Schools in London and Paris
Friday, March 5, 2010
What are they doing? Drama lessons at Ricards Lodge High School in Wimbledon are going continental, as pupils use technology to communicate with their peers at College Colette Sartrouville in Paris. Pupils at both schools are being brought together to rehearse two plays by Shakespeare and Moliere.
How are they doing it? The pupils rehearse via a live web-cam, with the final session scheduled for May before the performances take place in June. Both schools are working on the project through a combination of after-school sessions and day-long workshops. Each pupil has also been given a partner with whom they can work closely.
Why are they doing it? Young people can learn a lot by watching other people and how they do things. The project hopes to improve pupils' language and literature skills and open them up to different cultures and new friends. Using technology to communicate is an important part of modern society, so it helps to show the students how it can be used to benefit their learning.
How's it going? The idea has already caught on in other schools around the country. Schools in Poole, Liverpool and Lincolnshire are now using technology to make links with European counterparts. The Key, a support service for school leaders, is backing the idea.