The Euroscola project: Scottish students debate key European issues in French
In November 2004, Paul Middleton, Languages/ICT Specialist at Lourdes Secondary School, accompanied a group of students and teachers to Strasbourg as part of the Euroscola project.
The Citizenship team at LT Scotland asked Paul to tell us about his experience.
What is the Euroscola project?
Run by the European Parliament, Euroscola brings together 400-500 16-18-year-old students from the 25 European Union countries for a day of meetings and workshops.
Students from the different countries work together to learn about the Parliament and discuss topical European issues. They visit the Parliament and have the opportunity to ask questions of Parliament representatives.
As a participating teacher, what has been your involvement in the project?
I have participated in the last three visits with Glasgow schools. Each visit has been very successful and enjoyable. Students of varying linguistic ability have attended and each one has had a positive and extremely varied experience.
I always look forward to the European Parliament visit. Teachers are given the opportunity to disseminate good practice and share experiences.
How have you developed the Euroscola project within the curriculum?
This year I am teaching Intermediate 2 French 'Language for Work' as a discrete unit to a class of S6 students. Most of these students have not done French since Standard Grade.
I taught the majority of them Higher Computing last year and persuaded them that there would be genuine value in resuming study of a foreign language in their last year.
We also discussed the wider issues of language learning including citizenship, tolerance and cultural pluralism. We agreed that a visit to the country of the target language would offer a meaningful context to their language learning.
The Euroscola Coordinator agreed to make a special case for these students. Normally places are offered to S6 students who have completed their Higher French course in S5. However, our students submitted CVs and competitive essays to Careers Scotland and two boys from Lourdes were successful.
How many students were involved in the November 2004 trip?
Nearly 400 students attended the day from 13 different EU countries including Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK.
Thirty-two students from 12 Glasgow schools participated - 27 girls and five boys.
How did you prepare students for the Euroscola trip?
Extensive linguistic, logistical and practical considerations were needed for the trip.
The first meeting at Holyrood Secondary provided practical details to students and parents, and an ice-breaking discussion in French.
The second meeting at Jordanhill Secondary was more focused and concentrated on the school we would visit in Strasbourg as part of the trip. Francophone employees of the Alliance Française offered authentic linguistic support.
Each student was provided with two language packs and received ongoing support as required throughout the visit.
What opportunities are there for student participation?
The whole project revolves around student participation. It is an immersion-based initiative which proactively encourages the participants to speak as much French as they are comfortable with.
Initial group work in French
Soon after they arrive they meet as a group and work with a partner, practising how to present each other in French. This enables staff to gauge their level of French for support and selection for tasks on the Euroscola day.
Taking part in a street survey
Next morning there is a further meeting to prepare them for the 'sondage' (street survey). That afternoon they work in pairs to quiz the residents of Strasbourg on their knowledge of Scotland and report back later in the day.
Visiting a school in Strasbourg
Later that evening, they prepare as a group to visit a school in Strasbourg. This has been rehearsed with the members of the Alliance Française in Glasgow. Each group selects one person to introduce the group, then each participant introduces him or herself in French.
Visit to the European Parliament
The visit to the European Parliament engages students in 'a variety of social, political, economic and environmental problems' through the five key debates which the students take part in during the trip. These covered European democracy, the environment, the place of European values in the world, youth and the future of Europe.
The students received two hours of intensive preparation on the previous evening. There was a lively brainstorming session of ideas in English, followed by a meticulous translation session in French.
PDF file: The Euroscola day including information on the five key debates (18 KB)
Follow-up event in Glasgow
The Euroscola experience culminates in a Civic Reception in the City Chambers early in 2005. Dignitaries, participating students and teachers, parents and friends are invited to attend. Several students will deliver a short presentation in French about their overall experience.
What are the key benefits to students?
Each participant thoroughly enjoyed the visit. The benefits to students include:
- Personal - a sense of achievement / a worthwhile, memorable experience
- Social - the opportunity to make new friends at home and abroad, possibly forging lasting relationships
- Linguistic - a feeling of speaking 'real' French in an authentic, meaningful environment
- Political/economic - an appreciation of other countries' points of view, and their immediate and long-term priorities.
PDF file: Read what the students thought in their own words (17 KB)
What are the links with education for citizenship?
The Euroscola project embraces the spirit of the Education for Citizenship in Scotland framework paper, particularly section 3: Effective education for citizenship in practice, including:
3.1 An entitlement for all
Euroscola offers young people the opportunity to develop and deploy their capability for active and responsible citizenship in ways appropriate to their needs and maturity. Throughout Euroscola, the young people are engaged in activities which involve making links with both the local and wider community.
3.2 An active participatory ethos
Euroscola strives to encourage a 'participatory ethos' in order to 'help young people understand the connections between academic work, their social experiences and events in the world outside school'. The project 'actively seeks and takes account of the views of all pupils'.
Furthermore, it seeks to foster a 'tolerance of disagreement and the expression of minority views, and the ability to help young people understand and resolve conflict'.
The visit to the European Parliament in particular engages the students in a variety of social, political, economic and environmental issues.
3.4 Contexts for learning and development
Euroscola engages students in 'cross-curricular experiences, enterprise activities and international awareness activities' promoting 'involvement in link activities with the wider community, including environmental projects'.
Contact Paul Middleton or Gerry Toner, the Euroscola Coordinator based at Heriot-Watt University, if you have any further questions.
Contact details
Paul Middleton
Lourdes Academy
47 Kirriemuir Avenue
Glasgow, G52 3DF
E-mail: Paul Middleton
pmiddleton@lourdes-sec.glasgow.sch.uk
Gerry Toner
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh, EH14 4AS
E-mail: Gerry Toner
g.toner@hw.ac.uk