Between April and August 2024, as part of the Easy Together project, an online e-book titled Handbook of Good Practices in the Field of Inclusion of Children with Cultural Differences was developed. This trilingual publication, available in English, Romanian, and Czech, provides practical guidance and inspiring examples for educators, caregivers, and institutions working to create inclusive environments for children from diverse cultural backgrounds.

The publication in English The publication in Czech The publication in Romanian

Overview

The Teachers' Handbook of Good Practices was developed as an interactive, multilingual e-book containing 40 practical methodological sheets designed to support teachers across the EU in fostering inclusion for culturally diverse students. The handbook, originally planned for 40 pages, was expanded to 57 pages to cover additional content, and is available in three languages: English, Romanian, and Czech. The handbook can be accessed here.

Purpose

The handbook aims to aid teachers in creating an inclusive classroom environment that embraces multicultural understanding and positive relationships. It addresses common challenges in inclusion, providing educators with tools to facilitate a welcoming and supportive atmosphere for students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Features

The Easy Together: Teachers’ Handbook is an interactive PDF designed for ease of use, with features that enhance navigation and accessibility:

• Internal Navigation: Interactive table of contents for quick access to sections.
• External Links: Links to photos, videos, audio files, and websites for further resources.
• QR Codes: Provide easy mobile access to external resources, even from printed copies.
  Customization Options in Adobe Viewer
  Teachers can personalize the handbook directly in Adobe Viewer, with options to:
• Download, print, search, and navigate the document easily.
• Select and copy text, highlight sections, and add comments or annotations.
• Insert freehand drawings, adjust viewing options, and create customized PDF versions with modifications.

The publication contains:

• Introduction
• About this book / Meaning of Symbols
• About Easy Together Project / About the Project Partnership
• Methods and Techniques (Mentoring, Gamification, KWL Method, Classroom Debate, Project Method, Festival Method, Six Thinking Hats, Starbursting Method, Jigsaw Strategy, Role-Playing)
• Activities and Tools (Language Bingo, Ask the Winner, Mind Map, Lapbook, Theatrical Play in Minority Languages, Treasure Hunt, Multilingual Digital Tools, Resilience Alphabet, Vision Board, Class Time Capsule, Audiobooks, AI Text Adaptation, Favourite Holiday, Map of Greetings, Multicultural Class Glossary, Common Multilingual Story, Meeting the World of Language, Caravans of Dreams, Speak Dating Junior, Common Leporello, If You Enter a Foreign Village, Follow Its Laws, Dadaist Poems, Traditional Crafts Exchange, Traditional Recipes Exchange, Speed Dating, Six Word Memoirs, Personality Shapes, Spaghetti Tower, Book Presentation, Adopt a Monument)
• Printing Materials (Six Thinking Hats Chart, Starbursting Diagram, Mind Map Diagram, Map of Greetings, Speed Dating Questions, Geometric Shapes Chart)
• List of Sources

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Distribution and dissemination of the Handbook

From August to October 2024, the Easy Together project focused on promoting the Teachers' Handbook, an interactive online publication aimed at supporting educators in inclusive practices for culturally diverse classrooms. The primary distribution efforts involved digital channels, including project websites, professional networks, and targeted direct mail campaigns. We successfully distributed the Handbook in its various language versions to at least 400 schools.

To facilitate the dissemination and practical application of this intellectual output, we have developed The Handbook of Good Practices as an Open Educational Resource (OER). This electronic, multilingual, versatile, and interactive document ensures the sustainability and long-term usability of the project’s outcomes, even after its conclusion. The Handbook is hosted on the Spolek Zaedno website, where it will remain accessible for at least five years.

Distribution Channels used:

• project website, partner’s websites
• professional networks
• direct mail
• multiplayer events (as a bonus, not planed in the application)

Direct mail:

Both partners distributed The Handbook via direct e-mail to local schools. In line with our objectives, we aimed to reach at least 400 schools and other educational institutions. Both partners leveraged their well-established networks at local and national levels to ensure widespread dissemination.

Spolek Zaedno distributed the Handbook via e-mail to 5083 recipients, 1010 of which opened the e-mail, 207 clicked and down lowed the link with the Handbook. The Handbook has been incorporated as a methodological resource for teachers in the well-established competition Multilingualism is a Treasure, organized by Spolek Zaedno. This year’s competition engaged 49 schools and organizations, 90 educators, and 871 students from across the Czech Republic and even one participant from Germany.

The Braila School Inspectorate distributed The Handbook via email to 96 schools in the Braila region. As an official institution, the Inspectorate ensured that all 96 schools received and opened the provided link.

Based on Google Analytics statistics for www.zaedno.org, the Handbook was used a total of 607 times, including the Czech, English, and Romanian language versions.

The numbers are based on statistics as of the end of October 2024. We will continue to promote and distribute the Handbook, and we believe that by the end of the project, these numbers will increase even further.

In conclusion, we successfully distributed the Handbook in its various language versions to more than 400 schools.

Multiplayer events:

Two unplanned in the project application multiplication events took place in both partner countries. The aim of these events was to support the distribution and reception of The Handbook by teachers involved in the education of culturally diverse children. These activities were funded from other sources, not from the project budget.

Romania:

On September 26, 2024—European Day of Languages—an in person multiplication event was organized to highlight the activities and achievements of the project at the end of its first year. The event was attended by 70 participants, including teachers, principals, and school representatives from the Braila region. The event took part in Inspectoratul Școlar Județan Brăila - Casa Corpului Didactic Brăila, Str. Ana Aslan nr. 10, Braila, Romania from 2 to 5PM.

During the event, the intellectual output, The Handbook, was introduced in both its online and PDF formats. Four methods featured in the Handbook were presented, with a detailed demonstration of the Spaghetti Tour method and its various adaptations.

To increase the project’s visibility, participants were provided with branded materials, including a personalized flyer, backpack, pen, and badge. We ensured documentation of the meeting by collecting participant lists with signatures and taking photographs of the event.

Czechia:

On November 2, 2024, as part of the 87th meeting of the Association of Teachers of Czech as a Foreign Language, another multiplication event was held. This online event featured The Handbook as a recommended resource for teachers. The Handbook was shared with all 43 participants, who were also invited to provide feedback through an evaluation form. For documentation, we have a video recording, photographs, and the event program.

Promotion:

We actively promoted The Handbook through a variety of channels, including professional web portals, social media, and targeted Google Ads campaigns. We designed and distributed leaflets and posters, which were displayed at the House of National Minorities, the Braila School Inspectorate, and various events such as the Multilingualism in Czechia conference, the Barevná devítka festival, and the Prague City Hall's Committee for National Minorities meeting, among others.

Additionally, we published three articles about the Handbook in the magazine Kamaradi, aimed at children and teachers. Advertisements for the Handbook were included in methodological sheets for educators in two multicultural programs developed under Activity 3 of the project.

Information about The Handbook was also featured in the newsletter of Migracnikonsorcium.cz, which is distributed to 215 organizations in Czech Republic supporting Ukrainian refugees.