The VIVACE and ALLEGRO learners were by and large volunteers; they were mainly adults, although some children took part in family learning activities and a few groups were run solely for children.  The latter were groups for children who would normally be excluded from learning a language in mainstream education. 

Many adults and older teenagers came to the VIVACE /ALLEGRO experience with some scepticism.  They often felt that language learning was something for other people, that it had little or nothing to offer them and that they might not be capable of learning anything.   In almost every case these preconceptions were dispelled.  

The following conclusions are taken from a report by the VIVACE partner in the Czech Republic, summarising the experience that she and her colleagues had in working with a group of adults with serious learning disabilities. It is typical of many such reports from project partners: 

We were impressed that:

• All the learners were able to concentrate for 90 minutes
• The learners seemed to be very excited and enthusiastic about the project; after every lesson they kept asking about the time of the next one
• All the learners seemed to be highly motivated; for them the foreign language was a link with the outside world
• All the learners were very curious, sensitive, communicative, sociable and competitive

A striking feature of the VIVACE/ALLEGRO experience for learners has been the marked impact that a language learning experience, even a brief one, has had on other skills and attitudes:

• communication skills
• social skills
• a broader view of the world
• a more tolerant outlook
• improved confidence 
• a changed attitude towards education

The learners’ experience has also made its impression upon the people close to them – families, carers and friends, thus spreading the message that language learning is a positive and inclusive activity.