A School in Alicante Teaches Valencian Pilota to Irish Exchange Students

Salesianas School in Alicante has been funded with an Erasmus KA-122-SCH Project, benefiting 12 scholarship students along with their two accompanying teachers. This type of scholarship aims to share educational spaces among students from different European Union countries, not only academically but also in life experiences. The students get to know the culture of another country closely, and in the case of the Alicante centre, they have chosen a very traditional one: Valencian pilota, a native sport they have taught to a group of Irish youths with whom they have exchanged.

Natalia Ballesteros, along with María Baeza and Ángela Conca, accompanying teachers of the Erasmus+ project funded by Europe, have guided the students in this experience.

The idea was developed by the English department, "in order to provide our students with an international experience and open us to Europe," explains Ballesteros, Erasmus+ project manager at Salesianas Alicante. In this case, they wanted to debut with a sports and cultural project, emphasizes the initiative's developer. And nothing better than something traditional: "Our goal has been to teach our native sports like 'raspall' – Valencian pilota (rules of the game, equipment, etc.) – to the Irish students and for them, in turn, to teach us their typical sports like 'gaelic football' or 'camogie'," she explains.

All this has been developed using digital support like Canva, PowerPoint, or Google Presentations, and with this, "the students have improved their digital competence a bit more, which is one of the key values for Europe." Also, in parallel, the students have carried out a research project on sports values and another on sustainability, "taking advantage of the fact that Ireland is a very active country and presents a programme that addresses environmental challenges in an exceptional way."

In return, the Alicante students have engaged in both cultural and academic activities in three different institutes in Ireland. While the Alicante project has been based on Valencian pilota, "showing our culture and traditions," explains one of the accompanying teachers, María Baeza, the exchange "has led us to experience and know Irish culture from its most enriching interior, which has had a very positive impact on the 12 secondary students in various areas."

The conclusions of the exchange, indicates Ángela Conca, are that the students "have increased their autonomy and independence" by facing new experiences in Dromiskin, a small town outside their usual environment. Moreover, "they have been very motivated to practice English by seeing its application in real life in cities like Drogheda." Additionally, the visit to Glendalough Natural Park, museums like Newry's, and historical buildings like Ardgillan Castle, "have enriched their knowledge about Irish history, literature, and culture." And certainly, "this trip has promoted European values such as diversity and inclusion, as evidenced by the visit to the Festina Lente equestrian centre in Bray."

The weather has been one of the main challenges faced by the Alicante delegation, because, as one of the accompanying teachers acknowledges, it has been "a big change for our students and ourselves, as well as the linguistic immersion we have experienced firsthand." But they have overcome it with flying colours: "Our boys and girls have been deeply involved in communicating exclusively in English. It has been a great opportunity to continue their education," Conca indicates.

In full linguistic immersion, the Alicante students explained to their Irish peers how to play Valencian pilota. "The social experience has marked me, but above all, breaking the ice to speak English and socialise more in English," explains Daniel, one of the students who was fortunate enough to participate in the Erasmus+ scholarship.

A unique experience for many, like Sara, as it was her first time travelling outside Spain. And it will be unforgettable for "the friendships we have forged on the trip, both with classmates from my school with whom I didn't have much of a relationship, and with the Irish students we met at the schools we visited."

As Natalia Ballesteros, Erasmus+ project manager at Salesianas Alicante, admits: "These projects are generators of experiences in the European environment, carried out after the development of one or more projects based on a guiding axis formed after a study of the priorities set by the European Union for the period 2021-2027. These experiences range from learning to live a few days without their families, to learning specific vocabulary in the fields of sports, nature, or making friends, sharing cultural aspects, or visiting emblematic places... Without a doubt, each participant will remember this trip for the rest of their lives."

For those who have been in Ireland with their students, María and Ángela, it has also been a "very rewarding" experience to spend time with their students, "getting to know them in other areas, the Salesian essence without a doubt." Also as a learning experience, because "one never stops learning," both teachers agree. In summary, "the Erasmus+ experience provides a more global view of education."