In 2010 IIT, in partnership with the West University of Timisoara, the Romanian-Arab Cultural Centre in Timisoara and the Association DiversEtica Bucharest, implemented a project aimed to improve the level of knowledge of Romanian language and to provide free cultural orientation for migrants.

The project developed a methodology and a set of teaching materials to allow for the improvement of the quality of the Romanian language classes and cultural orientation sessions for foreign citizens legally residing in Romania. On the basis thereof, and in agreement with the methodology established by the Ministry of Education, 100 foreign citizens in Bucharest and Timisoara benefited from Romanian language classes.

Project objectives:

• to produce a package of traditional and multimedia teaching materials for the teaching/learning of Romanian language by adults and cultural orientation activities in the Romanian society.
• to develop Romanian language skills for 100 migrants.
• to enhance the knowledge of the Romanian socio-cultural space in Romania of 100 migrants

The main activities of the project were:

• elaborate a methodology and teaching materials that would allow the improvement of the quality of Romanian language classes and cultural orientation classes for migrants
• publish a manual for Romanian language and cultural orientation beginner classes
• organise Romanian language and cultural orientation classes for 100 migrants in Bucharest and Timisoara
• develop a project website, that included the teaching materials (both traditional and multimedia)

The process of elaborating the methodology and teaching materials started from the analysis of relevant European experiences, on the basis of a partnership with organisations from Spain and France, which also offered language and cultural orientation classes and also on the basis of the collaboration with Aline Gohard Radenkovic, specialist in teaching foreign languages from an intercultural perspective.

As a follow-up, another larger project was implemented to provide Romanian language classes for 300 adult migrants in 9 Romanian cities in 2011. More details about the project are available at: http://www.vorbitiromaneste.ro