Soccer Citizenship: what does it mean ?  We give you an answer in our publication. 

Download here Soccer booklet 1_Citizenship

Besides citizenship education and its related issues being thought about in all SOCCER countries, they are addressed differently in the formal curriculum across them all. On the other hand we can notice a broad range of terms used to describe this area.We detected the existence of three main curriculum approaches to citizenship education, namely separate, integrated and cross-curricular. In the separate approach, citizenship education or civics is a specific subject or aspect. In the integrated approach, it is part of a broader course, often social sciences or social studies, and linked to other subjects and curricular areas. In the cross-curricular approach, citizenship education is neither a separate topic, nor is it part of an integrated course, but instead it permeates the entire curriculum and is infused into subjects. Some countries adopt a mixed approach to citizenship education, with a broad integrated approach more prevalent in the primary school, giving way to more specialised citizenship education or civics courses in the secondary school curriculum.

While a number of countries are still dependent on a passive, didactic, transmission approach as the dominant teaching methodology, there are others who encourage a more interactive, participative approach with space for classroom discussion and debate, supported by project and inquiry work, visits and extra-curricular learning. There are many opportunities for learning through extra-curricular activities and through service learning programmes. Some countries have developed specific curriculum programmes which encourage a mixture of approaches to ensure the goals of ‘education FOR citizenship’ are achieved. Even in countries with curriculum projects and effective practice, it is accepted that there is still tremendous variety in approach from school to school and classroom to classroom.

Some countries are recognising the need for increased encouragement of active and participatory learning in citizenship education through formal structures and policies. For example, in the Netherlands, there are some changes in upper secondary schools where students are encouraged to move away from traditional teaching methods and organise other forms of working. Some other examples of good practices we should refer to relates to the using of democratic working methods with teachers and students deciding in advance the learning goals in each subject (E2C). The current reform of the lycée in France aims to give students more say in how their education is conducted. There is also an opportunity in Spain for students to learn about democracy through active participation in school life. In Spain there are school councils comprising teacher representatives, parents and students that decide, among other things, on curriculum plans, finances and student behaviour. There is a distinct lack of such developments in Hungary, while in others, notably Italy,; their existence does not mean they function satisfactory. It is important to note that such opportunities are often open to only a small percentage of students in a school.Concerning measuring and recognition citizenship, except in the UK and  The Netherlands, every partner noticed that there isn’t a national effort to develop new tools for measuring and recognition of citizenship skills. Normally the assessment of citizenship knowledge and competences is made through exams and assignments, with tools created by each trainer in isolation. Every partner expresses the need to develop innovative, creative and inviting tools and instruments to assess the development of competences during adult education sessions. This concern was more evident between partners who work with deprived target-groups. This population used to be much more resistant to seeing criticism as a challenge for improvement, and to have a negative attitude concerning evaluation. Partners need instruments that help students to be aware of their citizenship behaviour and to improve confidence and social participation. Every partner also finds it important to develop new (informal) ways of recognition of citizenship skills, in order to improve self-esteem on disaffected groups and make possible labour market and social integration.