European Hours Local Plan
European Hours in The Centre for European Schooling is a non disciplinary curricular area offering an open-ended and broad range of activities whose content is multidisciplinary. European Hours class provides an opportunity to:
o Mix and group together pupils of different nationalities
o Allow pupils to interact and work together and to communicate while engaged in common activities
o Engage pupils in topics concerning their own and/ or other countries.
The working language of the European Hours classes is English. The schedule for the year is drawn up at a meeting of all EH teachers in early September and is based on preliminary plans which have been agreed at the end of the previous school year.
The CES Local Plan is reviewed at this end of year meeting.
Aims of European Hours class:
o To develop greater awareness of and sensitivity to Europe’s heritage and the European dimension
o To develop a European identity/European spirit based on pupils’ own cultural identity
o To offer to pupils an opportunity to get to know, respect and help one another
o To contribute to the social and personal development of pupils
o To enable the CES pupils to present to their peer groups a project/performance from their own or another country
o To promote respect, tolerance and acceptance of others among the mainstream school population
o To enhance the status of The Centre for European Schooling as a unit extending beyond the confines of language teaching
o To promote harmonisation across language groups
o To offer to teachers, particularly those who are the only teacher of their language in the Centre for European Schooling, the opportunity to work as part of a team which shares resources and ideas and pedagogical and methodological approaches
Organisation of European Hours:
During the European Hours class pupils learn to work together and acquire new skills. Pupils work together and communicate across the barrier created by language. They learn about Europe and their work results in a product which is then presented to others.
Timetables are arranged so that teachers work with groups for a period of six or seven weeks on a topic related to that teacher’s own country. Modules are planned in advance but each teacher works on a topic of his/her own choosing.
The E H module is organised by the European Hours Team which is made up of the Co-ordinator and a number of teachers.
The duties of the Co-ordinator in relation to E H are as follows:
¨ To draw up rotating timetables and to place pupils in appropriate groups
¨ To arrange meetings of European Hours team.
¨ To co-ordinate the implementation of the aims of the EH class.
¨ To arrange for purchase of resources
¨ To prepare European Hours written report for parents as part of CES Reports (January and June)
¨ To distribute evaluation and report forms which when completed by teachers are kept on file in the Co-ordinator’s office
The duties of the EH team are as follows:
¨ To contribute to planning of EH classes throughout the school year.
¨ To assist in organisation of presentation of EH product
¨ To review and evaluate European Hours Programme
The pupils are placed in groups according to their ages rather than the languages they speak. The groups change every six or seven weeks depending on the school calendar.
EH is discussed at meetings of teachers at least twice each term. The EH classes for the year are planned in September and teachers decide on topics which are discussed during the first meeting.
The evaluation of the work is done at the end of the module by the EH teacher and recorded on the Evaluation Form. The teacher also completes an EH Report Form for each pupil. This report contributes to the general European Hours Report which is completed by the co-ordinator and is included in the pupils’ reports which are forwarded to parents in January and June. The completed European Hours Report Form is filed in the pupil’s Individual Education Plan.
Materials for EH class are funded from CES Budget.
The EH Plan is reviewed at the last Staff Meeting of the school year.
Presentation of European Hour Product
The EH product is presented to at least one mainstream class group at the end of the six/seven week module. This can take the form of demonstrations, exhibitions, drama, music, etc. Pupils work together and communicate across the barrier created by language. The presentation may be to a larger group and parents may be invited to the presentation.
Evaluation and Assessment
Evaluation and assessment is the responsibility of the teachers involved in EH Projects.
1. Assessment by the Teacher
Teachers complete an Assessment Form for each pupil at the end of each module. The Forms are part of an ongoing assessment process and contribute to a general assessment of the pupils’ participation in EH classes for the January and June CES Reports.
The following attainments and competences are assessed:
- Ability to understand instructions
- Participation in activities and concentration on work
- Level of co-operation and respect for others
- Involvement in projects
- Use of knowledge of language to communicate
- Ability/willingness to finish work on time
The Assessment Form will be reviewed at the end of year meeting.
2. Pupils’ self assessment
A programme of self assessment is currently under discussion whereby pupils are asked to make an appraisal of their own work during EH classes.
Resources
The most significant resource is the teachers themselves who bring to this class not only their skills as teachers but the richness and variety of their own national identity and heritage.
Other resources include Information Technology, school library, European Commission including Food and Veterinary Office.
Materials required for European Hours are purchased by the CES and funded by the CES budget administered by St. Seachnall’s N. S.
Review of Local Plan
The Local Plan for European Hours will be reviewed and evaluated at the end of year meeting in June. This process will take place under the following headings:
- Themes and Topics worked on during the year
- Methodologies used
- European Hours Evaluation and Report Forms
- Organisation of Modules
- Resources