ELBEP

Sponsors/Clients: GRUNDTVIG, Multilateral project

Objective:

ELBEP means Eliminating Language Barriers in European Prisons through Open and Distance Education Technology.

ELBEP aims to promote intercultural dialogue and meet the communication needs of prison staff members in the EU countries, regarding many foreign prisoners they encounter in their work environment. Operational definition of "Foreign Prisoners" within the scope of ELBEP covers prisoners who are sentenced and also imprisoned detainees in the trial process. Furthermore, the project is designed to meet the criteria for the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) A1 level in order to develop products that can be certified and accredited in many European countries. ELBEP focuses on Russian, Polish, Spanish, Greek and Turkish language needs of the EU prison staffs, since foreign prisoners speaking these native languages compose important percentages in European prisons. Overall, the expected impact of teaching beginner's level second languages to European prison staffs, via flexible Open and Distance Learning (ODL) environments, proposes an alternative to solve the communication problems. Concentrating on this objective, ELBEP shall promote intercultural understanding, tolerance for diversity and lead to a suitable environment where rehabilitation and adult education of prisoners are achievable.

The project ELBEP aims to fulfill the following objectives: (1) Explore the condition of current language barriers between prison staffs and foreign language speaking prisoners in European Prisons, (2) Determine the level of awareness and perception of prison staffs for the need to learn second languages to be able to communicate with foreign language speaking prisoners throughout European Prisons, (3) Examine the current competency of prison staffs in second language skills, (4) Clarify a range of supportive possibilities in European prisons to design ODL environments to provide second language education, (5) Develop and deliver Second Language e-Learning Portals via ODL media to European Prison staffs, (6) Evaluate the impact of the program through qualitative and quantitative measurement tools. The outputs of the project are five online language portals at A1 level (Russian, Polish, Spanish, Greek and Turkish). The impacts envisaged are: (1) Promote education of guards and other penitentiary authorities within a perspective of lifelong learning (2) Creating an environment conducive to mutual understanding and learning (3) Heighten a public awareness concerning particular communication needs of prison staffs and foreign prisoners regarding the ALTE criteria (4) Improve understanding of the difficulties and cultural backgrounds of foreign prisoners so as to prevent prejudiced attitudes from arising (5) Improve the communication within prisons by helping to prevent prejudice and intolerance (6) Reduce the feelings of discrimination, depression and isolation felt by prisoners.

Partners:

• ANADOLU University, TR
• European Association of Distance Teaching Universities (EADTU), NL
• Fundacja "Innowacja", PL
• University of Antwerp – LINGUAPOLIS, Institute for Language and Communication, BE
• ESTA, DE
• HELLENIC OPEN UNIVERSITY, GR
• European Distance and E-Learning Network (EDEN), HU