This large-scale training initiative was launched by Paralimni Lyceum as part of our Erasmus+ accredited programme, taking full advantage of the “invited experts” mobility funding to host two leading academics in the field of multilingual and intercultural education.

The aim was to strengthen the capacity of teachers working in schools with high numbers of students with migrant backgrounds (MB) through a series of face-to-face seminars and interactive workshops across four districts. The programme was developed in close collaboration with the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus and the Ministry of Education, ensuring high-quality, coordinated training.

The first two days (27–28 January 2025) were fully hosted at Paralimni Lyceum, while the same programme was replicated in Limassol and Nicosia on subsequent days to ensure nationwide teacher participation. The seminars welcomed hundreds of teachers from various subject areas, including Greek as a Second Language, Mathematics, and the Natural Sciences.

• Empower teachers with strategies for differentiated instruction and co-teaching

• Address specific challenges faced in multicultural classrooms

• Offer concrete, subject-specific guidance for implementing inclusive teaching practices

• Create a space for sharing experiences, reflecting on teaching practices, and co-developing solutions

• Disseminate useful classroom materials and foster a community of practice among educators

Target group: All teachers of Paralimni Lyceum, with participation from nearby schools

Location: School Conference Room

This first day served as the school’s own professional development event, part of its Erasmus+ dissemination activities.

"Teachers as Designers in a Digital and Multilingual World"

Speaker: Prof. Dimitris Koutsogiannis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki / Centre for the Greek Language)

Focused on the evolving role of teachers as designers of learning in complex, linguistically diverse classrooms. 

"Teaching Content Outside of Language"

Speaker: Prof. Aspasia Chatzidaki (University of Crete / Director of the Laboratory for Intercultural and Migration Studies)

Explored the challenges and possibilities of teaching non-language subjects to students with limited proficiency in the language of schooling. 

Target group: Teachers of classes with migrant background students from the Larnaca and Famagusta districts
Location: Paralimni Lyceum

This second day expanded the initiative beyond our school, welcoming educators from across two districts. The programme followed the same structure as Day 1 but included additional content and more specialised workshops.

• "Teachers as Designers in a Digital and Multilingual World"
  Speaker: Prof. Dimitris Koutsogiannis (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki / Centre for the Greek Language)
  The session explored the evolving role of educators in designing meaningful, inclusive instruction in linguistically and digitally diverse classrooms.
  
  

• "Teaching Content Outside of Language"
  Speaker: Prof. Aspasia Chatzidaki (University of Crete / Director of the Laboratory for Intercultural and Migration Studies)
  This presentation addressed the challenges of teaching non-language subjects to learners still developing proficiency in the language of instruction and proposed strategies for scaffolding understanding.
  
  

• "Differentiated Teaching and Co-Teaching in MB Programmes"
  Speaker: Dr. Sofia Agathangelou (Educational Planning Officer A’, Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus)
  Focused on practical methods for applying differentiated instruction and co-teaching models within the framework of the Ministry’s Programmes for Students with Migrant Backgrounds.

The day concluded with interactive, subject-specific workshops, where teachers collaborated in small groups to address real challenges from their own classrooms.
These workshops were coordinated and facilitated by:

• Subject Inspectors from the Ministry of Education

• Educational Officers from the Department for Students with Migrant Backgrounds

• Trainers from the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus

Through structured discussion, resource-sharing, and peer feedback, participants co-developed innovative lesson ideas and examined how inclusive pedagogies can be tailored to the subjects they teach, including Greek as a second language, Mathematics, and the Natural Sciences.

The same high-quality training programme was replicated in two additional locations to ensure national coverage:

• Wednesday, 29 January 2025 at Apostolos Loukas Lyceum in Kolossi (Limassol District)

• Friday, 31 January 2025 at the Pedagogical Institute (Nicosia District)

The content, structure, and speakers remained the same, enabling hundreds of teachers across Cyprus to benefit from the expertise of invited academics and the coordinated support of national educational bodies.

This workshop series was conceived and coordinated by Paralimni Lyceum through its Erasmus+ accreditation, under the action type that enables the invitation of external experts. Through this funding stream, the school brought Prof. Dimitris Koutsogiannis and Prof. Aspasia Chatzidaki from Greece to Cyprus to design and deliver training with national impact.

The initiative was made possible through the collaborative efforts of our Erasmus+ team, with the academic and organisational direction of Dr. Maria Maglara, teacher at Paralimni Lyceum, whose contribution was instrumental in shaping the programme and initiating the dialogue with national stakeholders.

We also warmly thank Dr. Sofia Agathangelou from the Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus, whose expertise further enriched the training with practical approaches to inclusive teaching.

The seminars were implemented through a strong partnership between:

• Paralimni Lyceum 

• The Pedagogical Institute of Cyprus

• The Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth

• The Department of Education for Students with Migrant Backgrounds

By hosting the first two days at our school and contributing to the national rollout, this initiative became a model example of how Erasmus+ can support large-scale, system-level professional development focused on the realities of multicultural, multilingual classrooms.