• Schools interested in the TWINS program are surveyed and then matched with a school in Sri Lanka which seeks the same outcomes from a TWINS relationship.
• This new TWINS partnership is overseen by one of four TWINS Officers in Sri Lanka.
• The TWINS Officer helps to facilitate the new link, coordinating the establishment of a partnership agreement. This agreement lays the foundation of the partnership, detailing the aims and anticipated outcomes, communication methods and agreed topics and timeframes for school project exchange throughout the academic year.
• The partner schools coordinate project exchanges between students with links to the curriculum in both schools.
• The TWINS Officer visits the Sri Lankan TWINS school, checks on the progress of projects, passes on messages between teachers, and then sends photographic update reports to the TWIN school abroad.
• If the overseas TWIN school wishes to fundraise for their Sri Lankan TWIN, the Field Officer can conduct needs assessments with school staff and students. They then collect quotations and organise shopping trips with the Principal or teachers ensuring all funds directly support the education of students.
• ASL TWINS also coordinates and monitors the renovation and construction of English Activity Rooms and various infrastructure in the Sri Lankan school.
• Sri Lankan Teachers can also benefit from the TWINS program through their regular exchanges with teachers abroad, utilising the TWINS Handbook for Teachers and by participating in frequent Teacher Skills Sharing Workshops.
• TWINS can add a global dimension to student learning where key areas of their curriculum are identified and projects designed to encourage critical thinking and global awareness.
• The aim is that over time, the TWINS relationship will shift to being sustainable and independent with minimal need for the assistance of the TWINS Officer. TWINS links can then continue for many years where both schools benefit from a meaningful and equitable link with a school abroad.

For further information on the ASL TWINS Program contact:

General Manager
AdoptSriLanka
adoptsrilanka@gmail.com

For more information about these newsflashes, scroll down for a copy of our latest newsletter!

• NEWSFLASH!!! - ASL TWINS Teacher Training Program Heads East
  Our annual teacher training program is being expanded this year with our team travelling to Batticaloa in the Eastern Province to run workshops for English Language Teachers from 100 schools! Teachers will have the unique opportunity to explore the topic ‘Developing Creativity in the Classroom’. Stay tuned for our next newsletter for further details!
  
  
• NEWSFLASH!!! Galle Children's Festival 2011
  Held for the first time in October 2011, the Galle Children’s Festival gave over 1300 children from schools throughout the southern province the unique opportunity to take part in a huge range of interactive workshops, debates and performances. Coordinated by ASL TWINS in partnership with the Galle Literary Festival, this event ran over two days in over 25 venues in the historic Galle Fort. Due to its huge success, the Galle Children’s Festival has now become an annual event on the ASL TWINS Calendar. Check out www.gallechildrensfestival.com for more info!


• NEWSFLASH!!! Get Sri Lanka Reading Campaign Launched!
  To excite Sri Lankan children about books, ideas and creativity, the AdoptSriLanka in partnership with schools throughout the southern province launched a spectacular, historic reading campaign in October 2011.  Sri Lankan Schools and Schools abroad were involved in setting a Sri Lankan schools record for the largest number of children reading the same story out loud at the same time. Thousands of school children took time in during their morning assemblies to read the story ‘Flying Machine’ by Sri Lanka children’s writer Chandrani Wickremasinghe Kirinde. Following the activity, the students all had a go at writing their own ending to this short story. This special event launched a year-long campaign focusing on initiatives that encourage children to get excited about reading.
  
  
• NEWSFLASH!!! English Teacher Training Workshops 2012
  From January to April 2012 ASL TWINS will offer a new set of workshops for schools in the Southern Province! This calendar of training & development workshops for English Teachers will be delivered to over 150 schools in the Galle, Matara and Tangalle Education Zones. Three new workshops topics will be introduced; TWINS Projects Made Easy, English Alive in the Text Book and Active Learning.  Stay tuned for further updates!
  

TWINS Newsletters
ASL TWINS publishes a quarterly newsletter to help everyone keep up to date with the latest news and resources available. Click below to download the most recent TWINS Newsletters!

• TWINS Neswletter - June 2011
• TWINS Newsletter - March 2011
• TWINS Newsletter - December 2010
• TWINS Newsletter - September 2010
• TWINS Newsletter - May 2010
• TWINS Newsletter - February 2010
• TWINS Newsletter - November 2009
• TWINS Newsletter - September 2009
• TWINS Newsletter – June 2009
• TWINS Newsletter – March 2009
• TWINS Newsletter – December 2008
• TWINS Newsletter – September 2008
• TWINS Newsletter – July 2008
• TWINS Newsletter – January 2008
• TWINS Newsletter – October 2007

Click the links below to download useful documents guides:

Students involved in the TWINS program have the opportunity to add a global edge to their learning through the regular exchange of educational projects.  TWIN schools work together to set up a Partnership Agreement which clearly outlines their commitment to educational exchange, usually with a focus on certain aspects of the school curriculum.

We have developed a series of guides and project plans to assist TWINS Coordinators develop meaningful exchange projects. These go beyond pen-pal letters and add value to the school syllabus.

Project Plans :

Favourite Artists (new at 28th April 2011)
This project gives the students a chance to explore the world of Art, share information about their favourite artists and create paintings in their style.

Clothing and Fashion (new at 28th April 2011)
This TWINS project gives the students in both schools a chance to look at clothing and the role of fashion in their own country and that of their partner school.

Amazing Animals (new at 28th April 2011)
This project gives the students in both schools a chance to study the amazing animals of the world and share their ideas, artwork and information with their TWINS school.

Livelihoods (new at 19th October 2010)
This TWINS project gives the students in both schools a chance to explore and compare the livelihoods of their family members with those of the children’s families in their TWINS school.

Our Hobbies (new at 1st October 2010)
This TWINS project gives the students in both schools a chance to write about their hobbies and to share their passion for them with their friends overseas.

Our Population (new at 1st October 2010)
This project gives the students in both schools a chance to learn about the people that make up the population of their own country and that of their TWINS school.

Sports Mad (new at 1st October 2010)
This TWINS project aims to give the students in both schools a chance to explore the world of sport and to share with their peers the sports they enjoy playing and watching in their own country.

Traditional Stories (new at 1st October 2010)
This aims to give the students in both schools a chance to explore the folk and traditional stories of their own country and to learn about and compare them to those that their peers overseas have grown up listening to.

Creating A School Garden (new at 27th September 2010)
This TWINS project aims to give the students in both schools the chance to create a garden within their schools, to compare what is grown and share their results. This project can be spread over the school year with updates and mini projects sent each term.

What Waste? (new at 24th September 2010)
This TWINS project aims to give the students in both schools the chance to think about the amount of waste they and their families produce, how it is disposed of and how it can be recycled.

The Night Sky (new at 20th September 2010)
This TWINS project aims to give students in both schools the chance to explore the science of the Solar System and discover how the night sky impacts on each other's lives.

The Animals Around Us (new at 10th September 2010)
This project aims to give the students in both schools an understanding of the animals that live alongside them.

All About Me and My Family
This TWINS project aims to give the students in both schools a better understanding of a culture and life style which is different from their own. By learning how the children from their partner school live and spend their time with their family groups the students will recognise the similarities and differences and accept and respect the cultures of the two countries.

Creating a Travel Brochure
This aims to give the students in both schools a better understanding of their local identity and to promote their surroundings and culture to their TWIN school by creating a travel brochure. This should be done to promote the places of interest and attractions situated in the same county or province of each school.

Nature’s Diversity
This TWINS project aims to give the students in both schools a better understanding of the diversity of nature in their own country and that of their TWINS school. The students in Sri Lanka will study the flora and fauna in a tropical rain forest and the students overseas will study the same in a nature reserve in their own county.

Traffic Trouble
This project gives students the chance to study the traffic in their own country and to compare the similarities and differences between the traffic in the country of their TWIN School. This project can be linked to the global dimension theme of sustainable development when you consider the effects of pollution such as the carbon footprint from some vehicles.

The View from our Classroom
This aims to help students to understand the differences and similarities between the schools and their immediate surroundings. This project can also be used as a way of introducing your school to your TWIN school at the beginning of a partnership.

Our Culture in a Box
This project aims to help students to understand the culture and identity of their TWIN school's country while exploring and understanding their own. Each school sends a box to their partner school containing the 10 items which they feel best represent their country.

Rules & Laws
This project aims to give the students in both schools an understanding of the difference between Rules & Laws in their country and the country of their TWIN School. They will consider who makes these rules and laws, why they exist and compare the similarities and differences between countries. This project links to the Global Dimension theme of ‘Social Justice’.

Who Am I?
This TWINS Project is a great introductory project suitable for primary students. It uses a basic writing frame where students 'fill in the blanks' to introduce themselves in an interesting way including information such as their hopes for the future, how they spend their weekends and why they link being a boy or girl. Students then have the opportunity to compare and discuss the responses from their TWIN School. This project is based on a starter activity developed by the British Council for their DFID Global Schools Partnership Program.

Passport Introductions
This project provides an interesting twist to the standard introductory pen pal letter. Students create their own passports which are linked to the International Declaration of Human Rights. Their completed passports will explore their rights to visit other countries, celebrate diversity and compare how girls and boys may be treated differently. This project plan is based on an activity in Our World, Our Rights, Amnesty International 2004 and developed by the British Council for their DFID Global School Partnerships.

Adding a Global Dimension to Education
This project plan gives a guide to introducing Global dimension themes to joint projects at secondary level. By including the global dimension in teaching, links can easily be made between local and global issues giving young people the opportunity to recognize their responsibilities as citizens of the global community.

Everyday Life
This TWINS project aims to raise awareness about the differences and similarities in the lifestyles of students from both TWIN schools. Students will learn to observe more closely what they do on an every day basis and share this info with their TWIN school enhancing their understanding of another culture.

Homes and Gardens
Through this TWINS project students have the opportunity to describe their Homes and Gardens, draw plans of their homes, exchange information and learn more about each other.

Webquest
This TWINS project aims to help students with computer and internet facilities to learn more about website navigation and research while sharing and comparing information about their countries with their TWIN school.

Activities of my School
This TWINS project will help students in both schools share their experiences and impressions of events held at their school.

Artwork
This project aims to raise awareness about traditional arts and crafts and how they are made. Students will get the opportunity to express themselves through their art and share their talents with their friends overseas.

Toys and Games
This TWINS project aims to share experiences and impressions of what students like to do in their playtime as well as the traditional games and toys of their country.

Peace and Conflict Project Plans
Considering a joint project on the global dimension theme of peace and conflict? Here are five project plans to help you. Why not ask your Music, Literature, Art, History and Citizenship departments at your school to get involved in your chosen project? These project plans have been created with secondary school links in mind but most can easily be simplified for primary school links too.

• Music for Peace & Conflict
  This project aims to help students consider the idea of Peace versus Conflict by looking at music and song lyrics. Students will share their understanding of the subject with their TWINS school by creating an audio tape or CD which can be shared. Some schools may like to also write their own Peace song, record it and share it with their TWIN school.
• Creating a Peace Garden or Peace Room
  This project aims to help students consider the idea of Peace versus Conflict personally, communally and globally. They will share their understanding of the subject with their TWINS school by creating a Peace Garden or Peace Room.
• Famous Leaders for Peace & Conflict
  This TWINS project aims to help students consider the idea of Peace versus Conflict personally, communally and globally. Students will select and research famous leaders who have achieved change through either conflict or by peaceful means. Students will share their understanding of the subject with their TWINS school by creating a project book.
• Peace & Conflict Poster Art
  This art based project aims to help students consider the idea of Peace versus Conflict personally, communally and globally. They will share their understanding of the subject with their TWINS school by creating Poster Art to promote peace relating to an area of the topic.
• Poems for Peace & Conflict
  This project aims to help students consider the idea of Peace versus Conflict personally, communally and globally by looking at poems and poets from different arenas of conflict. Students will create an illustrated booklet of poetry to be shared with their TWINS school. Some schools may like to also write their own Peace poems.

Our Community
This project can be adapted to suit all age groups. It involves a walking field trip around the school’s local community where students take photos and share information about local industry, services, educational facilities, religious sites and landscapes. This is a great introductory project to help TWIN schools understand the local communities of their TWIN.

Our School
This project can be adapted to suit all age groups. It is an excellent introductory project for a new TWIN relationship. Students prepare posters, a booklet or display that provides information about their school including history, facilities, subjects, special events and curriculum.

Festivals of My Country
This project can be adapted to suit all age groups. Students research traditional festivals and celebrations of their country. They create posters or booklets which describe these festivals, their history, customs as well as anecdotes from friends and families about how they personally celebrate these events.

Our Cookbook - Recipes of My Country
This can be adapted to suit all age groups. Students brainstorm a list of traditional recipes from their country. Each student prepares one recipe to add to a cookbook for their TWIN school. They also write about the history of that meal, the special times it may be eaten and where it originates from.  This project can combine various subjects including Religion, Home Economics and English.  Additional activities can include the class preparing some of the recipes and taking photos to share with their TWIN school.

TWINS Information Board
Every Sri Lankan TWIN school on our program has recently received a glass fronted noticeboard from ASL. The noticeboard aims to provide a dedicated space to share information about each of the schools and display projects that have been exchanged. This project plan provides some ideas on how you can ensure your TWINS Noticeboard is regularly updated with suitable display materials and information.

Tea Industry – From Plantation to Tea Cup
This project is suitable for advanced students.  Students research the history and procedures for producing tea – analysing its journey from Sri Lankan tea plantations to the supermarket shelves in countries such as England.  This project encourages deep critical thinking in students through analysing subjects such as workers rights, fair trade, and environmental sustainability. The Sri Lankan students have the option to participate in a field trip to a tea plantation to share photographs and first hand information with their TWIN school.

Comparison of News Stories
This project suits advanced students who are ready to apply critical thinking and analysis to their studies. Teachers agree on a set number of global issues which regularly appear in newspapers in both countries. Students collect the articles before photocopying them and sharing them with their TWIN. Students then compare and analyse the articles and how they are presented in both countries. Through analysis of these articles students will gain a greater understanding of the methods that can be used to sway public opinion and the importance placed on global issues by the different countries.

National Identity and Values
This project is suitable for advanced students or long term links.  It gives students the opportunity to explore and analyse what makes their country unique before sharing and comparing their national identity and values with their TWIN.

20 Questions - Perceptions vs. Reality
This project can be adapted to suit all age groups. Students brainstorm a series of questions that they would like answered about their TWIN School’s lifestyle, culture and country. The schools answer both sets of questions and guess what the responses from their TWIN may be. Once all answers are exchanged students can discuss and analyse the responses compared to their original perceptions.

Climate
This project can be adapted to suit all age groups. Students actively study the climate in the region of the world and send weekly updates to their TWIN School. These results are displayed, compared and analysed. Students can also study the climatic changes and cause and effect of these changes on their local community.

Ecological Footprint
This project can be adapted to suit all age groups. Having access to the internet for both schools can enhance this project. Students focus on their personal impact on the environment around them as well as how their lifestyle can impact on environments in other parts of the world. They analyse their ‘ecological footprint’ and discover ways that they can decrease the negative impact their lifestyle may make on the environment.

Poverty around the World
This project is suitable for advanced students. This project will raise awareness about today’s living standards, which vary greatly among nations, communities and individuals. Students will learn how to define rich/poor, understand what resources are needed to fulfill basic human needs and what is considered as a luxury in different parts of the world. They will analyse their perceptions of poverty and recognise that it exists in all countries.

Stamp Collecting
This project is suitable for all ages. This TWINS project aims to provide students with the opportunity to share information about images found on postage stamps with their TWIN school.  Students will learn about significant events, landmarks and people from various countries. Students will put together a stamp collection; each stamp will have a written description and will be presented in a project which will be sent to the TWINS school overseas.

My Artwork on Global Issues
This project is suitable for all ages. It aims to express global concerns and raise global awareness through art work.  The students will have the opportunity to each create their own piece of art and share it with their TWIN school. This will enable students to become aware of current global issues as well as sharing their concerns with friends in their TWIN school overseas. Those meaningful pictures will not only decorate and enhance the learning environment, but they will also educate many other students, parents and teachers, who pass them regularly in their school.

Plants in My Local Community
This TWINS project aims to raise awareness about native plants and their importance to the local environment. Students will walk through their local community and investigate what plants exist there.
Students will learn how products from plants (fruit and vegetables) play a big role in the country’s economy and everyday lives of local communities. They will investigate what would happen to the eco system, climate, human health, economy, etc if plants were to disappear. By going on a field trip around their community, students will get to know their local environment better which will enable them to familiarise and understand the need for preservation.

Do you have an idea of a great project for exchange? We are constantly seeking new ideas to add to our site. Click here to email us with your suggestions!

Useful TWINS Web Links

www.britishcouncil.org
The British Council run DFID funded grants programs where UK TWIN Schools can receive funding to have reciprocal visits with teachers from the TWIN school partnership. They also have many useful links including guides for establishing partnership agreements.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/country_profiles/1168427.stm
This is the BBC Sri Lanka Country Profile. It is very useful for students and teachers wishing to find out more about Sri Lanka.

www.ukowla.org.uk
UKOWLA was set up in 1984 to support, promote and encourage communities in the UK to develop partnership links with communities in the South. They have some useful resources on their website including a guide for building effective school partnerships.

http://www.soundaffects.org.uk
SoundAffects gives children the opportunity to work with professional radio broadcasters in order to share their stories and contribute to joint cross-cultural curriculum projects.

http://www.globalgateway.org.uk
This website includes useful information on international school partnerships including guides, funding opportunities, the international school award, project examples and case studies.

http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/cross-curriculum-dimensions/globaldimension/index.aspx
An excellent resource including detailed information about global dimension and sustainable development

http://globaldimension,org.uk
A very useful website that includes many project ideas, resources, a global calendar and information about the 'Who Do We Think We Are?' initiative.

www.bbc.co.uk/worldclass
BBC World Class. Whether you're just starting to twin your school or you want to keep the momentum going - visit this site and put your school on the map, sign up for the newsletter and share your ideas.

As the TWINS Program has developed, coordinating events that encourage youth participation has become a major focus of our work. Some of the exciting events that have been held recently include:

• Creative Writing Workshops and Competitions
• Interschool Art Exhibitions
• Art Workshops
• Cricket Tournaments
• Young Journalists Project
• Southern Province Provincial Schools Debating Tournament
• Teachers Training and Development Workshops
• Student Think Tanks and other participation opportunities
• Story Telling Sessions

TWINS Creative Writing Program

Winning entries of the Creative Writing Competition:

2010 ‘A Secret Island Of My Very Own’
2009 ' At first I thought I was dreaming until I realised…’
2008 ‘Where I want to be in 10 years time…’
2007 ‘I have something to tell you teacher…’

Galle Literary Festival

The TWINS Program has hosted numerous activities as part of the festival's community outreach program. These include:

• Galle Children’s Festival
• Get Sri Lanka Reading Campaign
• GLF Schools’ Day
• GLF Children’s Art Exhibition
• Story Telling Sessions in rural schools
• Creative Writing Workshops for School Students
• English Camps for students from schools around Galle
• Young Journalists Project
• ASL TWINS Children’s Art Exhibitions
• A Debating Workshop and Tournament for Provincial Schools
• An annual Creative Writing Competition
• Skill sharing workshops for English Language Teachers
• Launching the TWINS English Activity Room Handbook for Teachers
• Sri Lankan authors facilitating workshops in schools

ASL English Teacher Training and Development Program

The annual ASL TWINS Teacher Training Program offers English Language Teachers in Sri Lanka the opportunity to share their ideas and knowledge and develop new skills.

Through generous support from TWIN Schools abroad, many Sri Lankan TWINS have had English Activity Rooms or Corners developed. However, child centred learning is a relatively new concept for Sri Lankan schools and many teachers have been at a loss as to how to best use their new space. These workshops aim to enable teachers to create a fun and exciting learning environment for their students.

In 2011 ASL TWINS has expanded our training program to also run workshops for teachers from Batticaloa and Batticaloa West Education Zones in the Eastern Province. This training is particularly valuable as many of these schools have previously been difficult to connect with due to the civil war in the Eastern areas of Sri Lanka.

Up to 50 teachers from 50 schools participate in each ASL TWINS workshop. These workshops are repeated for each of the 5 educational zones that ASL TWINS currently works with Teachers attend a calendar of training throughout each year with some also involved in steering committees to monitor and provide input in to the development of future workshops.  The ASL TWINS English Teacher Workshops are regularly reviewed and adapted to ensure they are beneficial for the targeted participants. Qualified and experienced teachers from abroad are encouraged to contact us if they are keen to get involved in these sessions.

ASL TWINS Teacher Training Workshop topics can include:

• Developing Creativity in the Classroom:
  Opportunities for creative thought and critical thinking in the classroom
• English Alive in the Text Book:
  Taking the objectives of each lesson and delivering them in an interactive and interesting way
• Classroom Management:
  Positive praise, good discipline and equal opportunities for every child
• TWINS Projects Made Easy:
  How to deliver an interesting and informative package within existing lessons
• Drama, Singing and Story Telling:
  Encouraging spoken English in an exciting and enjoyable way
• Active Learning:
  Promoting more spoken English through action
• Skill Sharing for English Teachers:
  Encouraging networking and sharing of techniques and new ideas between teachers
• Resource Development:
  Making low-cost teaching aides to support classes in English Activity Rooms
• Introduction to English in Grades 1 & 2:
  Informally introducing the English language in normal classes before English classes commence from Grade 3
• English Camp Coordination:
  Supporting teachers through a series of workshops to enable them to organize English Medium Camps for their students

The inaugural ASL TWINS Conference was held successfully from the 23rd to the 25th February 2011. Teachers from 63 schools in the Southern & Eastern Provinces had the opportunity to come together for the first time at the Wakwella Management Development Training Institute, near Galle. Teachers from Batticaloa, in the Eastern Province had been especially invited as part of a pilot project to encourage twinning between ethnically diverse regions of Sri Lanka after the cessation of the civil conflict.

This event brought together experts from different disciplines and fields to deliberate the essential components of Global Dimension and help define explicitly what "Global Schools Partnership" means.  More specifically, what teachers need to know, in order to succeed in the ASL TWINS Partnership Program. Teachers learnt what knowledge, skills and perspectives best prepare them for the Global Schools Partnership Program.  As an essential first step, this conference provided an opportunity for a group of distinguished teachers to measure, and promote global partnership, by defining it more rigorously.

Conference Workshop Topics included:

• Peace and Conflict
• Social Justice
• Diversity
• Environmental Sustainability
• Communicating with your TWIN School
• Student Participation
• Project Planning
• Star Rating your School Partnership
• Global Clubs
• Utilising ICT to strengthen your partnership

ICT Training

In late 2010 ASL TWINS launched their ICT Training Corner in the Tangalle Office and due to its immediate success, in early 2011 we also introduced a training corner to the Galle Office. Through daily informal training sessions, run by the TWINS Officers and volunteers, teachers are given the necessary skills to enable them to use the internet and basic word processing programs. These workshops are already proving very beneficial for teachers and TWINS Coordinators who are developing confidence in using ICT to communicate directly with their TWIN Schools abroad. They are learning how to view the websites of their TWIN to learn more about their partner school and eventually advance to learning how to use Skype and other programs to communicate face to face with students and teachers; opening up a global online network of teachers and learning resources. Teachers are now also attending regular training workshops in Website Development. Through this training they create a school website which also displays information on their TWIN School Partnerships. Student project work and photographs are displayed to compare and share the similarities and differences between students and their wider communities.

Twins Events Appeal

ASL TWINS Recent Highlights

TWINS School Visits

Thank you to representatives from:

• Pymble Ladies College – Australia
• Scots College – Australia
• Silverdale Primary School – United Kingdom
• Morgam Park Education Centre – United Kingdom
• Glossopdale Community College – United Kingdom
• Walton Priory Middle School – United Kingdom
• High Storrs School – United Kingdom
• Bilton Grange School– United Kingdom
• Cranbrook School – Australia
• Monmouth Cadets  – United Kingdom
• St. Mathew’s School – United Kingdom
• King’s College - Cambridge
• YSGOL Faenol - Wales
• Lincoln Christ Hospital School – United Kingdom
• Ladywell Gym – United Kingdom
• Butcombe Preparatory School  – United Kingdom
• Solihull School – United Kingdom
• Harpole Primary School  – United Kingdom
• Downe House Girls School – United Kingdom
• Monmouth School – United Kingdom
• Hazlegrove School  – United Kingdom
• Bronte Public School – Australia
• Greenshaw High School – United Kingdom
• The King Edmund School – United Kingdom
• Ysgol y Faenol – Wales
• Tibshelf Community School – United Kingdom
• Grange Junior School – United Kingdom
• Hose Primary School – United Kingdom
• Gorseland Primary School – United Kingdom
• Upper Shirley High School – United Kingdom
• Glossopdale Community School – United Kingdom

Sri Lankan Teachers Visit their UK TWIN Schools!

Thanks to the DFID Reciprocal Visit Grants the following teachers have had the fantastic opportunity of traveling to the UK to meet their TWIN School face to face:

• Indu from Vitharendeniya MV visited Upper Shirley High School in 2011
• Vajira from Kahandamodara KV visited High Storrs in 2010
• Buddhika from Dikkumbura Sri Siddhartha visited Kings College School, Cambridge in 2009
• Nilmini from Netolpitiya School visited Glossopdale Community College in 2009
• Niroshani and Hemali from Kudawella School visited Gorseland Primary School in 2009
• Hema from Deepankara School visited Grange Junior School in May 2008
• Kasun from Ihalagoda School visited Tibshelf Community School in 2008
• Sewwandi from Godawanagoda School traveled to Wales to visit Ysgol y Faenol in 2008.

ASL TWINS Champions in the UK

Judith Fenton is Leader in Religious Studies and Philosophy at Glossopdale Community College, Derbyshire. Their TWINS partnership with Netolpitiya G.M.V. near Tangalle began in December 2005 with pen friend letters and then the exchange of projects as the link developed. In October 2006 Judith and her husband visited Netolpitiya forging a stronger bond. Art teacher Ian Johnson took advantage of a Reciprocal Visits Grant from the British Council to visit Netolpitiya in February 2009 and TWINS Coordinator and English teacher Mrs. Nilminnie Hewage from Netolpitiya visited Glossopdale in June the same year.

Judith says Our partnership with Netolpitiya fits very nicely with our curriculum as we teach integrated Humanities in Year 7 & 8 and ‘Global Citizenship,’ as a module, is taught over 6 weeks in the summer term”.

Manon Jones is Head of Infants and Class 2 teacher at Ysgol y Faenol, Bangor, North Wales. Their TWINS partnership with Godavanagoda School near Tangalle began in April 2006 and many joint projects have been exchanged.

Manon says “I have been teaching at Ysgol y Faenol for five years and have the responsibility of co-ordinating geography and global citizenship throughout the school. Due to this I have worked with Adopt Sri Lanka on a regular basis to establish a strong partnership with our TWINS school. In 2008 I had the opportunity to visit Godavanagoda and also meet the ASL TWINS Officers for the region. I am hoping to visit again in the near future”.   

 Ysgol y Faenol is currently developing a second link with the primary section of Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya near Galle.

In the first instance contact Manon by email at:- 
jonesmanon@hotmail.com

Alan Duffy took early retirement from teaching in August 2008 after 31 years in the profession and 8 years at Grange Junior School, Swindon as International Coordinator. He set up Grange Junior’s TWINS link with Deepankara School in Tangalle and put in place a partnership and 2 year curriculum agreement. A Reciprocal Visits Grant from the British Council allowed Alan to visit Deepankara in March 2008 with his wife and for the English teacher from Deepankara to visit Grange in May the same year.

Alan says ”I am now working as a self employed global citizenship consultant carrying out Comenius and ISA projects with the British Council and also working with schools in Swindon on Comenius and Global school  linking. I am very happy to encourage and help people new to linking and where possible to help out ASL TWINS”.
To contact Alan in Gloucestershire please email alan@duffy43.freeserve.co.uk

Helen Barker is currently teaching Y4 and Y5 at King's College School, Cambridge 4 days a week and is TWINS Coordinator for the schools link with Dikkumbura Siddhartha near Galle. The partnership began in 2007 and in October 2008 Helen was able to visit Dikkumbura with funding from the British Council. TWINS Coordinator and English teacher Mr. Buddhika traveled to King’s in April 2009.
Helen says “I have been at King's since 2001 and prior to that I worked for a while at Homerton College and at several state primary schools in Cambridgeshire. I also have experience working at a Montessori school in Madrid”.

In the first instance contact Helen by email at:- 

Jenni Stanley & Sue Murphy
Jenni and Sue teach at Gorseland Primary School, Suffolk and are both very involved with their schools partnership with Kudawella School near Tangalle which began in 2005.
As IT support officer Sue was instrumental in setting up a joint website to compare different aspects of each schools community, culture and country and this website won the BT Global Design Challenge 2007. Along with her Head teacher she was able to visit Kudawella in February 2009 and two teachers from Kudawella visited Gorseland in June the same year.
Jenni runs the Kudawella Lunch Club at the school and has a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw on. She is part of the Suffolk humanities team and dealt with the twinning of East Bergholt Primary School to Buhumba in Uganda. She will most probably be one of the next visitors to Kudawella and Niroshini and Hemali stayed at Jenni's house during their visit.
In the first instance contact Sue by email at:-
smurphy@gorseland.suffolk.sch.uk
and Jenni at:-
jstanley@gorseland.suffolk.sch.uk