ABOUT THE PROJECT

Project Rationale

The Speak Up! Project aims to improve workers mobility processes across Europe by means of facilitating the learning of the language of the destination country, focusing on the specific terminology that workers have to use in their respective professional fields.

Previous studies have shown that there are specific requirements for the various professional groups in different European countries which are not covered by the existing employees of their own country. For this reason there is an opening on the part of European countries for workers from other countries.

To some degree, European mobility of workers is limited by the diversity of languages across Europe. The result is that workers only have a chance in the European labour market, if they acquire job-related vocabulary and understand the everyday language and practical information concerning labour regulations and contracts to adapt and integrate into a labour context in a different country.

The Speak Up! Project contributes to the targeted acquisition of job-related linguistic skills and to the facilitation of mobility processes within Europe. The Speak Up! Project has created a multilingual online platform enabling workers from all around Europe to learn professional linguistic competences including vocabulary, expressions and key notions and acquire some knowledge from a choice of 10 different occupations developed in 4 professional sectors, helping to facilitate their mobility across the EU.

The project used the approach of two previous Leonardo da Vinci Projects: "Les mots pour construire" and "Constructor 2000", both of which focused on the construction and building sector, to apply methods to ten other professional fields.

Results of the Speak Up! project

• A multilingual learning platform that offers the possibility of technical vocabulary, terminology and key concepts of the individual occupations in six different languages.
• A methodical system of reference for language learning materials, using work activities and situations that are transferable to other occupations.

Therefore, thanks to the Speak Up! Project and the use of innovative information and communication technologies, it is possible for workers to use the platform and learn online by means of interactive resources, including audiovisual elements. The online platform enables workers to assimilate vocabulary and allows learning it in their home country so as to be able to use it in the destination country.