”First of all it was a challenge for me, as a teacher, to present the idea of the project and to impress and motivate the students. They turned out to be very impressed thanks to the opportunity to get in touch with their peers from abroad, that means we have one more motivating tool in the teaching-learning process . At the same time, my colleague teacher got interested as well. As a whole, I think this could be a start line for a different approach to English Language Teaching and Practicing. I hope this could be a useful experience for other students and teachers as well.
About 14 willing students from the 5th and the 6th grades were involved in the project. We have schools from 6 countries as partners: the USA, Romania, Bielarus, Russia, Packistan and Taiwan (two schools). Through our group ( nr.24) from the Project Forum I could get in touch with some of our partners, namely from Romania and Bielarus. Aliaksandra from Bielarus helped me with her previous experience in the project. She gave me some tips and explained how it works, by what time we should send the cards. Again I was glad people were eager to help.
In their cards pupils wrote about the way we celebrate Christmas, Mothers' Day, Martisor. As concerning the money aspect I am very grateful to their parents, who were eager to support them. We also got a lending hand from a NGO, that supported the mail cost of the cards for the students that were willing to participate, but couldn't afford it.
So far, I noticed curiosity in my students' eyes. It was the first time they could make use of English in a real life situation. They were enthusiastic about the idea we collaborate with an English speaking country- I mean the USA and did their best to write coherent messages and decorate the cards. Of course I helped.
The most precious outcome of the Project Based Learning is that together, my students and I, could see one more reason, may be the most outstanding, why English is to be loved, learned and spoken - that is interaction with people like us. In the same time, we have learned that diversity means personality and our traditions are worth promoting! We are looking forward to receiving cards from our partners as well, and intend to enjoy reading them during the round table we're planning.”
”The project “Holiday card exchange” was implemented in my school with success. The project gave the opportunity to the students to develop their imagination, responsability and critical thinking in the process of making the cards. The chance to get in touch with the peers from abroad motivated them to speak freely about our local celebrations 18 willing students from the 6th and the 8th grades were involved in the project. We have. schools from 7 countries as partners: the Netherlands, Belarus, Russia(two schools), Taiwan (two schools). and Slovenia. In their cards pupils wrote about the way they celebrate Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter. In our cards students wrote about the way we celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Day. The enthusiasm and curiosity were felt in the class. It was another opportunity to use English outside the classroom, in a real situation-writing letters.
The project “Holiday card exchange”proved that the Project Based Learning can be implemented in our curriculum. The results of it are amazing. Students could answer at the question, why English is to be loved, learned and spoken . Interaction in English with people like us but different from the point of view of culture and traditions.
Mariana Boldișor - My first international project: “Holiday Card Exchange”
At the beginning I was afraid but I was encouraged and everything was ok. I planned to involved 15 pupils from the 7-th and 5-th forms till the end I had 17 pupils from the 5-th form. I remember the day when I announced the 5-th form that we’II take part into an international project, they were confused, surprised and happy. We had 7 partners : Taiwan (2 schools), Belarus, Czech Republic, Puerto Rico, United States and Russia. We were classified in group N 20 and the teacher from Russia created Google-map for our group, it was pleasant to admire the joy and happiness in pupils’ eyes when they found our school on the Google- map. We received cards from 4 partners and I want to organize an exhibition”Cards from different parts of the World”.
SWOT-analysis of the project “Holiday Card Exchange”
S W
*Pupils are motivated to study English
*they have the possibility to see the result of their work(when we received the cards from our partners)
*they use dictionaries to write the messages
*they want to know more about other cultures
*they become more responsible
*they wrote about the way we celebrate Christmas and New Year
*they wrote letters about their school, family(at the stage extension)
*pupils understand the meaning why it is important to know English
*can be involved a great number of pupils -we need money to send the cards(To be sure that our partners will receive the cards it is necessary a special letter and it is expensive.)
Parents helped us.
O T
+a good collaboration between school and parents
+after the end of the project, pupils continue to write through e-mail -some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and they are afraid to make mistakes. We as teachers should always encourage them.
The conclusion is “Everything is possible if you want”!