The project should incorporate a theme of relevance to the students. It should pose them a problem to solve or a task to undertake which will involve them in working together, thereby giving them real rather than artificial reasons for communicating. The best projects are integrated into the life of the school. Links should not cease the moment the visits are over. There should be some clear outcome from the project, such as a joint report, video, newspaper, or even a joint performance or exhibition.
Good communication is essential.
The examples in the next section of this Vade-mecum will serve to illustrate just some of the many possibilities. These can include ordinary correspondence, sometimes guided by the teacher, as well as the exchange of recorded audio and video cassettes. The main disadvantage to this is the varying reliability of the postal services in Member states. Often, items sent by post take weeks to arrive and the project loses its impetus. Sometimes the more valuable videotapes never arrive at all and one is left with the impression that the partner school has lost interest.