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european resource centre

Issue 23: 2011–2012

NEWSLETTER

The Northern Ireland Headteachers were impressed by the enthusiasm for education shown by pupils in China, despite the large classes of approximately 60 per class and the warmth and generosity of their hosts. The Chinese visitors were impressed with what they saw in the schools in Belfast, in particular how individual needs were catered for, and were charmed by songs and poetry performed in Chinese at Good Shepherd.

For further information on the support available to support international partnerships please visit www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline

Contents

Connecting Classrooms China – Reciprocal Visit

01 Connecting Classrooms China

02 British Council Schools Online

03 London 2012

05 Events: Climate Conversations and Opportunity Europe

06 International School Award

07 Global School Partnerships

08 eTwinning and Comenius Partnerships

09 Mock Council of the European Union

11 Fulbright UK/US Exchange

11 Foreign Language Assistants

12 Pilot Project Promoting Human Rights Education

13 Rivers of the World

15 Resources

17 British Council opportunities

In May 2009, Paul Irvine, Headteacher of Good Shepherd Primary School, Derry, and seven other primary and post primary principals from Belfast visited schools in China, as part of the Chinese Bridge for UK Schools Programme. As a result of the visit, partnerships were established between the Northern Ireland schools and schools in Hefei, Anhui Province.

In March this year, Xu Cuyin, Principal of Paul’s partner school, Wei Gang Primary School, Hefei, and colleagues from the Hefei Education Bureau paid a return visit to Northern Ireland and to Good Shepherd Primary School. The visit has consolidated the partnership and allowed the schools to develop further joint activities, exchange of emails and work between pupils.

01 – ERC Newsletter

British Council Schools Online – Start your international journey today!

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We are delighted to introduce our new global web service and community, supporting schools to work internationally. British Council Schools Online is a one stop shop for all aspects of international collaboration and the global dimension for schools.

We’ve combined the school partnerships support of Connecting Classrooms Online with the services of the Global Gateway, e-Languages and the International School Award all in one space, to make it easier for you and your school to avail of these programmes and opportunities.

British Council Schools Online makes finding a partner school easier than ever. Through our new service, you can quickly and easily link your school with another, anywhere in the world.

To assist your new partnership we’ve created online forums and project spaces where your students can collaborate and enhance their skills by sharing and creating projects with young people from another culture.

Our funding section means that your school can search for funding opportunities to support your new partnership. In addition, the site contains professional development opportunities for staff and other support resources. You can now even apply online for the International School Award accreditation.

Why not check out our new website to see what we can offer your school. Partner finding is free for all schools and colleges worldwide. New information on programmes and funding, case studies and more are added to the portal regularly. You can register your school at any time. If you are already registered with any of the previous British Council websites; Global Gateway / International School Award Connecting Classrooms Online eLanguages, you can use your existing log in details to explore the site even further.

www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline


British Council Programme for London 2012 Northern Ireland connections

The British Council is working on a range of projects that complement the official London 2012 programme. In the UK and overseas, we are drawing on our expertise in Education, Arts and the English Language to help deliver an international approach to the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Northern Ireland is involved in a number of these nationwide programmes and activities.

Arts> Unlimited is the UK’s largest programme

celebrating arts, culture and sport by disabled and deaf people. The project is a series of commissions which is funded by the National Lottery through the Olympic Lottery Distributor and managed by Arts Council England, together with other UK Arts Councils and the British Council. Unlimited is part of the Cultural Olympiad and works will feature in the London 2012 Festival.

From Northern IrelandSinead O’Donnell – CAUTIONPerformance/Exhibition

Led by Sinead O’Donnell and produced by Artsadmin, CAUTION will bring together some of the world’s leading performance artists – Sylvette Babin (Montreal, Canada), Mariel Carranza (Los Angeles, USA/Lima, Peru), Paul Couillard (Toronto, Canada), Poshya Kakl (Erbil, Kurdistan-Iraq) and Shiro Masuyama (Tokyo, Japan) – to collaborate on a major international project exploring ‘invisible’ disability. The resulting performance and exhibition will showcase high quality, ambitious work by disabled and deaf artists at Golden Thread Gallery, Belfast.

> River of Music will welcome the world to London with a spectacular weekend of free music from across the 205 Olympic and Paralympic nations, presented at iconic sites along the River Thames on 21 and 22 July 2012.

Northern Ireland and Ireland will be represented at this festival. Details in November 2011.> London 2012 Festival Commissions.

Leading artists from all over the world will come together in the UK’s biggest ever festival – a chance for everyone to celebrate London 2012 through dance, music, theatre, the visual arts, film and digital innovation and leave a lasting legacy for the arts in the UK.

The culmination of the Cultural Olympiad, the London 2012 Festival, will open on 21 June 2012 – Midsummer’s Day. It will run until 9 September 2012 – the last day of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

At the heart of the Festival will be a programme of commissions by some of the finest artists in the world in events ranging from pop to film, from visual arts and fashion to theatre, from circus to carnival, from opera to digital innovation.

Education> Schools Online is the British Council’s new

website and community to support schools working internationally.

Schools Online has a dedicated section on the Games. Warm-up for the Games invites all schools to participate in welcoming the world to the UK in 2012. The Warm-up for London 2012 project offers 1) Links with schools all over the world. 2) Project templates for 2012 focusing on sport and cultural exchange. 3) Recognition for schools international work with the British Council’s accreditation framework (the International School Award). Schools from across Northern Ireland will be encouraged to sign-up for Warm-up for the Games.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline

> World Olympic Dreams is a BBC project following the lives and progress of 26 athletes from around the world as they train for 2012. BBC World Class and the British Council have teamed up to enable schools in the UK to twin with schools attended by World Olympic Dreams Athletes. In the build up to the Games, the schools will work together on joint projects inspired by Olympic values.

MC Mary Kom, is a female boxer from Manipur, India who in 2010 clinched her fifth successive World Amateur boxing gold. London 2012 will be Mary Kom’s first

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Olympic Games, as women’s boxing is introduced as an event for the first time. Mary Kom didn’t start boxing until she left school in 2000. She attended Loktak Christian Model High School up to the age of 11, then spent two years at St. Xaviers, both on the outskirts of the state capital, Imphal.

St Xavier’s School is twinning with Methodist College in Belfast and Loktak Christian Model School is twinning with Ballykeel Primary in Ballymena. The British Council set up the links and may support school visits to the partner schools (currently security issues).

> International Inspiration aims to enrich the lives of 12 million children and young people in 20 countries across the world through the power of high quality and inclusive physical education, sport and play. The British Council works closely with UK Sport and UNICEF, as well as the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to deliver this ambitious project.

In Northern Ireland the British Council, DCAL, and Youth Sport Trust have forged a local school partnership with Jordan. At the heart of the partnership are 10 schools links with 10 schools in Jordan. The school partnerships are designed to enable the schools to share good practice and adapt an innovative approach to the use of PE, sport and play to benefit children in their schools and the wider community.

The NI schools are Ashfield Boys High School/St Patrick’s College, Belfast Boys’ Model School, Carrickfergus Grammar School, Fivemiletown College, Glengormley High School, Lisneal College, Oakgrove College, St Ciaran’s College, St Mary’s High School, Slemish College.

> Big Dance 2012 is the world’s largest dance programme. Founded in 2006 by the Mayor of London in partnership with Arts Council England, Big Dance is London’s Legacy Trust UK programme.

Through the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms programme schools from countries around the world can participate in Big Dance 2012 and make dance the focus of international school partnerships, culminating in an international Big Dance schools event on 18 May 2012.

Open to all Connecting Classrooms schools in Northern Ireland.

> Get Set and the London 2012 International Education Programme is the official London 2012 education programme for schools and colleges in the UK. Resources and information about how UK schools/colleges can gain rewards and recognition for their London 2012-related activities can be found at www.london2012.com/getset

Open to all schools in Northern Ireland.

English> English for the Games. The British

Council is developing a range of English language materials to satisfy the huge global interest in the English language inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic Games. These materials will be aimed at learners and teachers of English worldwide as well as those visiting the UK for the Games.

Six accredited schools in Northern Ireland will have been sent information about English 2012 resources for EFL teachers and English language learners.

Further info on London 2012 www.britishcouncil.org/london2012

Opportunity Europe and Beyond is an annual two-day fair and exhibition held in October in St George’s Market, Belfast.

It provides students, teachers and careers advisors with all the best local information on working, studying, volunteering and travelling throughout Europe and beyond.

Opened by Cool Fm DJ Pete Snodden this year’s event brought together a vibrant programme of events, including music, dance, quizzes, visual arts, food, workshops, exhibition stands and discussions.

The British Council was part of the organising committee and hosted a variety of workshops for both students and teachers.

Students at the International Opportunities workshop met with British Council ambassadors from the Study USA, IAESTE and Language Assistants programmes. The ambassadors gave presentations about their time studying and working overseas in Spain, Hungary and America.

Teachers and students had the opportunity to see the Comenius programme in action, with a live video link between Belfast Boys’ Model School and their German Comenius Partner School.

In the interactive zone we held workshops for teachers looking to add or develop an international dimension to their school. The launch of British Council Schools Online website engaged teachers in educational partnerships across the world. The eTwinning workshops offered teachers advice on how to look for a suitable European partner school.

For further information on how to register for next year’s event contact the European Commission Office on 028 9024 0708

‘Climate Conversations’ has been developed by W5 and the British Council to build upon experiences from previous collaborative climate change programmes. This event aims to inspire pupils to think long term and take action on climate change locally and globally while embedding the values of sustainable development into their lives.

The unique event will link schools through video conference and will begin with speakers from Ireland, Ghana and Northern Ireland who will highlight the issues surrounding sustainable development, climate change and food in their own country. Students from all three countries will then be able to ask questions, discuss and debate thereby gaining valuable first hand information and knowledge.

Teachers will be provided with pre and post event resources for use in the classroom. Schools will also register with the British Council’s international web community, Schools Online: www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline where teachers will be able to communicate, network, share materials and develop links.

Climate Conversations10am–2pm, W5 Discovery Centre, Belfast

‘A’ Level / Transition Year Students

Date: 9th February 2012 (TBC)

This is a FREE EVENT with contribution to transport

Booking information (W5)Phone: 00 (44) 28 9046 7790 or 7793

Fax: 00 (44) 28 9046 7707

e-mail: [email protected]

Opportunity Europe and beyond

Climate Conversations


International School Awards

Fourteen Northern Ireland schools were awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of their work to bring the world into the classroom.

The International School Award is a badge of honour for schools that do outstanding work in international education, such as through links with partner schools overseas.

The ISA offers a framework to record and evaluate international work and embed it into the curriculum and whole school ethos. International Coordinator Marion Lübbeke at St. Columb’s College wants to formalise her school’s long-standing international engagement by making an application: “As every teacher knows, it is not easy to find dedicated time for completing such an application but British Council’s offer to find a mentor school helped.”

“ Our international policy, staff development, collaboration with partner schools, curriculum-based work across a range of subjects and involvement of the wider community. like parents, businesses and social projects can all be captured.” she added. Limavady Grammar School, just awarded with a Full ISA for a further three years, will give mentoring support by sharing their ISA expertise with St Columb’s College.

On hearing the news that Newtownards Model Primary School had received the Award, Vice-Principal Colin Millar said: “The world for our pupils is now a much smaller place and it is important they develop a global awareness to ensure they grow up to become well rounded citizens.”

A recent development has been the establishing of a link in the Far East with China, starting with a group of SEELB principals visiting China to observe the education system in China. A direct result of this visit was the development of direct links with Cheng’an primary school.

Two classes from the Chinese school have been engaged in corresponding with two classes in the Newtownards Model Primary School on a range of shared topics aimed at developing their understanding of each others school, country and culture.

Daniel, a Chinese teaching student, visited the school to share what school life was like in China and Chinese Principals and educationalists visited the school this September to observe the teaching and learning approaches within the school.

Full ISA accreditation is valid for three years. Foundation and Intermediate applications can be submitted at any time of the year. For Full ISA applications there is a deadline at each of the two stages: submission of the action plan before December and submission of the self evaluation form at the end of the Summer term. Applications for 2012 will open soon.

Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need to live and work as global citizens.

Schools can find out how to apply by visiting www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline

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The school has very strong European links with Sweden and Spain and the international dimension is fully embedded into the school’s ethos and curriculum.


For almost a decade, the Global School Partnerships programme (GSP) has helped develop strong, equitable relationships between schools in Northern Ireland and schools in the Global South. Opening up local classrooms to the world; partners have included schools from Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Ghana, Nepal and Jamaica. These partnerships have illustrated the many benefits of jointly addressing global issues through the curriculum.

In Belfast, an increasing number of schools now have well-established partnerships with Ugandan schools. This relationship began in 2008 with a link between Uganda Martyrs University and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS). From this initial seed, schools were able to develop individual partnerships with their Ugandan colleagues, and these school links have blossomed.

This strong NI – Ugandan partnership is illustrated by Holy Cross Girls’ school, Belfast, and St Theresa’s Girls’ school, Kisubi. Both schools have continually shown a real commitment to working together. They began communicating in 2009 and although laying the foundations was occasionally challenging, both schools persevered and are now ‘reaping the huge benefits of opening up new learning in both schools’.

Both Holy Cross and St Theresa’s invested a great deal of time discussing potential plans and ensuring benefits were shared. This cooperative approach resulted in relevant activities that enhanced each other’s curricula, including projects exploring issues around food, fair trade and climate change. Coordinator Catherine Dowds remarked,

Global Schools in Northern Ireland

“This partnership has begun to broaden our pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the implications of their choices on the world stage. As they are our future, the better informed we can help them to become, the brighter our world may be.”

The schools also benefited greatly from undertaking reciprocal visits. A number of teachers have visited Uganda and their Ugandan partners have returned to Belfast. This face-to-face experience has helped deepen and strengthen the partnerships – “The visits have been vital in sustaining the partnership – we formed close personal relationships and were able to witness the day to day operation of our respective school systems.”

The GSP programme has been able to help develop these links by providing support, professional development and funding.

For more information about the opportunities, please visit our website http://www.dfid.gov.uk/globalschools or contact Kevin Quinn: [email protected]

The Global School Partnerships programme, funded by UKaid from the Department for International Development, is delivered by a consortium that includes the British Council, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), Cambridge Education Fund (CEF) and the UK One World Linking Association (UKOWLA).

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It is free and easy to register at any time, with no application process. eTwinning provides you with the tools and resources needed to create a dynamic online project for your pupils with your partner school. eTwinning Professional Development workshops are a fantastic way to get started with the programme and to learn more about eTwinning, or participate in one of our online training sessions from your own computer. Visit our website for more details on workshops or contact [email protected]

“My class is involved in an etwinning project about customs and traditions which was a direct result of my participation in the workshop. My details were picked up by a teacher in Austria who invited us to join the project. The pupils are very excited and worked together to produce a PowerPoint about our school. We have also started another project with a previous Comenius partner in Norway to continue our links. We hope that this will help to cover the Exchange element for CCEA’s ICT Accreditation Scheme” Alison Cromiskey, St Kieran’s Primary School

Dunmurry.

The CCEA ICT Accreditation Scheme is intended to provide teachers with a framework to assess your pupils’ skills in Using ICT in advance of statutory assessment. eTwinning may be used to support the requirements for Exchange and Exhibit in the CCEA Voluntary ICT Accreditation Scheme.

You can develop your eTwinning project by applying for Comenius funding. Comenius offers up to €25,000 to fund mobility projects for pupils and teachers from schools and colleges to work with partners on cross curricular projects, develop cultural and linguistic understanding and enhance professional development.

You can also job shadow a colleague or attend a course in another European country through Comenius in-service training grants. To find out more visit:

www.britishcouncil.org/comenius and www.britishcouncil.org/etwinning

European LinkseTwinning is a website that promotes school collaboration in Europe through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by providing support, tools and services to make it easy for schools to form partnerships with other European schools.


28 schools from across Northern Ireland and Ireland met at Stormont on Friday 21st October for this year’s mock Council of the European Union.

Now in its seventh year the event gives students taking part a feel for European politics and an opportunity to debate the issues affecting them.

Organised by the British Council and the European Commission Office in Northern Ireland the mock Council sets out to recreate the environment of a real Council of the European Union meeting. The Council of the European Union is the main decision-making body of the EU and brings together Ministers from each of the 27 Member States.

The current financial difficulties facing some members of the Eurozone illustrate very graphically how, in an integrated world, what happens in one part of Europe impacts on all members. EU decision making clearly has consequences across the EU. This was played out on the floor of the Senate Chamber when teams of three students from the participating schools took on the roles of government Ministers from each of the member states. In addition, students from Victoria College took on the important role of the European Commission. The simulation keeps as close to the actual Council meetings as possible.

Topical events drove this year’s agenda at Stormont with students debating the topic

of migration. The other principal theme concerned the implications of online communications and privacy issues around social networking sites such as Facebook. The role social networking played during the Arab Spring was very much on the agenda with students passionately debating censorship and privacy issues.

“The skills that you develop, you almost can’t put your finger on. You just learn something new that you can’t learn in the classroom. The debate was fast paced, it was relevant, it was current.” Dara Murphy, Student, Victoria College, Representing the European Commission

To help them in their task, schools were matched, where possible with the Honorary Consul or Embassy for their country.

On the run up to the event students initiated the debate online through the eTwinning platform. eTwinning provides a safe and secure platform for all students to use; signing in under their country; students posted articles and formed alliances. Find out about eTwinning by visiting www.etwinning.net

The debate was chaired this year by former Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly and current Member of the European Economic and Social Committee, Jane Morrice, who commended the students on a lively and well informed debate, filled with excellent ideas for facing the challenges that lie ahead for the European Union.

European politics take students to Stormont

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Students heard from the Head of the European Commission Representation in the United Kingdom, Jonathan Scheele, who gave the students the benefit of his own insights into the workings of Council of the European Union meetings. He said: “The EU has had a massive impact on life in Northern Ireland. The challenge now is to deepen Northern Ireland’s engagement with Europe, allowing it to integrate fully with the rest of Europe and to play its role successfully on the European stage. It is important, therefore, that young people get to debate major European issues and find out about the workings of the EU. The mock Council provides an ideal forum for students to get a taste of what it would be like to represent their Member State at the European level.”

“This year was the first time that students from Loreto Abbey Dalkey participated in The Mock Council of the European Union. It has provided them with invaluable experience to debate real issues in relation to Europe. It deepened their awareness of current issues that are impacting upon their lives on a European level. The forum allowed them to engage fully in the debate and challenged them to think beyond the classroom. The day broadened their educational experience and instilled in them a confidence to discuss and challenge European issues through debate and compromise.” Colette Gallagher, Loreto Abbey Dalkey, Dublin

David Alderdice, Director British Council Northern Ireland speaking about the event:

“This project provides the participants with an opportunity to engage with real European issues beyond their everyday experience and stretch their skills as debaters and young leaders. In their role for the day as European Ministers the students really nailed what it is to bring passion to a debate while also seeking a positive shared result through compromise and diplomacy. The day really allowed the students to spread their wings and experience a new dimension to their education – an international dimension – that we know from experience really benefits them as they develop their place in our society”.

You can watch this year’s video on;www.youtube.com/BritishCouncilNI

www.ec.europa.eu/northernireland

http://vimeo.com/31023227

For more information on the mock Council of the European Union please contact the European Resource Centre at [email protected] or visit our website www.britishcouncil.org/nireland


the autumn term or one full academic year teaching in the United States. Exchanges involve elementary and secondary schools, including community and further education colleges throughout the United States.

One of the advantages of the programme is that the local school will also benefit from the transatlantic programme. While Louise is in the US teaching and bringing a taste of Northern Ireland to Arizona, her counterpart from the US school, Celia Beresford, will be teaching at St Therese Primary School. This will provide the local pupils and teachers with first-hand experience of American education and culture.

Further information on the programme which has a rolling application deadline can be found on www.britishcouncil.org/nireland

Louise Doherty, a primary school teacher at St Therese Primary School, Lenamore, Derry/Londonderry has embarked on a teaching placement to the US through the prestigious Fulbright Exchange programme.

Louise is the only teacher from Northern Ireland to be participating in the programme this year. She joins over 300 teachers from eight different countries participating in the international teacher exchange. Louise will be teaching in Meyer Elementary Primary School in Tempe, Arizona.

The Fulbright teacher exchange programme is run by the British Council in collaboration with the US Department of State. The programme offers outstanding UK teachers the opportunity to trade places with an American teacher. Teachers can opt to spend

The British Council welcomed 93 incoming Foreign Language Assistants for the new academic year at an induction event at Queens University Belfast.

This year’s Assistants came from eleven countries across Europe, Canada, Central and South America and China.

Assistants work in a school for a period of one academic year, providing assistance to teachers in the classroom, taking small groups, study practice or supporting languages.

Assistants offer great support for the Languages Strategy in primary schools, or for adding immediacy and relevance to the Modern Foreign Language curriculum in secondary schools, sixth-form colleges or special schools. They provide invaluable assistance in the teaching of pronunciation and help students connect not only with the language but with the culture of the country they are studying.

Assistants cost a school £16.90 per hour and work a minimum of12 hours per week. Schools within an area can also be given the option to share an assistant, to make the programme more accessible.

Further to the opportunities available, the programme in Northern Ireland also recruits Irish Language Assistants. The Assistants are fluent and often native speakers. It is open to all schools in Northern Ireland that teach Irish.

If you are a school wishing to apply for a Language Assistant please visit our website:

www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistants or contact [email protected]

Local teacher experiences US

British Council welcomes Foreign Language Assistants

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embedded in a specific subject area) will be asked to audit their community (e.g. their school and local community). Their audit would ascertain which human rights are being enjoyed in that community and which human rights could be denied or enjoyed more fully.

Following their audit young people would then identify a particular issue to explore more fully (e.g. participation and student voice in school, access to play facilities in their community, cultural rights, language rights etc.). They would then develop community action projects to raise awareness of these human rights issues; design strategies to resolve them and engage with those responsible for ensuring the rights associated with the issue are upheld.

The pilot project runs during the academic year 2011/12 with the following intended outcomes:

• To develop the capacity of young people for ‘political; ideological and cultural generosity.’

• Young people will be equipped with the skills to be able to articulate their and other people’s perspective on key issues and to understand how both can co-exist within shared space though the balancing and limiting of rights.

• Developing an understanding of human rights requires the individual to afford the same rights to others.

The project will potentially benefit over 18,000 pupils over 5 countries with plans for further expansion after the pilot year.

For more information please contact [email protected]

Over the last few years a number of countries globally have been looking at how policy makers and educators in Northern Ireland are addressing the legacy of the conflict in the classroom.

It became clear that the Northern Ireland Citizenship curriculum, and specifically its focus on Human Rights Education provided a useful starting point for discussing opportunities for similar curriculum initiatives in other countries in transition from conflict.

The British Council has been working with the School of Education at Queen’s University Belfast and Co-operation Ireland to develop the pilot project.

In January 2011 we hosted Ministry of Education representatives from Armenia; Israel; Iraq and Sri Lanka to discuss the potential for piloting Human Rights Based Approaches to education. This led to a training event that was delivered by Queen’s University and Co-operation Ireland in Belfast in June 2011.

Initiated through the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms programme, the pilot focuses on collaborative curriculum projects which result in community action projects.

Its aim is to empower young people through understanding. To inspire them to take action to ensure their human rights and the human rights of others in their community are respected, protected and fulfilled.

Students following a core human rights education unit (either ‘stand alone’ or

British Council Northern Ireland leads pilot project promoting Human Rights Education


Rivers of the World unite along the Foyle

Art work produced by pupils in Derry-Londonderry and Donegal is being exhibited on the banks of the River Foyle as part of Rivers of the World, an art and education initiative involving more than 2,000 young people around the world.

The exhibition of local schools work was first shown in London where it was viewed by more than a million people as part of the Mayor of London’s Thames Festival.

The exhibition was launched on 28th September at a special event at Ebrington Barracks in Derry-Londonderry which brought together the pupils, teachers and artists involved in the project along with special guests including Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of the British Council and Graham Sheffield, Head of Global Arts, British Council, Adrian Evans, Director of the Thames Festival, and representatives from Derry-Londonderry City of Culture, and MLAs.

Rivers of the World is a Mayor’s Thames Festival project delivered in partnership with the British Council’s Connecting Classrooms with support from HSBC Global Education Trust and local partners, Ilex, the urban regeneration company. Each year the project links young people from around the world to develop art work based on shared river themes.

Adrian Evans, Director of the Thames Festival, said:

“Rivers of the World is one of our core art and education projects, linking students all over the world through the creation of artworks inspired by their city’s river. The children’s artwork looks amazing along the south bank and is a real highlight of our Festival”

Local students from Crana College, Foyle & Londonderry College, Oakgrove Integrated College, Royal & Prior Comprehensive, St. Columb’s College, and St. Joseph’s Boys’ School were linked with six London secondary schools. Other London schools were linked with cities in Argentina, Korea, Thailand, Turkey and USA.

They have spent the last year studying the history, culture and environment of their local river – in Derry/Donegal, the Foyle – or a river in their partner country and, with the help of professional artists, have produced huge art works inspired by what they have learnt.

In early September teachers from the participating schools had the opportunity to travel to London to visit their partner schools and share ideas for curriculum development with teachers there. The group also had time to see their pupils’ artwork on the banks of the Thames, in prime position outside the Tate gallery, and enjoy the Thames Festival weekend.

Students from Crana College, Foyle College, Oakgrove Integrated College, Royal & Prior Comprehensive, St. Columb’s College, and St. Joseph’s Boys’ School with their artwork on the Foyle River.

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Rivers of the World unite along the Foyle

Artist Sinead Smyth said “Working with the young people of Foyle and Londonderry College was a delight. The river connects us all, our journeys are individual, but sharing our experiences and stories, puts us in that boat together and demonstrates that together we are part of something bigger. As an artist, I found the project allowed me the opportunity to enter a creative process with these young people, linking craft and design with history and geography on a personal, local and global level.”

The project has not only developed links between schools across the Irish Sea but has also created a strong network amongst schools in Derry-Londonderry and Donegal.

Susan Thomas Art & Design teacher at Foyle & Londonderry College, partnered with St. Mary Magdalene Academy, London said: “It has been most fruitful to work as a team here in the North West brought together by the Rivers of the World Project. We have all been involved in such a promising and uplifting creative experience which can only help boost our subject, pupil group and school. I hope that we can enthuse others so that 2013 can be our time to propel our city forward to a better future for all to live in.”

Jade Barker and Heather Allen from Foyle College with Clare Faithorn, British Council, Ireland

Students from Crana College, Foyle College, Oakgrove Integrated College, Royal & Prior Comprehensive, St. Columb’s College, and St. Joseph’s Boys’ School with their artwork on the Foyle River.

John Worne, British Council, said: “Just like the British Council, rivers connect people and bring them together to meet, to trade and to learn and create new things. These striking artworks capture young people’s acute understanding of the world around them and the understanding of each other and of global issues that can be created through international partnerships between schools. Rivers of the World is a lovely example of how education and the arts can combine successfully to help young people in different countries share, explore and learn together. The British Council is delighted to be working with the Thames Festival once again to support this project”.

Locally the programme has also been supported by the Loughs Agency, WELB and HSE.

Three new countries join Rivers of the World each year and by 2012 more than 17 countries will have taken part in the project.

You can view all the art work at www.riversoftheworld.org

Resources


European Union MapsMap detailing the Member states and flags, along with basic information on capitals and populations. Available in two formats: a larger laminated wall map and a smaller folded map.

A full list of the resources available from the European Resource Centre can be found on the website www.britishcouncil.org/nireland

If you would like to order any resources please contact the European Resource Centre on; 028 9024 8220 or email [email protected]

Passport to the European Union Provides facts and information on each of the 27 Member states. The new 2011 version of this booklet includes new photographs and the Estonian Euro Coin.

Let’s explore EuropeThis book is full of interesting facts and colourful illustrations. It gives a lively overview of Europe and explains briefly how the European Union works. (9–12 yrs)

United in DiversityThis illustrated booklet details the countries of the European Union in a fun and imaginative way. This booklet is now available with a free wall poster. (Please enquire for availability)

EU Member states bookmarksStickers Bookmarks featuring a time line of the years each member state joined the EU. (Max 30 per order)

Flags of the European Union A4 sheets of stickers of the flags of the 27 EU member states. (Max 30 per order)

Languages take you furtherThis booklet helps pupils learn how to count and say a few key phrases in some of the many languages spoken in Europe. (Max 15 per order)

European Resource CentreProviding teachers, students and young people with free information and resources on European issues.

European Resource Centre T: (028) 9024 8220E: [email protected] www.britishcouncil.org/nireland

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La Consejerìa de Educación: Spanish Language Resources for Primary SchoolsA range of Spanish language teaching resources published by the Spanish Embassy in London. Designed for teaching English speakers and suitable for teachers with a limited command of Spanish.

¡Hola amigos! 1–4Four booklets of activities, graded at different levels, to reinforce the learning of Spanish.

Me GustaIntroduces Spanish language and culture to primary school learners. The contents are especially tailored to Language Assistant teachers in charge of developing pupil’s oral skills.

Todos JuntosMade up of five units, Todos Juntos is suitable for primary schools and the lowest level of secondary. It includes three areas of proficiency ranging from complete beginners to more advanced learners.

Wall MapsA range of very popular wall maps for primary schools. Please note that schools will be required to pay postage fees for these resources.

To request any of these resources please email: [email protected]

A full list of resources from the Consejerìa de Educación, including resources for post primary and colleges, can be found on their website:

http://www.educacion.gob.es/reinounido/publicaciones-materiales/material-didactico.html

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