ERASMUS+ Accreditation 2022-2027
We are excited to share that our ERASMUS+ accreditation has been approved!
This means that we have come up with a detailed development plan for our school until the end of the program in 2027. The training will be carried out through mobility activities throughout Europe, all funded by the European Union through the ERASMUS+ program.
The program's goals are closely related to both our and your actual needs and to what has been important to us through nearly 6 years of the school's existence. The first goal relates to teaching methods that will help us convey knowledge of the English and German languages to you more effectively. This is going to be our way of addressing the problem of our learners' lack of time for practicing foreign languages outside of class.
The second goal is related to assisting learners with learning difficulties or any other challenges affecting their acquisition of a foreign language, especially online. This area is still relatively unexplored in the field of adult education, but we are confident that new insights will lead us to better solutions for you.
We look forward to learning and improving, enhancing our services for you, and connecting with other organizations throughout Europe.
“We Are All Special: Inclusion and Support for Students with Special Needs In and Out of the Classroom” in Helsinki
Published: 12/07/2023
Our school director, Antonia recently participated in the first mobility activity as a part of our ERASMUS+ accreditation. The training course took place in Helsinki from 3rd July to 8th July in Helsinki, Finland.
During the mobility activity, Antonia engaged in a series of workshops and discussions to learn about the inclusive practices and strategies for learners with special needs. She had the opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow educators from diverse backgrounds.
The course helped the participants to:
- Acquire, reflect, and refresh knowledge about main disabilities such as learning, intellectual, and physical developmental disabilities;
- Exchange reflections and practices, share difficulties and solutions with colleagues.
With this new understanding of inclusive education practices, our school is better equipped to support learners with diverse needs. This includes the adaptation of curriculum materials and the implementation of inclusive teaching methodologies. We are actively working on making our school a place where everyone is set for success and where learning difficulties are not obstacles.
Transfer of Knowledge about Inclusion
Published: 31/07/2023
During the past week, our teacher Antonia shared with our teachers Ana and Mia what she had learned at the inclusion course in Finland. After the lecture, they discussed the new ideas and methods. We are confident that knowledge transfers like these following mobility experiences will contribute to creating an even more stimulating learning environment for our diverse group of learners.
We are particularly focused on adapting teaching methods so that all our students, regardless of their needs and abilities, have equal opportunities for success. We believe that this newly acquired knowledge will help our teachers provide even better support and understanding to every student who enrolls in a course at our school.
We continue to develop our school as a place where knowledge is shared, diversity is celebrated, and where every individual can achieve their full potential. We can't wait to see how our students progress with the support of our team of expert teachers.
“Artificial Intelligence for Education: Exploring the Frontiers of ICT” Course in Dublin
Published: 30/1/2024
Our work year kicked off with an exciting journey to Dublin as part of the ERASMUS+ program. Our teacher Antonia participated in this second mobility, attending a course on artificial intelligence and its application in education from January 15th, 2024, to January 20th, 2024.
During her mobility in Dublin, Antonia participated in a course where she learned how to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education. AI, particularly, is a rapidly growing sector in ICTs promising a revolution in various fields, including education. While AI holds immense potential in enhancing student learning outcomes, it's crucial for teachers to be trained in its effective implementation in the classroom.
The course introduced participants to AI in education, providing strategies and knowledge to make AI an ally of teachers and learning, rather than a threat. Antonia and other participants learned about the benefits and potential risks of using AI in the classroom. They also gained hands-on experience with AI tools such as Chat GPT for language practice and conversation simulations. Antonia exchanged experiences with and learned alongside 16 other teachers from Spain, Sweden, Poland, Austria, Germany, and France during the course. She also had the opportunity to participate in the European Food and Beverage Fair and thus introduce our country and culture to other participants.
Our teacher returned to Osijek with fresh ideas on how to integrate AI into teaching methods. These insights will not only enrich our classes but also ensure that our students have access to cutting-edge educational tools. By incorporating AI, we aim to create more dynamic and engaging learning environments while also fostering the development of essential skills, such as speaking.
Through courses like these, we continue to evolve as an institution, staying at the forefront of educational innovation and providing our students with the best possible learning experiences.
Transfer of Knowledge about Artificial Intelligence in Education
Published: 5/2/2024
Here at ERYIA, we're all about staying ahead of the curve and bringing the latest innovations to our virtual classrooms. Upon Antonia’s return from the mobility activity in Dublin, that is part of our ongoing accredited ERASMUS+ project funded by the European Union, she held a meeting with our teachers Ena and Ana to share her newly acquired knowledge.
During the meeting, Antonia walked Ena and Ana through the key takeaways from her mobility experience. She discussed how AI technologies like language processing algorithms and chatbots can revolutionize language education, offering personalized learning experiences and instant feedback to students. They brainstormed ideas on how to integrate AI tools into their teaching methodologies, from incorporating language practice apps powered by AI to using virtual language tutors for one-on-one sessions. They also discussed how AI could help them better track student progress, identify areas for improvement, and tailor lesson plans to meet individual learning needs.
But the benefits of this knowledge exchange extend beyond just the classroom. By sharing their experiences and ideas, Antonia, Ena, and Ana are not only enhancing their own teaching practices but also fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation within our small school community. Also, by embracing new technologies and methodologies, we're able to offer our course participants cutting-edge learning opportunities that are both engaging and effective.
As we continue to explore and implement AI-driven tools and methodologies, we're excited to see how they will enhance the learning experiences of our course participants.
“Student-Centered Education: Making Learning Exciting and Long Lasting” in Prague
Published: 4/3/2024
Our dear teacher Ana, who became a member of our team in Autumn 2023, has recently been to Prague and taken part in her very first mobility activity. The activity took place from 24th February 2024 to 2nd March 2024. Since embarking on our ERASMUS+ adventure, we have agreed on giving every one of our teachers an opportunity to take a proactive part in the projects, enabling them to travel around Europe and to exchange their experiences and knowledge with teachers from different countries and schools, and to bring fresh new ideas back home where we can implement them. This way, we are making sure that we enrich each of our team members individually and by having knowledge transfers after the mobilities, we are also improving our school’s practices and work.
During her stay in Prague, Ana participated in a course about student-centered education. Our goal is to make learning long lasting for our students, and the course description aligned with this goal perfectly: “In student-centered approaches, teachers mentor students to acquire knowledge actively. That knowledge will not be lost after taking a test or leaving school. In student-centered classrooms, learners are provided with significant opportunities to develop knowledge, as well as practical skills for the 21st century, that will accompany them throughout life.”
Through a series of hands-on activities, the course has helped the participants to:
• Broaden their comprehension of the switch in education from the teacher-centered to the student-centered paradigm;
• Adapt their lessons according to the student’s learning needs and modalities;
• Improve autonomy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills;
• Identify strategies to have students develop key competencies for nowadays’ challenges;
• Use tasks, audio-visual tools, and projects in education to boost students’ curiosity and creativity;
• Discover the principles of flipped classrooms;
• Develop engaging projects and lesson plans.
Our team is looking forward to learning about this approach from Ana in the upcoming knowledge transfer session and we are excited to start brainstorming about how we can implement this approach to our lessons and teaching.
Transfer of Knowledge about Student-Centered Education
Published: 11/3/2024
After each return from an Erasmus+ mobility, our teachers conduct knowledge transfer sessions to share with the rest of the team what they had learned in courses across Europe.
Ana has recently returned from Prague where she participated in a course on student-centered education, and during this transfer, she explained to Ena and Antonia exactly what this method entails and presented the benefits of its application. Together, they have devised new ideas on how to incorporate the principles of this teaching approach into our lessons with you, making learning easier and the whole process even more interactive and enjoyable. Because who doesn't love learning when it's fun?
We are very happy to step into the role of students from time to time to further develop and grow as teachers. We also look forward to seeing the outcomes of our Erasmus+ projects through your learning successes, as your good results and positive impressions during and after the course are among the things that make us truly love our job.
"5 Steps to Improve Teaching and Learning" in Lisbon
Published: 12/6/2024
From 3rd June 2024 to 8th June 2024, our teacher Antonia joined a group of teachers from Germany, Bulgaria, Italy, Hungary, and this time even Croatia on a course in Lisbon, Portugal. This was all part of the second out of the two mobility activities in our second Erasmus+ project in our accreditation.
The course, which is titled "5 Steps to Improve Teaching and Learning" taught the teachers about some techniques, approaches and methodologies such as PBL and Flipped Classroom, among others. The participants learned how to help their learners learn more effectively by applying student-centered strategies and by fostering active learning.
Our teacher especially liked being in the role of a student during this course because she received a unique opportunity to experience first hand what was being taught and she enjoyed having discussions with other teachers, talking about the possible applications of the new ideas in their field of teaching.
Transfer of Knowledge about Improving Teaching and Learning
Published: 20/6/2024
Upon teacher Antonia's return from the mobility in Lisbon, she held a knowledge transfer meeting with teacher Ana to tell her about what she had learned.
Our teachers talked about the different methodologies and approaches which had been taught and chose the Flipped Classroom method and metacognition technique as the ones which our learners would benefit the most from.
In the Flipped Classroom model, the learners study from online materials at home. Then, the time in live lessons is used for interactive exercises, discussions and practical application of what was learned. We like this method because it boosts student engagement as they participate in the lesson more actively and because the time in the live lesson is utilized more effectively as it makes room for deeper understanding, practice, and problem solving unlike in a traditional lesson. Also, the learning process can be personalized given that the learners get to choose the tempo at which they cover the learning materials and they can review them as many times as necessary. This way, the time it takes to cover the lessons can be significantly reduced, and we know our learners are happy to see results as soon as possible.
On the other hand, metacognition is more about the way someone is learning, rather than the way something is taught. It includes thinking about your own thinking and the strategies which you apply to learn something. It can grow learners' ability to learn because it helps them to better understand and adjust their own learning strategies. Metacognition also increases autonomy as learners become more aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, it improves success because learners who practice metacognition often achieve better outcomes because they steer their learning process more effectively.
We decided we are going to create a metacognition guide and distribute it to all of our learners so that they can take better control of their learning and seize the benefits of this approach. Apart from this, we are also going to introduce and periodically apply the Flipped Classroom model in our lessons.
We are happy we can help our learners learn better and we are looking forward to seeing them succeed with the help of these new approaches.
Learning About Dyslexia in the Heart of Europe
Published: 11/02/2025
In early February, our teacher Ana travelled to Budapest to take part in a week-long Erasmus+ training course titled “Dyslexia and Language Teaching”, organized by Europass Teacher Academy. This mobility was part of our ongoing Erasmus+ accreditation activities and reflects our commitment to inclusion and lifelong learning.
Together with colleagues from all over Europe, Ana explored the topic of dyslexia in depth – from its definition and symptoms to practical teaching strategies and tools that can support learners facing these challenges. The course combined theory with hands-on experience, allowing participants to engage in interactive workshops, share ideas, and discuss inclusive teaching practices.
This experience not only expanded Ana’s knowledge, but also inspired us to reflect on our own teaching practices and to continue creating inclusive and supportive learning environments for all our students.
From Budapest to Our Classrooms: Sharing Knowledge About Dyslexia
Published: 19/02/2025
Following Ana’s participation in the Erasmus+ training course on dyslexia, she met with Antonia on Zoom for a knowledge-sharing session to reflect on what she learned and how we can apply it in our classrooms.
During the session, Ana explained new strategies for identifying dyslexia and adjusting lessons to better support learners who face difficulties with reading and writing. We discussed the importance of visual aids, structured lessons, and accessible digital tools, all of which can make a real difference for students with learning challenges.
This mobility activity improved Ana’s skills and also helped us as a team to better understad the full extent of inclusive education which helps our learners use their full potential.
