Erasmus+ projects in the field of literacy/basic education
Original language: German
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
8 September is World Literacy Day. The European funding programme Erasmus+ is making an important contribution to literacy in the field of adult education.
In various political initiatives the European Council and the European Commission state the challenges that have to be met to improve reading and writing competences and, even more broadly, numeracy and digital competences. More information.
In the Erasmus+ programme, the concept of basic education goes beyond literacy to mean the imparting of basic skills that enable a minimum of societal and cultural participation, in particular the use of written language in everyday (working) life. The focus is not only on reading and writing; basic education is embedded in topics relevant to everyday life such as health education, numeracy and basic financial literacy, political education, the ability to deal with new media, learning how to learn, social competences, etc.
How is it being put into practice? Basic education work in European adult education
In Erasmus+ projects (Key Action Strategic Partnerships) various basic education aspects are dealt with on a practical level with input from many different (primarily EU) countries.
Reading and writing
Few Erasmus+ projects in the adult education sector deal exclusively with the issue of reading and writing, such as, for example, tackling functional illiteracy among Roma in Europe. More information on the project.
In focus: Strengthening education staff
The important role of education staff when it comes to basic education for adults tends to be discussed with particular emphasis on the use of digital tools on a European level. Classic learning methods are also being re-evaluated, and in various European countries there is a search for new approaches so that people with a need for basic education can learn more independently. Another question being examined within Europe is what methods do education staff need to better reach people who require basic education assistance in rural areas.
For work-based basic education, education staff are being trained in projects via new methods and training modules which are being tested and evaluated in various European countries. More information on the project
Diversity in basic education work
Basic education work with refugees is a topic in various Erasmus+ projects in the field of adult education. For example, approaches are being developed concerning whether and how bilingual literacy can occur and how the use of digital tools can improve basic education work with refugees. The concept of “migrant mentorships” (in which migrants themselves become mentors) is also being discussed in projects on a European level. More information on the project.
However, the projects are also taking prisoners or older people into consideration, for example with the question as to how basic education competences that prisoners have acquired by informal means can be validated. Or: What basic education needs do older people have in employment and afterwards, and with what methods can these needs best be met?
There is great diversity in both the participating educational institutions and the questions being posed in relation to basic education. This includes projects that deal with aspects such as economic basic education, health, numeracy, education outreach, self-taught competences, learning in the family, and being introduced to learning through culture.
Erasmus+: The best chance of funding is now!
According to the latest information, basic education will also be a priority in the Erasmus+ 2019 call for funding for adult education.
Get yourself and your institution fit for today’s Europe. Make use of funding for learning placements abroad for education staff and for projects with European partners.
Do you have ideas for projects? More information is available (in German) at: www.na-bibb.de/erasmus-foerderchancen
You can find all project examples in the Erasmus+ Projects Result Platform: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/
You can find information (in German) relating to basic education on a European level at: https://www.na-bibb.de/themen/grundbildung/
About the author: Simone Kaufhold is a researcher in the Erasmus+ Adult Education Team at the National Agency “Education for Europe” at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (NA at BIBB) and is responsible for the field of basic education.
