The aim of LeaCoMM is the establishment of a platform for teachers in Europe who work with multicultural, multiethnic, multilingual and multireligious learners in their classroom or school environment.
This number of these learners has increased substantially across Europe during the last ten years due to higher mobility of individuals, increased migration and a greater numbers of refugees. Unfortunately, professional training opportunities and relevant resources for teachers to further develop their skills in intercultural teaching have not advanced as quickly. LeaCoMM aims to offer tools for teachers to develop their skills in this area as well as create a network for teachers across Europe to exchange good learning practice, methods and learning materials.
LeaCoMM’s platform for teachers will be an online intercultural environment through a dedicated website and social networking media. On the website there will be a number of areas for teachers, including:
As diversity in schools increase teaching requires extra focus of the differences in migration and ethnic minorities. LeaCoMM will give this focus though many ways, including:
The importance of the involvement of immigrants and ethnic minorities in schools and education is still insufficiently reflected in the education and training of teachers. Therefore, LeaCoMM aims to also look at the qualification of teachers in teacher education systems and those with responsibility for this area in school administration. Of course with some extremely limited resources in the various EU countries making these changes may prove a challenge. To ensure success in this area the need for up-to-date, practical and science-based instruments is essential.
LeaCoMM will promote the enhanced cooperation and teamwork of teachers across the EU and form the provision of facilities and resources to enable the construction and development of "learning communities" and provision of up-to-date and good learning materials.
Partners in LeaCoMM are: