About the Project: AGENTIVE

Stimulating Multilingual Learning in Early Childhood Education

Our Vision: Promoting Multilingualism in ECE

Languages play an important role in children’s everyday lives in Europe: many speak several languages at home while also encountering further languages at school. Many European countries have introduced elements of multilingual education in Early Childhood Education (ECE). On account of the cognitive, social, and academic benefits (of multilingualism), it has been shown that children can learn languages early in life provided they have child-friendly and stimulating conditions. While programmes for language awareness and early English learning abound, teachers appear unsure of how best to foster language learning as they lack multilingual resources.

AGENTIVE seeks to bridge this gap by providing multilingual evidence-based resources that support literacy development in multiple languages and are easily adapted to various cultural and linguistic contexts. Professionals and parents can download our eight pedagogical sets (i.e., stories and follow-up activities) on our digital platform. AGENTIVE also offers seminars for student teachers and professional development courses for teachers to develop the digital and pedagogical competences required to use our materials effectively. Our school-university-business synergy will see to the wide dissemination of the findings.

An EU-Funded Erasmus+ Initiative Across Sectors

The AGENTIVE project is a groundbreaking initiative funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. Uniting universities and organizations from six countries, this pan-European partnership endorses the EU’s commitment to linguistic diversity, inclusion and digital transformation in education.

In regions like Luxembourg, Switzerland, Tyrol and Primorska, multiple languages are spoken side by side and children may learn two societal languages from an early age through daily interactions or language learning in preschool. Additionally, migration patterns across Europe have increased the language diversity in societies and classrooms. Programmes for language awareness and early English thrive. AGENTIVE addresses these realities by developing inclusive and accessible, multilingual learning materials that are adaptable to different cultural and linguistic contexts.

Led by Prof. Dr. Claudine Kirsch, AGENTIVE brings together the University of Luxembourg, the University of Münster (Germany), the Free University of Bolzano (Italy), the University of Teacher Education of the Grisons (Switzerland), the University of Primorska (Slovenia) and Web2Learn (Greece). In regions like Luxembourg, Switzerland, Tyrol and Primorska, multiple languages are spoken side by side and children may learn two societal languages from an early age through daily interactions or language learning in preschool. Additionally, migration patterns across Europe have increased the language diversity in societies and classrooms. Programmes for language awareness and early English thrive. AGENTIVE addresses these realities. Our synergies between academia and schools enable us to develop innovative pedagogies and evidence-based and sustainable multilingual learning materials that benefit teachers, children, and parents.

Objectives of the Project

AGENTIVE is guided by two key objectives:

  1. Enhance digital transformation of schools and universities through open education resources and state-of-the-art pedagogies: By creating open-access, innovative pedagogical tools, the project supports the digital readiness of schools and universities. Training programs for pre- and in-service ECE teachers are integral to this goal.
  2. Leverage open, multilingual and cross-sectoral ECE through university-school-business synergies: AGENTIVE fosters partnerships between schools, universities, and businesses to innovate multilingual education. These collaborations ensure that our pedagogical approaches and materials are appropriate, inclusive and forward-thinking.

Innovation and Impact

AGENTIVE’s approach is holistic and multidimensional, offering:

  • Digital resources for multilingual literacy:

    The project provides open access digital materials that promote the learning of multiple languages and early literacy skills, addressing a key gap in early childhood education.

  • Equipping educators:

    By equipping pre-service and in-service teachers with evidence-based strategies and digital competencies, AGENTIVE empowers professionals to implement multilingual teaching effectively.

  • Cross-Sector collaboration:

    The synergy between academia and businesses drives the development of innovative educational tools and sustainable partnerships.

A Model for the Future

By building on the expertise of its partners and leveraging the multilingual realities of Europe, AGENTIVE aims to set a benchmark for early childhood multilingual education. The project’s outcomes will contribute to more inclusive and innovative learning environments across Europe.

For more information about the AGENTIVE resources and upcoming events, please explore our platform. Together, we can inspire the next generation to embrace the power of multilingualism!