As language learning in adulthood is not easy, our aim was to support this process. We wanted to: update language learning (impetus from the university) provide low-threshold access for adults Bring cultural institutions (museums) into cooperation with educational institutions (schools / universities) in order to be able to utilise linguistic impulses and clarify the usefulness of foreign language skills => translations for visitors Materials / modules should be designed in order to plan a training course. Various organisations were involved in this project with the aim of positively influencing language teaching (in this specific case ‘DaF’) through topical impulses. Learners should be motivated to engage with a foreign language. At the same time, we wanted to offer lecturers materials that could be used to integrate everyday references into lessons. We wanted to create a win-win situation: the participating schools/university and the museums as well as the coordinating institution should be enriched by the results. In addition to pure language exercises, interesting cultural content (museums) should also be transported.
Most of the project partners have been part of the association's network for some time. Colleagues have often suggested initiating a project on foreign language learning in an everyday context, especially with a link to adult (older) learners. During Europe Week 2022, the question came up again and we made concrete plans on how such a topic could be adequately implemented. There is a long-standing collaboration with RTU Liepaja, the pedagogical team there works excellently and has been setting up an additional ‘international study programme’ for students on the MA course for two years. Together with the association's board, the experts developed the idea of cooperation between schools, the museum and university and educational associations, because the internationalisation of studies at RTU Liepaja has shown that it is good to be able to present case studies from European projects so that everyday teaching becomes concrete and not just a discussion of European school systems. The CEO of the association works there as a lecturer. We then worked together to develop this project idea, with the option of including other languages in the future.