Form a group of four students and do the activities suggested.
PRE-READING
1. Before reading discuss the following.
a) Have you ever heard about EU programmes?
b) What do they deal with?
c) Is your school involved in any of them (or has been in the past)?
d) Can you mention any specific EU programme?
2. Have a look at doc.1 and find out:
a) what type of text you are going to read;
b) where it is taken from;
c) which topic it deals with;
d) reasons for the programme name.
| Doc. 1 - Socrates |
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Socrates: Greek philosopher, the embodiment of a humanist vision of the world and the rejection of dogmatism. His maxim "know thyself" is a fundamental basis for knowledge and respect of self and of others however different they may be.
The second phase of Socrates, the European education programme, which is to last seven years, started on 1 January 2000. It takes over from the programme's first phase, which lasted five years and achieved very appreciable results. The figures speak for themselves: almost 500,000 students undertook a period of study in another European university, 10,000 schools took part in European partnerships and thousands of projects were developed to promote the European languages. The second phase of Socrates will carry on along the same path, while introducing some new features. There will therefore be emphasis on two keynote ideas: the promotion of lifelong learning and the building up of a Europe of knowledge. Opening up access to knowledge, irrespective of age or place, is important for a number of reasons. It makes it easier to get a job in a world in which it is necessary to adapt to increasingly relentless change. It is a way of obtaining recognised qualifications, acquiring a range of skills, including social skills, and it is a means of personal fulfilment. Lastly, it is a way of discovering other cultures, broadening one's horizons and preparing to exercise active citizenship.
Systems and practices in education vary enormously from one country to another. This is a feature of our Europe. In this context, European co-operation, whether through mobility, pilot projects, European networks or comparative studies offers huge advantages. It provides a fertile ground for innovation, the quest for quality, and the implementation of new ideas. Surely we will be more creative if we all pull together!
Socrates covers all types of learning – formal and informal - and all levels, from nursery school to university, not forgetting adult education, which is becoming increasingly important. Socrates is relevant to all players involved in education: teachers, education staff, administrative and management staff, pupils and students, along with civil servants and decision makers, all required to play an increasingly active part in European co-operation projects. With Socrates, the school is no longer confined within four walls; it is opening up to the various components of civil society which are eager to take up the challenges of education: local and regional authorities, the social partners, associations, the business sector, etc.
Socrates comprises eight actions. The first three correspond to the three stages, which constitute milestones of education throughout life, viz. school, university and adult education. The other five are horizontal. All of these actions together have common priorities. The emphasis is on countering social exclusion and under-achievement at school by providing specific support for disadvantaged groups, and promoting equal opportunities for women and men. Special attention is paid to language learning, particularly the less widely used and taught languages. There is also emphasis on the importance of studying in a multi-cultural environment as one of the cornerstones of European citizenship. The new information and communication technologies (ICT) permeate the whole programme, as they have much to offer active teaching methods and contribute to innovation. Lastly, Socrates encourages broad dissemination of information, ideas and good practice, e.g. through the setting up of networks. European co-operation opens many doors to education. How wonderful it would be if everyone could take full advantage of this!
The eight actions
1. Comenius: school education
2. Erasmus: higher education
3. Grundtvig: adult education and other educational pathways
4. Lingua: learning European languages
5. Minerva: information and communication technologies (ICT) in education
6. Observation and innovation of education systems and policies
7. Joint actions with other European programmes
8. Supplementary measures
From a Presentation of the EU Commission on "Socrates" called A Gateway to Education, http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/socrates.html.
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READING
3. Read doc.1 and complete the table with the missing information.
VOCABULARY
4. Find the meaning of the red words in doc.1.
SPEAKING
5. Organise the information you have gathered to prepare a presentation for the whole class. Use visual aids (transparencies, PP slides etc.) to make it more interesting.