This document discusses ways to motivate students and engage them through international links in their language learning. It recommends celebrating other cultures through native speaker contact, authentic materials from other countries, and giving students a real international audience. Several specific online collaboration tools are described, including eTwinning, ePals, and Connecting Classrooms, which allow students to partner with classes abroad. Successful project examples through these tools include blogging, wikis, exploring local areas, and video conferencing with international partners. Recognition and awards are available for high quality international projects.

1. Motivation and engagement
through international links
Helena Butterfield
HOD MFL St. Michael's RC School,
Billingham
www.langwitch.co.uk

2. Why?
Celebrate different cultures
■
Native speaker contact
■
Authentic material
■
Real audience
■
Widens focus
■
Motivation
■

3. DCSF International School
Award
● Curriculum-based international work
in schools.
● Open to all UK schools
● Free of charge.

4. Online Collaboration
● eTwinning (www.etwinning.net)
● ePals ( www.epals.com )– really good if you
want an email exchange around the world.
● Comenius (European-funded projects over 2
years) www.britishcouncil.org/comenius
● Connecting Classrooms (World-wide funded
projects) www.britishcouncil.
org/conectingclassrooms

5. eTwinning
● 32 European countries
● ICT
● European Commission’s partner
finding and online
● Collaboration tool.
● All ages within education
● Any length
● Any curriculum area
● Free!

6. Find a partner school

7. Submit your project idea for
approval
Submit your
project idea to
your NSS
(British Council)

8. Project kits

9. Project is approved and eTwinning
Label awarded

10. Twinspace
Similar to VLE
●

11. Ideas that have worked

12. Blogging project with France
Blogging project with
France
shortlisted for the European eTwinning
Prize and UK eTwinning Prize 2008/09

13. Wiki project (in English) with
France, Italy, Turkey,
Romania, Poland
Wiki project (in English)
with France, Italy, Turkey,
Romania, Poland

14. Project on our local area in
German
Project on
our local
area in
German

15. Michel le Voyageur
http://michaeleneurope.wikispaces.com
http://stmichaelsbear.posterous.com

16. The Rainbow Village Project
http://therainbowvillageproject.blogspot.co.uk/p/prizes-and-awards.html

17. Realtime communication
Online Chat
●
Twinspace
Chatroom

18. Realtime face-to-face
communication
Video conference
●

19. Awards and Recognition
Quality Labels: Recognition of
outstanding projects from the UK
NSS (British Council) and the
European CSS (EU)
UK eTwinning Awards
European eTwinning
Awards

20. And finally…
“What you learn without joy, you forget
without regret”
Tiina Sarisalmi (Finnish Teacher, eTwinning Conference, Prague, Feb 2009)

21. More information
●The Langwitch Chronicles: http:
//helenabutterfield.net
●eTwinning: www.etwinning.net
●British Council: www.britishcouncil.org
●Twitter: @langwitch