The document describes a service-learning project between the American International School of Budapest and a school in a rural village in Senegal called "Les Cajoutiers". Through pen pals, fundraising, and trips to Senegal, students at various grade levels enhance their French language learning while helping children in need. The project aims to teach students responsibility, cultural understanding, and to become global citizens through authentic experiences linked to the curriculum.

1. Service'Learning'Enhancing'
'Language'Learning:'The'Senegal'Project'
'
Delinka'Fabiny'
American'International'School'of'Budapest'
'
ECIS'Conference'November'2013'
!
The'Senegal'project'is'a'studentIinitiated'connection'between'the'
American'International'School'of'Budapest'and'“Les'Cajoutiers”,'a'school'
for'deprived'children'in'a'rural'village'in'Senegal.'
!
Service'+'Learning'='Authentic'experiences'
Addressing!the!MIND!and!HEART:!investigation,!analysis,!and!evaluation.!!
The!classroom:!place!to!look!outward,!to!provide!students!with!tools!to!
understand!the!world.!
!
Knowing'and'doing:!through'service'that'is'knowledge'based,'
students'learn'responsibility!and!commitment,!compassion!and!caring,!critical!
inquiry,!respect!and!appreciation!of!other!cultures,!understanding!between!
people.!
Combining'service'and'learning'in'the'French'classes:'
authentic'experiences'
Linked!with!the!standards!of!Communication,!Culture,!Connections,!
(Comparisons),!and!Communities.!
Trip'to'Senegal:!helping!and!meeting!kids,!meeting!people,!meeting!a!culture.!
Connecting'across'levels:!example:!when!learning!the!past!tense:!6th!grade!
intermediate!class!interviewed!High!School!students!who!traveled!to!Senegal.'
IB'French'B!students!exposed!to!global!issues!topics!of!poverty/health.
Connecting with other topics in the curriculum - culinary heritage: fundraising
lunch to sponsor the schooling of a child.'
Connecting across the curriculum: geography, history, art, and “Peace One
Day” project.
Middle School students: pen pals in Senegal, all letters are linked with the
topics of the curriculum.

2. Elementary students: presentations about Senegal (awareness raising),
students brought in toys for the kids at “Les Cajoutiers”.
As!a!goal!of!the!education!in!an!International!School!is!for!students!to!become!
global!citizens,!the!language!class!answers!the!purpose:!it!includes!learning!
about!culture!and!how!to!communicate!effectively!across!cultural!differences.!
!
Language!is!the!knowledge!of!grammar,!spelling!etc.!but!also!entering!the!
experiences!of!the!other.!
When!addressing!the!mind!and!the!heart,!combining!service!and!learning,!we'
can'make'the'learning'experience'better,'more'fun,'more'meaningful!!