“Improvement of teachers’ professional competence in intercultural education” (2009 – 2010)

The project is implemented in the framework of the year 2008 program of the European third-country citizens’ integration foundation of the European Union Solidarity and migration management key program 2007 – 2013. The project is implemented with 75% European Union funding and 25% Funding provided by the Latvian state budget.

The general aim of the project: the integration of the third-country citizens in the society of Latvia, the promotion of tolerance in the society through developing teachers’ communication skills and establishing a system for transferring the knowledge to other teachers.
The project has been developed to promote the inclusion of the third-country citizens in the society of Latvia that welcomes them, where the school and teachers play an essential role in the integration processes of the society. The specific aims of the project envisage working out a professional development program in intercultural communication “The improvement of teachers’ professional competence in intercultural education”; to develop and publish a methodological support material for the teachers thus ensuring a long-term impact of the program in schools of Latvia; to ensure the activities of support structures in five regions of Latvia for implementing the mutual integration and intercultural communication programs in the schools of regions; to promote the society discussions and understanding in the field of integration. It is planned to establish support structures in the regions of Latvia during the implementation of the project – by facilitating the strengthening of a school as the regional society integration agent in five regions of Latvia – Rīga, Latgale, Zemgale, Kurzeme and Vidzeme.
The outcomes of the project:

• At least 150 teachers from five regions of Latvia will have mastered the professional development program “The improvement of teachers’ professional competence in intercultural education”. The content is arranged in thematic blocs that includes the following themes: What is intercultural communication? Pedagogical and psychological aspects of intercultural communication. The language environment. The aspect of culture in intercultural communication. The social aspect of intercultural communication. The civic aspect of intercultural education. School as a social system.
• Methodological materials developed for teachers on the issues of intercultural communication, developed and published teaching – methodological support material for teachers.
• The society will be informed all through the run of the project and at the project evaluation conference about the results of the project and the possibilities to ensure its sustainability.