Aims and Objectives |

Expected
Outcomes |

Action Plan |

Team

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CONTEXT

The Governing Board of the ECML considered that harmonising language teacher education in Europe is a priority theme that should be addressed by the ECML in the second medium-term programme. The proposals dealing with aspects of this issue that the ECML received were not taken up. However, the Board asked the Secretariat to include a small number of activities in its programme to allow reflection on the issue of such a common framework for teacher education, building on what is already provided by the Common European Framework of Reference and taking into account aspects of the European Language Portfolio.

Recently a 'European Profile for Language Teacher Education - A Frame of Reference' was published, resulting from a project initiated by the European Commission and implemented by a project group based at Southampton University and coordinated by Michael Grenfell.

At a meeting held at the ECML in December 2004, attended by ECML experts and Michael Grenfell, it was decided to carry out a project which would build on the work of the European Profile, the Common European Framework and the European Language Portfolio.

This project aims to develop the above three strands and combine relevant insights to compile a portfolio based on competences to be developed in the course of pre-service teacher education.

Specific objectives:

1. To examine the European Profile, compiled by the EC Southampton-based
    project
2. To address and exemplify the content
3. To examine the Common European Framework of Reference for relevant input
4. To develop a portfolio for student teachers to help them reflect on
    knowledge, skills, and values
5. To evaluate and amend the above and apply this framework to different
    teacher education contexts

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

A publication/CD Rom which provides exemplary materials to serve as the basis for a Student Teacher Portfolio for pre-service language teacher education in individual national contexts.

ACTION PLAN

2004: 17-18 December
Expert meeting to select topic and devise provisional action plan

2005: January
Setting up of project team (4-5 people)

2005: 7-9 April
Project planning meeting of project team to plan structure and content of Portfolio

2005 : April - June
Developmental work on Portfolio

2005: 4-5 June
Meeting of coordinating team to

• assess work done so far
• continue work on descriptors
  

2005: June- October
Complete first draft of descriptors

2005: October – December
Write other sections of portfolio

2005: 27-29 October
Meeting of coordinating team to

• complete work on descriptors
• plan further sections of portfolio

• Write other sections of portfolio
• Prepare pre-workshop documentation planning of workshop

• Assess additional work done on portfolio
• Finalise preparations of workshop
  

2006: 27-29 April
3-day ECML Workshop

The aim of the workshop will be to analyse, assess and suggest amendments to the first draft of the Student Teacher Portfolio drawn up by the coordinating team. Information will be given on the rationale of the Portfolio and workshop participants will consider how the Portfolio might be used in their own teaching contexts. Post-workshop trialling of Portfolio will be planned.

Participants' profile:
Participants must be pre-service teacher educators.

2006: 13-15 October
Editorial meeting

2006: October-December
Finalisation of publication

2007: Publication

Languages
The working languages of the project are English and French. Participants will be required to be highly competent in speaking and writing in one of these languages.