Massimo Repetti

1 The project

2 Comments and hints for an evaluation

2.1 Strenghts

Strengths -The organisation’s perspective
The organisation conceive "EMIL" as an effective project because it makes possible:

• to anchor intercultural competence as a long-term skill in the training of Primary school teachers;
• to sensitise practising and future Primary school teachers to dealing with other cultures and cultural contexts;
• to sensitise practising and future Primary school teachers in dealing with minorities and in so doing to contribute towards greater democracy and tolerance in education.

Besides, the Project Partners discussed the tailor-made handbook, systematically completing it with exercises and coming to an agreement on the final version. The contents of the training handouts, together with the national variations to be incorporated, were also negotiated. In addition, the project partners talked about possible ways in which the results of the project could be multiplied.
The website provides some information and there will shortly be a handbook and teachers resources to accompany the project.

Strengths -Interculture map perspective
"EMIL" contributions to intercultural knowledge and co-existence include work on Primary school teachers' professional and pedagogical subject knowledge; the development of children's personal and family identities through intercultural approach; the development of links relating to teaching and learning citizenship with 6 European countries. Some of the strengths have been learning about approaches to intercultural education in different national education systems. This has included analysing the range of different cultures within societies and the treatment of minority cultures. For all these reasons, "EMIL"‘s participants have included academics from cultural studies as well as education and there has been a good cross fertilisation across different disciplines to teach intercultural studies.

The project gives a contribution on intercultural knowledge and co-existence because the materials are designed for primary teachers and students training to be primary teachers. Very often students do not cover much on intercultural communication in their courses. However, participants felt that this was worrying and through these materials are not trying to include more intercultural communication in their courses. This is seen as particularly important in the context of loosening the ties of national boundaries and recent economic migration.

"EMIL" is innovative for whom it concerns:

• to afford a European dimension to initial and further teacher training and thus contribute to the development of a European teacher profile;
• to lay the cornerstone for a European network – based on the work done by the partners;
• to contribute towards Turkey’s advancement in Europe, in terms of both the project content and Turkey’s active and equal co-operation in the project.

2.2 Critical Points

The organisation’s perspective: Critical points
Time has created challenges - it would have been good to use the materials over a longer period of time with more students and teachers, says Penelope Harnett, University of the West of England, Working Partner on "EMIL".

Interculture map perspective: Critical points
"EMIL" has been preceded by a trial-run of some materials, with a group of Primary School teachers.
The aim of this was to sound out and determine a culture-specific method of communicating intercultural competence. In fact, the trial-run appears as incomplete. Nevertheless, some central topics are already emerged, i.e. those of “cultural filters”, “techniques of dealing with intercultural communication” “cultural exploration” and “cultural grammar” and these were duly worked through to produce appropriate, country-specific exercises and case studies that would be suitable for Primary education.
There is not immigrants’ involvement; the reason is that "EMIL" is not focused on sections of the society. Anyway, "EMIL" is a valuable project because it points out the important role played by the Primary school teachers in a project of intercultural knowledge and co-existence.

2.3 Conclusion: what is “exportable” in the project

The organisation’s perspective
Themes 
A range of materials to support teachers in thinking about intercultural communication. Above all, the handbook “EMIL Intercultural Competence for Primary School Level Handbook”.

Methodology
Practical examples to promote thinking in a range of different contexts.

Interculture map perspective
Themes
Actually the realization of the handbook “EMIL Intercultural Competence for Primary School Level Handbook” appears as a high valuable model for other similar projects.
The handbook has been amended as a result of sharing the materials with teachers and students.

Methodology
The project has been entirely developed in the frame of a highly-specialized academicals collaboration; without necessity of other kind of partnership. "EMIL" demonstrates that for the Universities is possible to develop interesting intercultural activities, basing only on their own experiences and resources.

Other comments

• Dr Penelope Harnett (Centre for Education and Democracy, Faculty of Education of the University of the West of England) says, “Our project aims to ensure that primary school teachers are fully skilled and sensitive in dealing with other cultures and contexts. We also hope that through the project we will be able to develop a ‘European teacher’ profile, and to lay the cornerstone for a European network of partners.” Penelope Harnett is a Principal Lecturer and Joint Head of the Primary and Early Years School. She is Working Partner on "EMIL" – European Modular Programme for Intercultural Learning in Teacher Training and Continuing Teacher Training.
• "EMIL" project has been promoted as an example of good practice amongst current projects, at the “Ten years of Comenius: Achievements and Perspectives” conference, Bonn 29 – 30 September  2005.