The Slovenian Approach to Quality Assurance
in Language Education

Zdenka Marinic

Context
Slovenia, a newly eastablished state 'on the sunny side of the Alps', has been trying very hard to improve the schooling system throughout the stormy periods of its existence.

Gathering years of working experience as a primary EFL teacher I had to face a number of changes. Systems change, but there is one thing remaining at all times - the question Can I do any better? Self-assessment is an integral part of any professional's career, a teacher's in particular.

The main focus of this case study is to highlight the turning point of Slovenia's quality assurance system in primary language education.

Background
In Slovenia primary schooling, which coincides with compulsory education, is run by the state. The Ministry of Education, the highest authority, provides for financial and legal aspects and The Board of Education provides for all monitoring, supervising and consulting aspects.

There are only a few private schools, mainly in the field of language teaching/learning.

In the past quality of education was assured externally by means of state supervision and inspection.

Current Position
In recent years, however, Slovenia is undergoing some major curricular changes in the field of compulsory education. The Primary Education Act implemented in 1996 has introduced a new 9-year model for primary schools.

The main reasons for the reform are:

• providing a more systematic education for all children,
• avoiding the student work overload which is the main problem of the 8-year primary school and
• providing equal opportunities for all students by taking into account their individual preferred learning styles and pace of progression.

Organizational and Curriculum Changes
The reform has brought about some content and organizational changes. The main feature of the new primary school model is segmenting primary education into triads. In the last triad the instruction of the three subjects (mathematics, mother tongue and first foreign language) is carried out according to the principles of flexible and external differentiation. The model is called 'setting' whereby students are assigned to designated level groups/homogeneous groups. Differentiation is introduced gradually, which means that in the 7th form only part (up to 25%) of teaching/learning time takes place in homogeneous groups of students (flexible differentiation). The main objective of these lessons is the consolidation of the materials taught in students' home classes (mixed-ability groups) - basic instruction. In the last two forms (8th and 9th) the instruction of the three subjects is carried out exclusively in homogeneous groups of students.

Assigning Students to Learning Groups
Students are grouped on the basis of their previous achievement in each of individual subjects regardless of their results attained in other subjects.

The procedure of assigning students to groups begins at the end of the second triad. Teachers advise students which group to choose, students are asked to assess their results critically and, in the light of the results, pick the group they see most suitable to meet their needs. In the first place students and teachers try to come to an agreement. And finally, students' parents are invited to discuss the issue with their children and teachers in order to reach a final decision as to the grouping of their children.

There are three levels of grouping:

• the basic (lower) level group
• the middle and
• the higher level group.

Students whose results in the previous years proved to be barely satisfactory or unsatisfactory at times are advised to pick the lower group.
Students whose results were mainly average are advised to pick the middle group and students whose results were above average are advised to pick the higher group.

Teaching Strategies
It is the methods and teaching strategies that differ in respect of the level groups, not the materials taught. All students are taught the same materials and get familiar with all compulsory (as prescribed by the syllabus) materials/structures, only in different ways.
The grouping of students is by no means unchangeable. Students can transfer from one level group to another (in both directions) on the basis of their achievement. The school year is divided into three terms and any transfers are usually done at the end of the term.

All teachers must be familiar with the syllabus. They should work together planning the lessons, devising tests, setting criteria for oral and written tests.

Foreign Language Learning
Most Slovenian primary school children learn English and a smaller number of them learn German as their first foreign language. According to the English Language Syllabus:

For Slovenian learners, English is a foreign language. In primary school learners start studying English as a part of the compulsory programme (first foreign language) in the second triad, i.e. in the fourth form (at the age of 9), or as one of the compulsory elective subjects (second foreign language) in the third triad, i.e. in the seventh form (at the age of 12) if they studied another foreign language in the second triad as a part of the compulsory programme.

When learning English, learners:

• get acquainted with different ways of communication and a language as a means of communication,
• develop self-awareness and the awareness of being members of social, national/ethnical and international community and develop and strengthen their own cultural values,
• recognize and become aware of the differences between people, social and national groups, values and attitudes and learn to respect and appreciate diversity,
• learn that English is a means of international communication and recognize themselves as learners and language users,
• broaden their communicative competence across mother tongue borders and in the intercultural environment,
• set and establish personal learning goals, recognize and evaluate their own achievements and strive for improvement,
• develop basic cultural and educational values.

Assessment and Evaluation

Student achievement/progress is assessed in writing and speaking. In the last two forms students' achievement is marked inside their level groups in terms of points (1-10).
Teams of teachers in individual schools work together and evaluate their work in the light of feedback from colleagues, students and students' parents and thus get involved in a never-ending cycle of planning - trying out - and reflecting in the light of feedback and in re-planning their work.

Introducing Internal Quality Assurance
This is where the most significant change occurs. Instead of external quality assurance via supervision and inspection on the part of state authorities, an internal one is being introduced whereby teachers themselves set their own standards and criteria to comply with. The role of state inspectors has changed to being one of consultants.

In the broader context, at national level, self-assessment of language teachers is encouraged by the newly introduced national primary school leaving examination. At the end of the first two triads students have to take an internal examination in mathematics and mother tongue, while at the end of the last triad they take an external school leaving examination in the same two subjects plus one more subject they choose themselves, English is quite frequently chosen. We can speculate about the reasons. However, one of possible reasons is that students feel there is no extra learning required as is the case with other subjects.

The outline of the examination is set by the National Committee responsible for administering the primary school leaving exams. It contains a written and an oral part in order to measure students' performance in terms of all four skills.

The examination has a significant feedback effect on teaching practice.

All tasks are tried out before they are included in the exam, which enables the national team of testers to reflect on their work in the light of feedback from teachers and students.

The primary school leaving examination is the students' 'ticket' to enrol to a higher level of education and a stimulus to encourage quality teaching