CLP launched a new program called Connecting Students Around the World (CSAW).
CLP’s latest project is Connecting Students around the World (C-SAW) that brings together students from two different schools in two different countries through joint projects and live video discussion. This project aims at fostering cultural communication, friendship, and what is even more important, developing understanding between youths living in different corners of the world. Another objective is to improve communication skills particularly English communication skills of students from countries where English is not the native language.
This unique project was developed in collaboration with Ms. Jill Stedronsky, an English teacher with William Annin Middle School (WAMS) in Baskin Ridge, NJ, USA. The first pilot was run with WAMS and Uddipon Bader –Shamsu Bidya Niketon (UBSBN), a school in rural Chitali of Bagerhat district in Bangladesh, on April 17, 2017 with great success. In late March 2017, the UBSBN students prepared a video that showed their homes, daily life, school, and the village market.
The video really impressed the 8th Grade students of WAMS. They in turn also prepared and shared a video depicting their school, activities, supermarket, library and other aspects of life in an affluent small town.
WAMS participants during Skype conversation with UBSBN participants.
UBSBN participants speaking with WAMS participants via Skype video call.
Connect Students around the World (CSAW) Program
Learn how CLP brings students together around the world.
Next: Partner project at William Annin Middle School in Baskin Ridge, NJ, USA.
Next the students from both schools emailed each other a set of questions. On April 17 they held a live Skype video conference to answer each other’s questions. Given the 10 hour time difference, the kids at WAMS came to school by 6.40 AM, which is one hour before their normal arrival time. Eight thousand miles away in Chitali though the school day ended at 4 pm, the students of the English Club stayed an hour extra for the Skype session to begin at 5 PM Bangladesh local time (7 AM, New Jersey local time). A part of their conversation is captured in a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga3I6Ly9Ae8. The two student groups seemed to have understood each other quite satisfactorily. It was heart-warming to observe how kids from such diverse socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds could connect so well, so quickly.
UBSBN participants speaking with WAMS participants via Skype video call.
WAMS participants during Skype conversation with UBSBN participants.
This pilot project has clearly shown how understanding and friendship between students living at two different corners of the world can be improved through simple project collaboration project described here.
CLP plans more of similar projects in the future using the lessons-learned for mutual benefits of global students.
This pilot project has noticeably shown how self-confidence, understanding and friendship between students living at two different corners of the world can be nurtured through a simple live collaboration project described here.
CLP plans more of similar projects in the future using the lessons-learned for shared benefits of students from different parts of the world.
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