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European School Education Platform
Logo Superinventors
PROJECT
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Super Inventors on the Move

How can we promote the use of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) for 4-8 year old learners in and outside the classroom? These were the questions partner countries of the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Italy had in common when they met at a Contact finding seminar in Belgium. Their schools all share the experience of teaching English as a Foreign Language and have identified the need to encourage pupils to use more English outside of the teacher- led activities in the classroom. Combining it with their need to immerse their youngest pupils in STEAM, they have developed the Super Inventors on the move project, aiming at the use of English in STEAM activities through the CLIL approach (Content and Language Integrated Ƶing), meaning that they will teach subject content using English as a Foreign Language. Since both content and language objectives are specified for the STEAM activities, pupils will discover the world of beta science through English in a playful way. The project is aimed at 4-8 year old pupils and therefore revolves around play, project- and experience- based learning and moving whilst learning. A mascot will incite their curiosity and will lead them through the learning process. At the different schools pupils will design their super inventor mascot. These inventors will travel to the partner schools with a suitcase filled with science experiments or playful assignments for robotics, construction work and design, and arts or maths and will stay there for 6 months, allowing the pupils to learn about these aspects of STEAM and the culture and language of the super inventor they host. The materials and resources for these visits will be developed by the teachers from the different schools during their visits to the partner schools so we can combine all of the expertise available with new insights learned in training sessions by experts in the field of STEAM. The resources produced during the project will be instruction videos for experiments (access with QR codes), scavenger hunts and games ( e.g. fortune wheels or robotic games). By setting up STEAM and English play areas we are providing the children with tools to play with and expand on their English language and STEAM skills independently, which will increase their learner autonomy. Their motivation and confidence in English and Science will increase as a direct result. By exposing them to the cultures of the super inventors and children from other countries through eTwinning activities, pupils will not only become more curious about the world around them, but they will develop their cultural awareness and their appreciation for their own cultural backgrounds. As a consequence their future studies and work opportunities could easily benefit from such open mindedness. Our pupils are far too young to travel, so they will explore the cultures and meet the children from the partner schools through the Super inventors and on eTwinning. The teachers will actually meet in person, visit each other’s schools and receive training together in each of the partner countries. The project itself and the participation in training events in the different countries will contribute specifically to the professional development of the teachers of Kindergarten and 1st and 2nd grade. In order to bring the innovation to the school as a whole, they will discuss and implement theirnew knowledge together with their colleagues who teach older pupils at their school. Before starting the project, several teachers will follow KA1 STEAM courses for Early years or follow an online MOOC course by Future Ƶ on primary science and robotics. They will implement the acquired knowledge in the activities set up for this project as well as in the curriculum during and after the lifespan of the project. Besides the development of knowledge and skills in STEAM, we expect an increase in the teachers’ confidence in using English in class, with their pupils and colleagues. We expect the project to empower the teachers to encourage language development through the innovative methodologies we will develop. We intend to share our methodology and a comprehensive toolkit for STEAM activities through EFL, which we will create during the mobilities and throughout the project with fellow educators. It will help us to expand the positive impact to other pupils in other contexts. Not only will we share through our blog and social media channels, but we will also give good practice workshops at networks for EFL teachers, for Erasmus+ and Early Years conferences whenever we can. We will ask teachers inside and outside the project for feedback to make sure the toolkit is user-friendly and effective. The super inventors on the move project will allow our pupils and teachers to work and play in an exciting and innovative cross-cultural setting and to learn from and with each other!
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4 members
Certificates
AWARDED
National Quality Label

Information

Members:
4
Membership:
Netherlands(1), Slovenia(1), Italy(1), Portugal(1)
Age range:
4
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7