“It Takes a World of Differences to Make a Different World”: The EAN Project in Greece

Conference: The Asian Conference on Education (ACE2022)
Title: “It Takes a World of Differences to Make a Different World”: The EAN Project in Greece
Stream: Curriculum Design & Development
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Authors:
Thomai Alexiou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract:

Following the 21st century model of creating classrooms that respond to society’s pluralingualism and multiculturalism, English as a foreign language has been introduced in numerous European countries, as well as worldwide, in numerous preschools (Baïdak et al., 2017; Alexiou, 2020). Within this scope, integrating English as a foreign language in all Greek preschools is realised as of September 2021 through the EAN project (2021-2022). The project supports teachers’ work through developmentally suitable soft CLIL educational scenarios that relate to the New Preschool Curriculum in Greece. This innovation does not only reflect international practices but also advances them both in the context of early foreign language learning and in relation to teacher training and support. Teacher training addressed both to in-service EFL teachers and pre-primary teachers is one of the main pillars of the EAN project and the positive impact of the EAN training scheme on self-efficacy is statistically significant. Monitoring and supervising the introduction of the English language in preschools as well as collecting evidence from all the key stakeholders are paramount in this process. One of the main innovations has been the effort to cultivate a culture of collaboration between the teachers, contributing to the children’s formation of a positive attitude towards languages. Important parameters are also children’s development of attitudes, soft skills and pedagogical values as well as the promotion of intercultural competence. The EAN Project caters for young children’s multilateral education as well as their holistic development and presents a paradigm shift in EFL and preschool educational



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