Situiertes Lernen - Lernförderung durch interkulturelle Umgebungen / Peripheral learning - Learning support through intercultural environments

The "Peripheral Learning" project aims to cultivate essential competencies in students to address learning disadvantages, early school leaving, and low proficiency in basic skills. By promoting a ...

The "Peripheral Learning" project aims to cultivate essential competencies in students to address learning disadvantages, early school leaving, and low proficiency in basic skills. By promoting a comprehensive approach to language teaching, we empower students to become more confident and proficient in their language abilities. Innovative strategies like work-based learning engage students in real-world language applications, enhancing practical skills. Our project emphasizes teaching foreign languages to bridge intercultural, intergenerational, and social divides. By fostering cultural understanding and empathy, students appreciate diversity and inclusivity. Language exchange programs and multicultural activities broaden perspectives and build community connections. Central to our project are the promotion of common values, civic engagement, and participation. Instilling social responsibility and active citizenship, students positively contribute to their communities. Service-learning projects and civic education initiatives develop leadership skills, making students agents of change. Integrating these aspects into our educational approach creates natural learning environments that motivate students to excel.

In our project, we implemented diverse activities to foster cultural, practical, digital, and communicative skills in a natural learning environment. Participants visited significant sites in Italy, including Pompeii, Naples, and the Royal Palace of Caserta. In Germany, visits included the Cologne Cathedral, Central Mosque of Cologne, Recklinghausen old town, and the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen, including Villa Hügel. In Türkyie we visited antique city of Olympus and had a cultural tour of Kemer city. Artistic experiences included theater performances in Italy and Turkey. Practical skills were developed through sewing workshops in Italy, where participants created bags, and digital training sessions featuring 3D modeling software. In Germany, workshops included designing staircase steps and creating globes to enhance geographical knowledge with a linguistic focus. Sports-cultural activities featured a visit to the Dortmund stadium. In Turkey, language acquisition, cross-cultural interaction, and community involvement were promoted through drama, storytelling, creative material design, and language workshops.

The core of the project focused on real-world activities to introduce students to a friendly and creative learning environment, enhancing their linguistic and non-cognitive skills. Practical and creative workshops included drawing, technology, cooking, and science labs. Concrete outcomes included designing and decorating staircases in Germany's school administrative area, showcasing students' creativity and participation. Additionally, a globe created during the project is displayed in the recreation center, symbolizing the Erasmus+ program and promoting collaboration and understanding. A cake baked in the workshop was shared throughout the school to raise Erasmus+ awareness. To increase Erasmus+ visibility, we maintain a dedicated section on our school's homepage, set up information stands at school events, and ensure continuous communication with partners. Soft outcomes included students learning basic Turkish, Italian, and German, and forming friendships with exchange peers, demonstrating the project's broader impact on intercultural understanding and personal growth among participants.