WHAT IS EUROPEAN LANGUAGE PORTFOLIO?

 

It is a document in which those who are learning or have learned a language - whether at school or outside school - can record and reflect on their language learning and cultural experiences.

The portfolio contains a language passport which its owner regularly updates. A grid is provided where his/her language competences can be described according to common criteria accepted throughout Europe and which can serve as a complement to customary certificates. The document also contains a detailed language biography describing the owner's experiences in each language and which is designed to guide the learner in planning and assessing progress. Finally, there is a dossier where examples of personal work can be kept to illustrate one's language competences.

3 Parts of a Portfolio

Aims and functions of a European Language Portfolio

The European Language Portfolio project has two main aims:

a) to motivate learners by acknowledging their efforts to extend and diversify their language skills at all levels;

b) to provide a record of the linguistic and cultural skills they have acquired (to be consulted, for example, when they are moving to a higher learning level or seeking employment at home or abroad).

Points a) and b) refer to the two basic functions of the European Language Portfolio:

a) The pedagogic function

· Enhance the motivation of the learners

- to improve their ability to communicative in different languages
- to learn additional languages
- to seek new intercultural experiences>

· Incite and help learners to

- reflect their objectives, ways of learning and success in language learning
- plan their learning
- learn autonomously

· Encourage learners to enhance their plurilingual and intercultural experience, for example through

- contacts and visits
- reading
- use of the media
- projects

b) The documentation and reporting function

The European Language Portfolio aims to document its holder's plurilingual language proficiency and experiences in other languages in a comprehensive, informative, transparent and reliable way. The instruments contained in the ELP help learners to take stock of the levels of competence they have reached in their learning of one or several foreign languages in order to enable them to inform others in a detailed and internationally comparable manner.

There are many occasions to present a Language Portfolio which is up to date, for example a transfer to another school, change to a higher educational sector, the beginning of a language course, a meeting with a career advisor, or an application for a new post. In these cases the ELP is addressed to persons who have a role in decisions which are important for the owner of the Language Portfolio. A learner may also be interested in having such documentation for him-/herself.

Principles

All competence is valued, regardless whether gained inside or outside of formal education.

- The European Language Portfolio is the property of the learner.
- It is linked to the Common European Framewwork of reference for Languages.
- A set of common principles ad guidelines hhave been agreed for all Portfolios.

Recommendation N° R (98) 6 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States concerning Modern Languages recommends among other measures the development and use by learners of a personal document (European Language Portfolio) to record their qualifications and other significant linguistic and cultural experiences in an internationally transparent manner as part of an effort to extend and diversify language learning at all levels in a lifelong perspective.

The Ministers of Education of all the member States of the Council of Europe have recommended that governments, in keeping with their education policy, support the introduction of a European Language Portfolio.

Resolution on the European Language Portfolio (adopted at the 20th Session of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education of the Council of Europe, Cracow, Poland, 15-17 October 2000)

The European Ministers of Education, meeting in Cracow for the 20th session of their Standing Conference,

CONSIDERING:

- the conclusions and recommendations of the 19th Session of the Standing Conference of the European Ministers of Education;
- Recommendation No. R (98) 6 of the Committtee of Ministers to Member States concerning Modern Languages;
- Recommendation 1383 (1998) of the Parliameentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Linguistic Diversification;
- the encourage

 

INTRODUCTION

What is a European Language Portfolio? It is a document in which those who are learning or have learned a language - whether at school or outside school - can record and reflect on their language learning and cultural experiences. The portfolio contains a language passport which its owner regularly updates. A grid is provided where his/her language competences can be described according to common criteria accepted throughout Europe and which can serve as a complement to customary certificates. The document also contains a detailed language biography describing the owner's experiences in each language and which is designed to guide the learner in planning and assessing progress. Finally, there is a dossier where examples of personal work can be kept to illustrate one's language competences. 3 Parts of a Portfolio Aims and functions of a European Language Portfolio The European Language Portfolio project has two main aims: a) to motivate learners by acknowledging their efforts to extend and diversify their language skills at all levels; b) to provide a record of the linguistic and cultural skills they have acquired (to be consulted, for example, when they are moving to a higher learning level or seeking employment at home or abroad). Points a) and b) refer to the two basic functions of the European Language Portfolio: a) The pedagogic function · Enhance the motivation of the learners - to improve their ability to communicative in different languages - to learn additional languages - to seek new intercultural experiences · Incite and help learners to - reflect their objectives, ways of learning and success in language learning - plan their learning - learn autonomously · Encourage learners to enhance their plurilingual and intercultural experience, for example through - contacts and visits - reading - use of the media - projects b) The documentation and reporting function The European Language Portfolio aims to document its holder's plurilingual language proficiency and experiences in other languages in a comprehensive, informative, transparent and reliable way. The instruments contained in the ELP help learners to take stock of the levels of competence they have reached in their learning of one or several foreign languages in order to enable them to inform others in a detailed and internationally comparable manner. There are many occasions to present a Language Portfolio which is up to date, for example a transfer to another school, change to a higher educational sector, the beginning of a language course, a meeting with a career advisor, or an application for a new post. In these cases the ELP is addressed to persons who have a role in decisions which are important for the owner of the Language Portfolio. A learner may also be interested in having such documentation for him-/herself. Principles All competence is valued, regardless whether gained inside or outside of formal education. - The European Language Portfolio is the property of the learner. - It is linked to the Common European Framework of reference for Languages. - A set of common principles ad guidelines have been agreed for all Portfolios. Recommendation N° R (98) 6 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States concerning Modern Languages recommends among other measures the development and use by learners of a personal document (European Language Portfolio) to record their qualifications and other significant linguistic and cultural experiences in an internationally transparent manner as part of an effort to extend and diversify language learning at all levels in a lifelong perspective. The Ministers of Education of all the member States of the Council of Europe have recommended that governments, in keeping with their education policy, support the introduction of a European Language Portfolio. Resolution on the European Language Portfolio (adopted at the 20th Session of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education of the Council of Europe, Cracow, Poland, 15-17 October 2000) The European Ministers of Education, meeting in Cracow for the 20th session of their Standing Conference, CONSIDERING: - the conclusions and recommendations of the 19th Session of the Standing Conference of the European Ministers of Education; - Recommendation No. R (98) 6 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States concerning Modern Languages; - Recommendation 1383 (1998) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Linguistic Diversification; - the encouraging results of the PILOT PROJEECTS conducted in 15 member States in an initial pilot phase (1998 to 2000) in order to explore the practical potential, feasibility and effects of a European Language Portfolio. RECOMMEND THAT: The Governments of member states, in harmony with their education policies: 1. implement or create conditions favorable for the implementation and wide use of the ELP according to the Principles and Guidelines laid down by the Education Committee; 2. Where it is decided to introduce the ELP, they: 2.1. ask a competent body (such as a national committee) to examine ELP models for compulsory education, to establish whether they meet the agreed criteria, and to forward them with a recommendation to the European Validation Committee; 2.2. ask the competent body to monitor compliance with the Principles and Guidelines at the national, regional, local level; 2.3. create conditions to enable learners to use ELPs throughout formal and informal education; 2.4. assist teachers in the effective use of the ELP through appropriate training programmes and support; 2.5. take steps to ensure that an ELP is acknowledged as a valid record of competence regardless of its country, region, sector or institution of origin; 2.6. facilitate co-operation between education institutions and other relevant agencies at all levels, be they public or private, with a view to the harmonious development and implementation of ELPs; 2.7. monitor the dissemination and impact of the ELP and report the findings to the Council of Europe regularly, and at least once every three years. Future goals Different models are being or will be developed in Council of Europe member States depending on the age of learners and national contexts. However, all models must conform to the agreed principles and be approved by the European Validation Committee in order to use the Council of Europe logo. The Council of Europe organised a series of seminars in 2001 to help member States which did not take part in the pilot scheme to develop and introduce their own portfolios. A number of International NGOs are also developing Portfolios for higher and adult education. Educational authorities or institutions undertaking to produce an ELP model may ask for guidance and a preliminary reaction from the Validation Committee at an early stage. Please contact the Secretariat: johanna.panthier@coe.int Portfolios CANNOT be obtained from the Council of Europe. The co-ordinates of national co-ordinators are to be found in the Final Report of the Pilot project .

 

 

With ELP you can Assess and describe your own language skills and compare them with levels of reference which have been approved all over Europe Review, organise and plan your language learning Collect and illustrate the language and (inter-)cultural experiences you had in school or outside Inform interested people about your language and intercultural experiences Read about how you can use the three parts of ELP for your own needs:

The first folder contains the standardised European Language Passport. In addition, documents like diplomas, certificates and attestations can be collected in this folder in order to confirm claims made in the Language Passport.

The Language Passport shows at a glance

·        which languages the owner of the ELP is familiar with;

·        which levels (A1-A2-B1-B2-C1-C2) s/he has reached in different languages (with reference to the activities of Listening, Reading, Spoken interaction, Spoken production and Writing);

·        which language learning and intercultural experiences s/he has had inside and outside school;

·        which diplomas, certificates, etc. s/he has been awarded, and to which levels (A1 to C2) they correspond.

Teachers, schools and other training institutions can obtain a general overview of the current level of language proficiency in different languages of their learners, learner groups and classes - and on this basis classify learners and plan their teaching more precisely.

They can help learners leaving their institution to update their Language Passports, and thus equip them with a document that informs others in a transparent and credible way about actual language knowledge and experiences. This kind of update make sense for job applications or before or after a stay in an area where other languages are spoken.

At the end of a term or school year, the Language Passport can be a useful addition to the regular report cards (containing just grades).

·        The ELP provides detailed instructions on how to fill in the Language Passport and how to collect diplomas and attestations.

·        The ELP for Young People and Adults contains a number of forms and worksheets which facilitate the use of the Language Passport.

 

LEVELS

One of the aims of the "Common European Framework of Reference: Learning, Teaching, Assessment", Council of Europe reference document for the European Language Portfolio, is to help partners to describe the levels of proficiency required by existing standards, tests and examinations in order to facilitate comparisons between different systems of qualifications. For this purpose the Council of Europe has developed a European Framework with common reference levels. There does appear in practice to be a wide consensus on the number and nature of levels appropriate to the organisation of language learning and the public recognition of achievement. These six levels are an interpretation of the classic division into basic, intermediate and advanced. The scheme proposed in the "Common European Framework of Reference: Learning, Teaching, Assessment" adopts a "Hypertext" branching principle, starting from an initial division into three broad levels: Basic User: A1 and A2 Independent User: B1 and B2 Proficient User: C1 and C2 Such a simple "Global Scale" makes it easier to communicate the system to non-specialist users and will also provide teachers and curriculum planners with orientation points. However, in order to orient learners, teachers and other users within the educational system for some practical purpose, a more detailed overview is necessary. Such an overview is presented in the form of a Self-Assessment Grid showing major categories of language use at each of the six levels. It is intended to help learners to profile their main language skills, and decide at which level they might look at a checklist of more detailed descriptors in order to self-assess their level of proficiency. Global Scale

Proficient User C2 Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.

C1 Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

Independent User B2 Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

B1 Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

Basic User A2 Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

A1 Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

 

 

Resolution on the European Language Portfolio (adopted at the 20th Session of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education of the Council of Europe, Cracow, Poland, 15-17 October 2000) The European Ministers of Education, meeting in Cracow for the 20th session of their Standing Conference, CONSIDERING: - the conclusions and recommendations of the 19th Session of the Standing Conference of the European Ministers of Education; - Recommendation No. R (98) 6 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States concerning Modern Languages; - Recommendation 1383 (1998) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Linguistic Diversification; - the encouraging results of the PILOT PROJECTS conducted in 15 member States in an initial pilot phase (1998 to 2000) in order to explore the practical potential, feasibility and effects of a European Language Portfolio. RECOMMEND THAT: The Governments of member states, in harmony with their education policies: 1. implement or create conditions favourable for the implementation and wide use of the ELP according to the Principles and Guidelines laid down by the Education Committee; 2. Where it is decided to introduce the ELP, they: 2.1. ask a competent body (such as a national committee) to examine ELP models for compulsory education, to establish whether they meet the agreed criteria, and to forward them with a recommendation to the European Validation Committee; 2.2. ask the competent body to monitor compliance with the Principles and Guidelines at the national, regional, local level; 2.3. create conditions to enable learners to use ELPs throughout formal and informal education; 2.4. assist teachers in the effective use of the ELP through appropriate training programmes and support; 2.5. take steps to ensure that an ELP is acknowledged as a valid record of competence regardless of its country, region, sector or institution of origin; 2.6. facilitate co-operation between education institutions and other relevant agencies at all levels, be they public or private, with a view to the harmonious development and implementation of ELPs; 2.7. monitor the dissemination and impact of the ELP and report the findings to the Council of Europe regularly, and at least once every three years.

 

 

 

 

What is TBL?

How often do we as teachers ask our students to do something in class which they would do in everyday life using their own language? Probably not often enough.

If we can make language in the classroom meaningful therefore memorable, students can process language which is being learned or recycled more naturally.

Task-based learning offers the student an opportunity to do exactly this. The primary focus of classroom activity is the task and language is the instrument which the students use to complete it. The task is an activity in which students use language to achieve a specific outcome. The activity reflects real life and learners focus on meaning, they are free to use any language they want. Playing a game, solving a problem or sharing information or experiences, can all be considered as relevant and authentic tasks. In TBL an activity in which students are given a list of words to use cannot be considered as a genuine task. Nor can a normal role play if it does not contain a problem-solving element or where students are not given a goal to reach. In many role plays students simply act out their restricted role. For instance, a role play where students have to act out roles as company directors but must come to an agreement or find the right solution within the given time limit can be considered a genuine task in TBL.

In the task-based lessons included below our aim is to create a need to learn and use language. The tasks will generate their own language and create an opportunity for language acquisition (Krashen*). If we can take the focus away from form and structures we can develop our students’ ability to do things in English. That is not to say that there will be no attention paid to accuracy, work on language is included in each task and feedback and language focus have their places in the lesson plans. We feel that teachers have a responsibility to enrich their students’ language when they see it is necessary but students should be given the opportunity to use English in the classroom as they use their own languages in everyday life.

How can I use TBL in the classroom?

Most of the task-based lessons in this section are what Scrivener* classifies as authentic and follow the task structure proposed by Willis and Willis*.

Each task will be organised in the following way:

·        Pre-task activity an introduction to topic and task

·        Task cycle: Task > Planning > Report

·        Language Focus and Feedback

A balance should be kept between fluency, which is what the task provides, and accuracy, which is provided by task feedback.

The object of the following two tasks is for students to use English to:

Find out what resources are available to them and how they can use their resource room

Meet and talk to each of the teachers in their centre.

Task 1: Getting To Know Your Resources

Level:

Pre-intermediate and above

It is assumed in this lesson that your school has the following student resources; books (graded readers), video, magazines and Internet. Don’t worry if it doesn’t, the lesson can be adjusted accordingly.

Pre-task Preparation:

One of the tasks is a video exercise which involves viewing a movie clip with the sound turned off. This can be any movie depending on availability, but the clip has to involve a conversation between two people.

Pre-task activity:

In pairs students discuss the following questions:

·        Do you use English outside the classroom?

·        How?

·        What ways can you practise English outside the classroom?

Stage One - Running dictation.

Put the text from worksheet one on the wall either inside or outside the classroom. Organise your students into pairs. One student will then go to the text, read the text and then go back to her partner and relay the information to her. The partner who stays at the desk writes this information. When teams have finished check for accuracy. You can make this competitive should you wish.

Stage Two

In pairs students then read the Getting To Know Your Resources task sheet (worksheet two). Check any problem vocabulary at this stage. This worksheet can be adapted according to the resource room at your school.

Stage Three

Depending on how the resources are organised in your centre, students then go, in pairs, to the resource room or wherever the resources are kept and complete the tasks on the task sheet.

Stage Four

Working with a different partner students now compare and share their experience.

Stage Five - Feedback.

Having monitored the activity and the final stage, use this opportunity to make comments on your students’ performance. This may take form of a correction slot on errors or pronunciation, providing a self-correction slot.

Task 2 Getting To Know Your Teachers

Level:

Pre-intermediate and above

Students may need at least a week to do this activity, depending on the availability of the teachers in your centre

Pre-task activity

In pairs students talk about an English teacher they have had.

·        What was her name?

·        Where was she from?

·        How old was she?

·        Do you remember any of her lessons?

·        What was your favourite activity in her class?

Stage One

Using the Getting To Know Your Teachers task sheet (worksheet three) and the Interview Questions (worksheet four) students write the questions for the questionnaire they are going to use to interview the teachers.

Stage Two

To set up the activity students then interview you and record the information.

Stage Three

Depending on which teachers are free at this time they can then go and interview other teachers and record the information. You may wish to bring other teachers into your class to be interviewed or alternatively give your students a week or so to complete the task, interviewing teachers before or after class, or whenever they come to the centre.

Stage Four

Working with a different partner students compare their answers and experiences then decide on their final answers on the superlative questions.

Stage Five

Feedback and reflection. Allow time for students to express their opinions and experiences of the activity. Provide any feedback you feel is necessary.

Further Activities

The Get To Know Your Resources task sheet could be turned into a school competition entry form. Possible prizes could include a video or some readers.