Our clients NCCA and Ratoath College accepted the 2009 European Award for Languages, The Language Label for the FÓN project. The FÓN project used Learnosity Voice to incorporate mobile phones into the teaching, learning and assessment of Irish for nearly 400 second year students in 6 schools. The European Award for Languages is presented in recognition of a project's ability to engage language learners in a manner that is both meaningful and productive, while at the same time promoting a positive attitude towards both the learning and use of the target language.
To celebrate the European Day of Languages, the award was presented in a celebration ceremony held on September 25th, by Professor David Crystal, writer, editor, lecturer and broadcaster, at an awards ceremony in Farmleigh, Dublin.
“The approach used in this project appears to permeate all aspects of the learning of Irish. Resources are carefully and creatively used... There is clear evidence of student progression... This initiative appears to stimulate interest and enhance motivation...”
Jury Comments, European Language Label. FÓN Project
Find out more about the awards on the Léargas European Language Label, or download the 2009 Language Label booklet (pdf, 2.6mb). Read more on our award on the NCCA and websites.
The European Language Label, formerly known as the European Award for Languages, is an annual award recognising projects where participants have found creative and innovative ways to improve the quality of language teaching, motivate students, and make the best of available resources. The European Language Label is co-ordinated by the European Commission and managed in Ireland by Léargas.
The general criteria for winning an award, agreed at a European level, are as follows: Initiatives should be comprehensive, provide added value in their national context, motivate the students and teachers, be original and creative, have a European emphasis, and be transferable in that they might potentially be a source of inspiration for other language initiatives in different countries.
The Irish winners were selected on the basis of excellence, innovation, creativity and their ability to serve as a model for others. For Irish projects to be eligible for an award they must be:
