Our project focused on grades 3-6, as this is an important time in a child's educational development. Children of this age are in a phase of orientation and transition (adolescence) marked by cognitive, emotional and physical challenges–a time in which educational paths are decided and when both parents and schools are challenged more than ever due to the aforementioned factors. The aim was therefore to carry out a comprehensive assessment and analysis to integrate newly evaluated concepts into teacher training and professional development, and to implement them directly in schools as part of school development projects. In this way, changes were to be initiated in teacher education and professional development in the field of multilingualism / multilingual didactics, and these changes were to be implemented directly at universities, educational institutions, and schools. The didactic approach also included the spatial design of teaching and learning environments.
Europe's continuously evolving and increasingly diverse student population in Europe, in terms of linguistic and cultural backgrounds, requires a shift in mindset and didactic approaches in the multilingual classroom. This has implications for the initial and ongoing training of teachers of all subjects. The current Erasmus+ project addressed the needs of monolingual and multilingual students by aiming to professionalize (future) teachers in the field of multilingualism / multilingual didactics in the European context through scientifically sound, practical training and further educational measures. The project also focused on the evolving needs and requirements of both prospective and practicing teachers: To plan, design, and implement diversity-sensitive, multilingual teaching and school life, it is essential to develop a resource-oriented perspective, raise awareness of the forms and potential of multilingualism, train multilingual didactic competencies, and involve parents or guardians.