SPEAK OUT

SPEAK-OUT project came out of the development plan of the Adult Education Institution Dante, whose long-term goal is to transform the institution into a lifelong learning and professional development centre, which can be realised according to schedule only through participation in international projects and establishment of contacts with partners from abroad. Thanks to this project, staff from Dante will be able to take English language courses in an institution in England of their choice, with the aim of personal development and advancement of their foreign language communication skills necessary for successful international collaboration.

Activities planned herein represent the preparatory stage for the realisation of the institution’s strategic plan, where it is necessary to improve the competencies of staff and prepare them for the development and implementation of new international projects, as well as new education programmes and courses for citizens and other target groups.

Since a foreign language is more intensely and comprehensively acquired in a native setting, we believe that learning in an English-speaking country would allow for faster development of communicative competence. We also place great value on familiarising oneself with the culture and civilisation, customs, attitudes, and values of English-speaking countries.

Considering that the content and programmes offered by our institution are, in fact, language learning programmes, we trust that a language learning programme in a foreign institution with a long tradition of success represents an opportunity for conducting a constructive comparative analysis, as well as a model for the development of practices and equivalent programmes in our own country.

Project activities include a three-week English language course in a selected institution in England, exchange of experiences with local professionals, constructive communication and mutual counselling, evaluation, reflection and implementation of new knowledge and skills into the work of the Adult Education Institution Dante.

It is expected that project participants will advance professionally and acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes important for the development and improvement of foreign language communicative competence and intercultural competence. They will become more competent lecturers, coordinators and participants in international projects.

By nurturing contacts with project partners and meeting new co-workers and colleagues from other European countries, our institution will present to its partners our current work and professional teacher training programmes, our city, region and country, thus strengthening the European dimension of our activities and existence.