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ECML European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe in Graz The Council of Europe www.coe.int Strasbourg, founded 1949 Oldest and geographically largest European institution in the area of intergovernmental co-operation 47 member states Areas of action Human rights Democracy Rule of Law Languages at the Council of Europe www.coe.int/lang Languages are the basis of: • communication • intercultural dialogue • social cohesion • democratic citizenship Promotion of: • Plurilingualism of citizens • Linguistic diversity in Europe Language education CHALLENGES AND TASKS Challenges in contemporary societies: • increased mobility of people • globalisation of social and economic processes • rapid innovations in communication technology Tasks for language education: • to support European citizens in their linguistic development • to help individuals becoming confident and responsible social agents • to engage in lifelong learning processes Directorate of Democratic Citizenship and Participation • Language Policy Unit, Strasbourg • European Centre for Modern Languages, Graz Directorate of Human Rights and Antidiscrimination: • European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe www.ecml.at An invitation to benefit from the work of the Centre ECML premises in Graz ECML Publications for teachers, teacher trainers Workshop participants European Day of Languages ECML Training and Consultancy for Member States ECML programme 2012-2015 LEARNING THROUGH LANGUAGES Promoting inclusive, plurilingual and intercultural education www.ecml.at/learningthroughlanguages Context • Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Language Policy Unit, Council of Europe) • Platform of Resources and References for Plurilingual and Intercultural Education (Language Policy Unit, Council of Europe) • Results of the ECML programme 2008-2011 ECML long-term vision Focus on the learner, the learner’s needs and the learner’s perspective Building on diversity ECML long-term vision Promoting inclusive approaches Aiming at plurilingual and intercultural competences Plurilingual education • Awareness raising of each individual‘s language repertoire • Encourages learning of lesser used or unfamiliar languages • Highlighting social value of linguistic diversity • Not restricted to language education • Challenges monolingual attitudes Plurilingual competences Capacity to acquire and use different competences in different languages, at different levels of proficiency and for different functions. Intercultural competences • Combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour which allow a speaker to recognise, understand, interpret and accept other ways of living and thinking beyond his or her home culture. • This competence is not limited to language ability. (Guide for the development of language education policies in Europe, Council of Europe, 2007) Inclusive education • How to attain high-quality education for all? • How to transform education to respond to diversity? • Inclusive education is founded on values of democracy, tolerance and respect for difference. • It aims at eliminating exclusion. Inclusive education benefits all learners Inclusive education „Exclusion is a consequence of negative attitudes and a lack of response to diversity in economic status, social class, ethnicity, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation and ability“ (UNESCO) Seminars offered in ECML member states responding to specific needs in the following areas: Plurilingual education European Language Portfolio online Education of adult migrants Relating language examinations to the CEFR Use of ICT in support of language teaching and learning Project topics include: • Mobility Mobility programmes for sustainable plurilingual and intercultural learning • Early language learning European portfolio for student teachers of pre-primary education • Plurilingual education Plurilingual whole school curricula – piloting and assessment Involving parents in plurilingual and intercultural education • Migrant education Diversity in majority language learning • Signed languages Signed languages for professional purposes Language descriptors for migrant and minority learners’ success in compulsory education www.ecml.at/languagedescriptors • focus on the language of schooling. • age groups: 11/12 and 15/16 year olds in compulsory education • analyzing the language learners need to succeed in social sciences and mathematics. • identify subject matter language skills migrant and minority learners should have Language descriptors for migrant and minority learners’ success in compulsory education • Based on surveys for CEFR experts and subject teachers (in Lithuania, Finland, Portugal, Norway, France and in the UK) descriptors for successful completion of subjects have been indentified • Examples: – To what extent do you modify or adapt your language when you teach migrant/minority students? – In order to do well in the subject, should the student be able to • find and infer specific information in demanding, longer texts? • identify main conclusions in clearly written argumentative teaching materials? Descriptors are linked to the CEFR Plurilingual whole school curricula www.ecml.at/plurcur • Provides consultancy for schools engaging in the development of whole school curricula • to pilot and assess plurilingual, inclusive and intercultural whole school policies • Two principles: – languages taught as subjects are not treated in isolation – language and non-language instruction overlap so that all subject teaching is also language teaching • Piloting schools are based in France, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia, Italy Envisaged outcomes of the ECML programme 2012-2015 Enhancing awareness of the value of • plurilingual education which challenges monolingual attitudes • inclusive education which responds to the diversity of the learners • intercultural education which prepares learners to engage in intercultural dialogue ECML programme 2016-2019 • Winter 2014/2015: publication of the Call for submissions • May 2015: deadline for submissions • Autumn 2015: publication of the new ECML programme • November 2015: meeting of the project coordinators Want to stay informed? Visit the programme website http://www.ecml.at/learningthroughlanguages Subscribe to The European Language Gazette www.ecml.at/gazette