France-German: Regional newspapers

  • France-German: Regional newspapers

    Erasmus: the polyglot + version of the French-German High School

    Here we go again with a new cycle of constructive exchanges among the French-German High School and three other schools located in Finland, Greece and Spain. Two years of journeys and interest for other education systems.

    International by definition, the French-German High School in Saarbrücken is above all a place where all languages are spoken. This is partly due to the diverse origins of the pupils, but also to the prevailing curiosity for Europe and the world. Let's say that bilingualism is a basis, English being widely used as well.
    Since September and for two years, the French-German High School is involved in the Erasmus+ programme which consist in having a group of pupils participating in active exchanges with their peers from other countries, as it was the case in the past with Portugal, Bulgaria or Sweden.
    Thirty pupils and staff memebers from the French-German High School will visit Madrid, Patras in Greece, and Virrat in Finland.

    What does graduation look like in each country?
    Pupils will meet up and work commonly on given topics. Two yearly meetings are scheduled. In Madrid, they will be asked to compare the news published in national newspapers on a same day. In Patras, they will produce radio podcasts that will be broadcasted on UPFM. They will also be asked to produce a report on a common theme in each country (graduation) so as to compare habits and customs.
    It is as much about discovering pupils from foreign countries as enjoying making them discover the school in Saarbrücken, one the few of this type, jointly-run by two principals.

    Open-mindedness
    This project within the Erasmus+ programme aims at introducing pupils to international team work, improving linguistic and computer skills (through the production of videos and podcasts).
    The most logical purpose (and perhaps the most difficult too) is to create a sense of belonging to the European community. "It is about developing self-confidence through tasks where pupils will be required to express and assert themselves within a group", the French-German teachers say. Finally, pupils will play the role of journalists so as to make them aware of the inner workings of information production. They have to develop their critical thinking towards the news they absorb everyday through television, radio, social networks or the print media.
    In the light of the latest American presidential elections or the Brexit referendum in Great Britain, what is at stake is a democratic issue" the teachers add.
    The pupils from Madrid, Greece, Finland and the French-German High School will be able to compare their different visions of the news and broaden their minds.