HeriTalk: Learning Languages through Cultural Heritage

<< Background >>The project was initiated in response to a shared ambition among all partners to expand lifelong learning opportunities for adult learners, in line with the goals of the European Year of Skills. Our application was driven by a clear set of common needs identified across the participating institutions. Common needs addressed:Many adult learners only encounter the target language during formal lessons. We created opportunities for linguistic interaction beyond the classroom in authentic, heritage-rich environments. Teachers expressed a strong desire to grow professionally and enhance their expertise. This project offered them the chance to co-develop and test innovative language practice activities in heritage sites. All parters saw the need to collaborate more with external organisations. Through HeriTalk, we actively sought partnerships with local heritage organisations, museums, and municipal bodies to enrich the learning experience. << Objectives >>The HeriTalk project was designed with the goal of enhancing the linguistic competences of adult learners by immersing them in culturally rich environments and engaging them in communicative heritage-based activities. By integrating cultural heritage into language education, we aimed to create meaningful learning experiences that go beyond traditional classroom settings. Our ambition was to demonstrate the added value of heritage experiences in language lessons, showing how such contexts can foster not only language acquisition but also key competences such as intercultural communication, digital literacy, cooperation, and cultural awareness. We envisioned heritage as a catalyst for personal growth and lifelong learning. Specifically, we achieved to: -Develop innovative methodologies and teaching materials that combine language learning with heritage education. -Enrich learners’ opportunities to practice language skills by situating learning in authentic heritage sites. -Explore and promote extramural learning environments, thereby supporting the professional skills of teachers. -Raise awareness of cultural heritage as a tool for dialogue, active citizenship, and social inclusion. << Implementation >>Throughout the project, we organised 4 transnational meetings designed to explore and develop innovative language learning opportunities in heritage contexts. Each activity was hosted by one of the project partners and focused on their unique strengths, resulting in a rich exchange of expertise and collaborative development: in Delft (heritage education), Hasselt (digital tools), Las Palmas (Visual Thinking Strategies), and Naples (inclusive learning). Activities involved workshops, museum-based lessons, development and testing of language activities in heritage contexts, and peer feedback. Each meeting also featured informal networking to foster collaboration and group cohesion. Each transnational meeting combined theoretical input, practical development, testing with learners, and peer feedback, ensuring that the project remained dynamic, inclusive, and impactful throughout its implementation. In addition, we organised several online meetings between the coordinators to ensure both substantive and practical follow-up of the project. In each language school, many lessons were tested by teachers and their students, and we regularly organised dissemination activities. << Results >>Our project delivered a range of meaningful results across several domains, including lifelong learning, professionalisation, course development, collaboration and citizenship. Key results include: -Increased language lessons in a heritage context, allowing learners to engage in language learning on-site, with cultural heritage serving as a powerful catalyst. -Improved linguistic competences of adult learners, who benefited from immersive and communicative learning experiences. -Professional growth of educators, who developed innovative teaching methods integrating heritage into their language lessons. -Strengthened local and regional partnerships, with new collaborations with cultural stakeholders. -Creation of a new course catalogue, built upon the newly developed language lessons. -Enhanced European cooperation. -Increased awareness and understanding of cultural heritage. The most significant output is the creation of the HeriTalk Toolkit and website. This resource compiles good practice examples of heritage-based language activities. It is designed as an inspiration to support current and future educators and heritage organisations in organising extracurricular language learning activities at heritage sites.