Summary

Teaching foreign languages, especially English, to seniors, is becoming one of the most crucial elements of education in later life in Europe.

Existing analysis concerns mainly the needs and current state, but there are not enough didactic materials which would support teachers in their daily work with learners 55+. This concerns in particular those materials that go beyond the traditional language course, and include such elements that are emotionally engaging, motivating, and provide new incentives: mental, physical and sensory - so essential in later-life pedagogy.

The partnership consists of 3 partners from Poland, Hungary and Italy, who possess considerable experience in senior education, especially in language teaching and represent a complementary approach, including academic.

This has enabled the partners to identify the most urgent needs and gaps in teaching languages (especially English) to older learners and to propose innovative solutions to address them.

The project goal - which is to develop tangible propositions of innovative methods for increasing effectiveness of teaching English to 55+ learners - will be achieved by intensive and well-structured cooperation and common development of three intellectual outputs:
1) a resource-pack of possible resources: materials, ideas and guidelines which could be used during the English lessons to increase cognitive functions of elderly learners, in particular, their attention, motivation, emotional involvement, memory functioning, senses and body involvement, communication sensitivity and capability, and also their well-being,
2) nine detailed lesson outlines together with teaching/learning materials for teachers and students (each for two levels: elementary (A2-B1) and intermediates (B2) including innovative elements taken from external sources like art, historical heritage of our countries, memory rules and methods, music, poetry, body expression and para-theatrical forms, etc.
3) two curricula for a one-year (60 hrs) course for learners 55+, two levels - elementary (A2-B1) and intermediates (B2)

The dissemination of project results and outputs will be a very important part of our project, which multiplies its outcomes and impacts. We will promote a free access to intellectual outputs offering our products to our target group (seniors' educators from non-profit sector). The dissemination activities will be held throughout the entire project using diverse means and channels. The final dissemination events will take place in each partner country separately to address local needs and expectations best.

Project realisation will bring tangible and longer term benefits (the three outputs mentioned above) which will also serve as a starting point for further development of innovative teaching/learning resources for the elderly, and as a source of inspiration for both direct and non-direct project beneficiaries.

The project will foster and expand partners' cooperation and will push it towards a more product-oriented and innovative approach to transnational projects.