“MANY LANGUAGES ONE WORLD – ΠΟΛΛΕΣ ΓΛΩΣΣΕΣ ΕΝΑΣ ΚΟΣΜΟΣ”: A DOUBLE AWARD-WINNING INTERCULTURAL / MULTILINGUAL PRE-SCHOOL PROJECT

Authors

  • Eirini Papachristou Pre-school Head Teacher, BA, Med, Msc, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v7i12.3423

Keywords:

intercultural-multilingual education, Erasmus , European Language Label, Education Leaders’ Awards, pre-school, Greece / Διαπολιτισμική-Πολυγλωσσική εκπαίδευση, Ευρωπαϊκό Σήμα Γλωσσών, Education Leaders awards, Νηπιαγωγείο, Ελλάδα

Abstract

This paper describes the Intercultural-multilingual project "Many Languages One World! Πολλές Γλώσσες Ένας Κόσμος!" and the theoretical context on which it was based. It was designed and implemented in a public kindergarten, the Kindergarten of Parapotamos, in the region of Thesprotia, Greece by the Kindergarten teacher Mrs Eirini Papachristou and involved 16 pupils aged 4-6, with no prior knowledge of foreign languages. The main objective of the project was to know, understand and accept the diversity and similarity of people, despite their linguistic differences. The program was awarded (praise) by the Greek State Scholarships Foundation (I.K.Y.) - Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, for its participation in the initiative Erasmus+ “European Language Label 2016”. Also received the Gold award at the competition “Education Leaders Awards 2018”, a competition which highlights and rewards good practices in education. Το παρόν άρθρο περιγράφει το Διαπολιτισμικό-Πολυγλωσσικό πρόγραμμα «Many Languages One World-Πολλές Γλώσσες Ένας Κόσμος», καθώς και το θεωρητικό πλαίσιο στο οποίο στηρίχθηκε. Το πρόγραμμα σχεδιάστηκε και υλοποιήθηκε σε ένα δημόσιο Nηπιαγωγείο, το Νηπιαγωγείο Παραποτάμου, στην περιοχή της Θεσπρωτίας – Ελλάδα από τη Nηπιαγωγό κα Ειρήνη Παπαχρήστου και συμμετείχαν 16 παιδιά ηλικίας 4-6, χωρίς πρότερη γνώση ξένων γλωσσών. Ο κύριος σκοπός του προγράμματος ήταν οι μικροί μαθητές να γνωρίσουν, να καταλάβουν και να αποδεχθούν την διαφορετικότητα και τις ομοιότητες των ανθρώπων, παρά τις όποιες γλωσσικές διαφορές τους. Το πρόγραμμα έλαβε έπαινο για τη συμμετοχή του στη δράση Erasmus+ European Language Label – Ευρωπαϊκό Σήμα Γλωσσών 2016. Επίσης έλαβε το χρυσό Βραβείο στο διαγωνισμό “Education Leaders Awards 2018”, ένα διαγωνισμό που αναδεικνύει και επιβραβεύει τις βέλτιστες πρακτικές στο χώρο της εκπαίδευσης.

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Author Biography

  • Eirini Papachristou, Pre-school Head Teacher, BA, Med, Msc, Greece
    Mrs Eirini Papachristou has studied Pedagogical Sciences at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece and Applied Foreign Languages in Management and Commerce. She holds two master’s degrees: "Studies in Education”, Hellenic Open University and “Cognitive and Motor Development”, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. She also has an annually specialization in Special Education, University of Macedonia, Greece. She has a professional experience as a Head of the Department of Environmental, Health and Cultural Education of Primary Education of Thesprotia, Greece. Except her mother tongue, Greek, she also speaks English, German and Italian. She is currently working as a School Head in Pre-school Education.

References

Bezati, Th., & Theodosopoulou, M. Objectives of intercultural education and the role of adult education. http://reader.ekt.gr/bookReader/show/index.php?lib=EDULLL&item=139&bitstream=139_01#page/1/mode/2up. Accessed 20 October 2020 (in Greek).

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Kossyvaki, F. (2002). Critical Communication Teaching. Athens: Gutenberg (in Greek).

Markou, G. (1996). Approaches to multiculturalism and intercultural education - Teacher training. General Secretary for People’s Training. Athens (in Greek).

Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs. Greek State Scholarships Foundation (I.K.Y.). Erasmus+European Language Label, National call for proposals 2016. https://www.iky.gr/el/iky-rss/item/2754-evropaiko-sima-glossonMc.Accessed 15 November 2015 (in Greek).

Papas, A. (1998). Intercultural Pedagogy and Teaching. Athens: Self-publish

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Published

2020-11-11

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 12 (2020)

Section

Articles

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