Portugal: a brand new handbook for integrating Global Citizenship Education in curriculum

“Global Schools. Propostas de integração curricular da Educação para o Desenvolvimento e Cidadania Global no 1º e 2º CEB” is the result of the work of the Portuguese team of Global Schools project. A support for teachers who want to embed Development Education and Global Citizenship issues in their everyday work in the classrooms.

This resource is an initiative of the Higher Education teachers from the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, co-created with the support of NGDOs experts in the field, one of which is the Portuguese Jesuit organization FGS – Fundação Gonçalo da Silveira, also a member of the Xavier Network.

It was developed within the scope of the Global Schools project and intends to be a support for teachers that want to embed Development Education and Global Citizenship issues in their classrooms, in a real curricular integration. In the book we can find activities related to a multiplicity of themes, such us: Cultural diversity and world views; Views of the future, alternatives and social change; Interdependence and Globalisation; Inequalities, poverty and social exclusion; Social Justice – Rights, duties and responsibilities; The planetary community; Global Citizenship – Building a just and sustainable world society.

Divided in 7 chapters, the handbook is composed of 9 didactic units suitable for children from 6 to 12 years old (Portuguese 1 ^st and 2 ^nd cycles of Basic Education).

Set up in 2004, FGS stemmed from an initiative of the Portuguese Jesuits. It is a non-profit institution of public benefit working in projects covering mainly Cooperation for Development and Global Citizenship Education. Highly experienced on Global Citizenship issues, FGS has been one of the Portuguese Ministry of Education main partners, collectively creating guidance documents and instruments and fostering teachers work on Development Education.

This new handbook follows the Portuguese Development Education Guidelines, to which FGS also contributed, and is available here for free download (only Portuguese).