils and staff are able to travel to their partnered school, there will benefits to all from inclusion in events running in their schools during staff and pupil visits, including co-taught lessons. The schedule of visits between schools will involve members of the senior managements teams, up to 24 teachers from each school as well as 12 pupils and accompanying staff. Results and impacts envisaged: - enhanced expressive arts curriculum, - enhanced VOKS/PECS programme across both schools, - more motivated and engaged pupils through the development of reflective learning, - increased pupil ability to develop and express opinions, - increased knowledge and understanding of another culture, - increased pupil ability to be proactive in their learning, - established use of video for evidence of pupil progress and teacher self evaluation/peer evaluation, Bobath Concept - the use of physiological processes in positioning educational process as prevention of body deformities, muscle contractures - Therapeutic feeding, drinking from the special cup for childrens with Cerebral Palsy of orofacial regulation therapy as support speech therapy - facilitating optimal movement patterns of muscular tension - sensory Integration - self-care - self-sufficiency - work physiotherapist - Snoezelen - the use of special education tools for better quality of life Potential long term benefits: - networking with schools across Europe - curriculum enhancements - improved teaching and learning - exploring the possibility of opening the applicant school Expressive Arts Festival to a wider audience Recorded learning, baseline assessment of the number of pupil engagements at the start, middle and end of the programme. Pupils active participation and levels of unprompted engagement. Targets would be set for every pupil at the completion of baseline assessments. Pupils in both special schools will develop their opinions, knowledge and understanding of another culture. For our Czech school, they will have a better understanding of a multicultural school in Poland while like learners will understand the features of a monoculture in the heart of Europe when students speak another language but English is seen as a world language. Many of the Poland teachers can speak english.
Project was designed for 8 mutual visits (Mobilities) between Motýlek School (Czech Republic) and the partner school ZPE (Poland) for a duration of five days each (Mobilities C1-C8). Both schools recognize the need for continuous development in the field of visual and sensory learning for children with unique learning abilities and autism spectrum disorder, aiming to share and further develop innovative teaching methods. The coordinating school and the partner school are both institutions for children with special educational needs. The coordinating school caters to students aged 3–19 with autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and multiple disabilities. The partner school ZPE is for students aged 2–11 and is a special school in Poland, with the majority of its students facing autism spectrum disorder, along with additional sensory and physical disorders. Both organizations participated in the project with the aim of strengthening international collaboration and support in the field of education for children and students with special educational needs. This project was focused on students with specific disabilities and also on special educators who care for and educate these students. Project objectives included: - Strengthening participants' professional skills in inclusive education - Supporting international collaboration and exchange of best practices among partner organizations - Improving teaching and learning in both schools - Providing opportunities for interaction - Creating and implementing innovative teaching methods with a focus on modern technologies in education - Further developing expressive arts curriculum in both schools - Fostering mutual learning and supporting teachers, especially through lesson observation and feedback - Developing proactive learning and student engagement - Identifying ways to develop life skills/work-related learning for students To achieve these results, the following areas and activities were identified: - Exercises to identify cultural differences and similarities between schools - Teaching and learning styles at both schools to identify learning opportunities - Targeted educational meetings through co-taught lessons between Poland/Czech Republic staff - Use of technology for recording, analyzing, and supporting student learning and self-assessment - Use of technology to assist educators in analyzing lesson effectiveness and as a means for self-reflection, feedback, and critique - Participation in an annual arts festival (performing arts, drama, visual arts, and music) - Expressive arts supporting and encouraging expressive communication and interaction - Video recording of student progress - Environment, animal therapy, aquatherapy, art therapy, snoezelen – opportunities for life skills/work-related learning While not all students and staff could travel to the partner school, the inclusion in activities taking place at their own schools during visits of staff, students, and project coordinators, including co-taught lessons, was beneficial for all. The schedule of visits between the schools included 24 teachers, as well as 12 students and accompanying staff. Results and impacts: - Expanded expressive arts curriculum - Improved use of VOKS/PECS across both schools - More motivated and engaged students through reflective learning development - Increased student ability to develop and express opinions - Enhanced knowledge and understanding of different cultures and foreign languages - Increased student proactivity in learning - Introduction of video use for demonstrating student progress and teacher/self-assessment - Sensory integration - Self-care - Self-sufficiency - Physiotherapist - Snoezelen - Use of special educational tools for improved quality of life - Consultations for other teachers in both schools to support professional development and share best practices Potential long-term benefits: - Building partnerships with special education schools across Europe - Improvement of school educational programs - Significant improvement in participants' professional skills in the field of modern technologies - Strengthening international relations between partner organizations - Increased visibility of the dance, singing, drama, and art festival of children and youth with disabilities named "Motýlek" to a wider audience Students from both special schools developed their perspectives, knowledge, and understanding of other cultures. For our Czech school, the goal was to see and understand the foreign multicultural school in Poland. Students understood the features of monoculture in the heart of Europe, where they could speak a foreign language, but English is perceived as the world language. Many teachers from the ZPE school in Poland spoke English. In conclusion, our project within the Erasmus+ KA2 program was successful in achieving its goals, and we expect its long-term benefits to be evident in the development of education and collaboration in the specified area. We hope to continue collaboration, communication, and knowledge transfer regarding the education of students with special educational needs with the partner school even beyond this project.