Music and Language (Virtual Meeting)

Activity 2 - Virtual "Music and Language"

18-20 March 2024, Zoom (Online)

Coordinating Institution: Bağlarbaşı İlkokulu, Istanbul, Türkiye

Partner Institutions: École Fondamentale Libre Saint Joseph (Belgium) and Amicus Junior Kindergarten (Romania)

The second virtual meeting of the Erasmus+ partnership brought together participants from Belgium, Türkiye, and Romania to explore the theme "Music and Language," focusing on how children can learn new vocabulary through songs in different languages. Over three days, young learners engaged with Turkish, Romanian, and French through singing, movement, and interactive activities, fostering both language development and intercultural exchange.

The first day was led by the Turkish team, who introduced the popular children's song "Ceviz Adam." Children practiced singing together and learned simple Turkish words through repetition, gestures, and playful exercises. The Belgian and Romanian groups then took turns performing the song, and the day ended with all participants joyfully singing together, creating a warm and engaging start to the meeting.

On the second day, the Romanian team presented the beloved song "Am o Căsuță Mică." Children expanded their vocabulary by learning words from the lyrics while engaging in movement-based activities. The Belgian and Turkish groups rehearsed individually before joining the Romanian team for a collaborative singing session, helping the children gain confidence in using new Romanian words and fostering teamwork across countries.

The third day focused on French, with the Belgian team introducing the well-known action song "Tête, Épaules, Genoux, Pieds." Children matched lyrics with movements while learning the names of body parts in French. After practicing separately, all groups came together to sing and move in unison, concluding the meeting with a reflection session where participants shared their experiences and celebrated the new words they had learned in three languages.

Fifteen children and three teachers from each school participated actively, bringing enthusiasm, curiosity, and creativity to every session. The meeting effectively demonstrated how music can make language learning enjoyable, interactive, and memorable. Children improved pronunciation and vocabulary while collaborating with peers from different countries, promoting intercultural understanding and cooperation. Teachers benefited from exchanging innovative teaching strategies and strengthening cross-border partnerships, with the outcomes of the meeting supporting both professional growth and enriched learning experiences for students.