International school partnerships

An introduction

Aims of international school partnerships• To improve pupils’ knowledge of other

countries and cultures and to foster attitudes of openness and respect for diversity (ESDGC agenda)

• To prepare them to take part in the economic and social development of their own region and the wider world

• To provide a vehicle for raising achievement in key skills, such as communication and ICT

The International Dimension: developing pupils’ attitudes and values• Self-respect

– Pupils prepare materials about self, family, school, community

– Pupils investigate and celebrate ‘Welshness’

The International Dimension: developing pupils’ attitudes and values

• Value and celebrate cultural difference and diversity– Insularity of some communities– Link with school abroad helps pupils

discover other people, cultures– ‘Foreigners’ become ‘friends’, partners in

learning– Pupils learn to value difference as

something to be enjoyed rather than a threat to be feared

The International Dimension: developing pupils’ skills

• Communication skills– Pupils write for an audience, including

for those whose first language is not English

– Pupils begin to learn simple words and phrases in foreign language

• Interpersonal skills– Opportunities to work in collaboration

on joint projects

The International Dimension: developing pupils’ skills

• Empathise with others’ experiences and feelings– Direct contact and communication

with peers in other countries– Interactive joint curriculum projects:

allow pupils to express feelings and to respond to work produced by their partners

The International Dimension: benefits for teachers

• New opportunities for professional development

• Exploring new methods of teaching and learning

• A wider perspective and professional refreshment that comes from visiting schools abroad and making new contacts

‘International Curriculum links’: What? How?• Pupils exchange work with peers in schools

abroad• Work in various media• Work exchanged based on existing curriculum• Teachers meet to plan and review• Funding available: European Lifelong Learning

Programme; British Council; ‘Global School’ partnerships; ‘Connecting Classrooms’; Middle East links

‘International Curriculum links’: What? How?

• Projects should lead to joint learning

• Materials received can be used as learning resource

• Pupils respond to what they receive in different form and medium

The partnership in practice• Pupils work together on

joint curriculum projects• Use ICT for communication at all

levels• Staff meet regularly to plan and

review progress• Short staff exchanges and work

shadowing• Correspondence/e-mail exchanges

between classes• Exchange and joint development of

teaching materials• Pupil exchanges?

International projects

Some programmes

E-Twinning

• collaboration between schools in Europe using ICT to carry out a pedagogically relevant activity

• Build on existing link or develop new one• Can be teacher-based, student-based or a

combination• Can be subject-specific or cross-curricular• Use secure discussion forums and e-mail

E-Twinning

• Project examples:– Teenage tourist guide to students’ home towns– Exploring who we are and what it means to be

European citizens– Values in school life and school celebrations– Comparison/sharing of local free newspapers– Crop circle challenge: collaborative Maths on the

net

• www.etwinning.net – Advice– Good practice gallery– Access to e-twinning tools

European Programmes

Comenius:• School Partnerships – curriculum focus• In partnership with at least two other

eligible countries for 2 years• Funding for materials and

travel/subsistence• Mobility for teachers, heads and pupils

East-West programme

• UK-Ireland school links• Funding for preparatory meetings

and curriculum projects • Project-related field trips for pupils• Job shadowing for teachers• Further information:

www.britishcouncil.org/it/schoolpartnerships-ireland.htm

The International Dimension:

Global School Partnerships

Specific activities organised by the British Council and funded by DFID to promote the Global Dimension:

• Reciprocal Visit Grants• Global Curriculum Grants• plus opportunities created by the

Regional EES Strategy (DFID funded)

New programmes• Connecting classrooms

– Small groups of schools from the UK partner with schools from two different countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

– Purpose of links:• intercultural dialogue• to increase knowledge and understanding of each

other's societies  

– Relationships based on mutual understanding and genuine equality

– Further details: http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-connecting-classrooms.htm

New programmes

• Middle East Links– Links between schools in UK and

Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen

– Schools matched at partner-finding seminars

– Further details and application forms: http://www.britishcouncil.org/learning-uk-middle-east-school-partnerships.htm

The International Dimension

Professional development

EU programmes: • Courses• Job shadowing• Primary teachers languages

training• Head teacher study visits

Other opportunities for teachers

• Fulbright teacher exchange programme– Job swap with an American colleague– Open to classroom teachers– Travel costs– Deadline: 30 November

• Commonwealth teacher exchange– 1 year job swap with colleague in

Commonwealth country– Open to classroom teachers– Travel costs– Deadline: 30 November