| |
Project
Description
Context |
Aims
and Objectives |
Expected
Outcomes |
Action
Plan |
Team
Download
project
description in
pdf format
Download
project flyer in
pdf format
|
|
|
CONTEXT
Due to the recent increase in
trade, travel and political and social co-operation, language competence
has become a key skill in modern Europe. Great efforts have been made
to improve language training at all education levels. Whereas in the past
language teaching was mainly related to cultural themes with an emphasis
on literature, communicative aspects in everyday international contact
situations, both for personal and for professional reasons, have become
more and more important and language teaching has become interwoven with
subject teaching.
Case studies have proven to be an excellent means for
the integration of subject-specific aspects into language teaching. The
use of case studies in language teaching encourages task-oriented teaching
methods and problem-based learning, as the students are confronted with
an authentic problem they have to solve by analysing material in the target
language. The authenticity of the cases and of the material, as well as
the integration of current events have an extremely positive impact on
the learners' motivation and stimulate language teaching as a whole.
At present, there is little or no information
available for interested language teachers to refer to when planning to
use case studies in their own programmes.
AIMS
AND OBJECTIVES ______________________________
General
aims
The general aim of the project is to improve language
teaching at secondary and university level by introducing a task-oriented
approach through the use of case studies in language teaching. This aim
will be achieved by the development of teacher training modules including
piloted teaching material for the use in class.
The LCaS project aims:
- to increase the motivation of learners to learn
languages by providing and stimulating quality training case study material
- to create and disseminate training modules
for language teachers which will contribute to the integration of new
teaching methods in the language classes and have a multiplier effect
in professional development in the university and secondary school sectors.
Specific
objectives
Although case studies are used in business studies and law courses, they
are still an innovative method in language teaching. The use of case studies
in language teaching has a highly positive impact on the development of
active and passive language skills, as it follows an integrative concept
of language teaching. It also contributes to the development of soft skills
such as presentation skills, problem-solving strategies and teamwork.
The specific objectives of the LCaS project are:
- to
develop and pilot paper-based and Internet-based case studies for language
teaching purposes at secondary and university level,
- to
develop criteria to evaluate student performances based on the Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF),
- to
develop teacher training modules for the adoption of case studies in
language teaching and in this way to achieve a multiplier effect among
university and secondary school staff.
- to
develop and publish a handbook for teacher trainers,
- to
disseminate the training modules and the handbook at international and
regional language teaching and learning workshops,
- to
raise awareness and disseminate material through the Project Website.
The
case studies developed by the LCaS project require co-operation between
learners in different countries working on the same Internet-based material.
They must co-operate via email or by an Internet-based learning platform.
This aspect of the project directly contributes to cross-border co-operation
and the formation and understanding of European citizens.
As we will create Internet and distance-learning networks
we can contribute to the work of the Information and Communication Technical
and Distance Learning area particularly in the practical use of material
in class and between learners and teachers in different countries. The
project team will use existing networks like the German Association of
Language Centres - AKS, the European Confederation of Language Centres
in Higher Education - CercleS and the HERMES working group, initially
funded within the activities of the EU Thematic Network Project AFANet,
for piloting of the case studies and of the teacher training modules.
Our concern is to enhance the status of language
teachers in the wider academic community and thus we take the work of
the group further in our examination of the interaction between the language
teachers and the subject specialists in university and secondary education,
as they develop teaching material jointly.
We will provide further quantifiable information on language acquisition
and the CEF which will add to the body of knowledge.
EXPECTED
OUTCOMES ______________________________
By the end of the project the partners will have developed
the following outcomes:
a) processes
- one paper-based case study in each language (English,
French, German, Italian)
- two Internet-based case studies in each language
- training modules for professional development
courses which demonstrate the integration of case studies in language
teaching
- a published handbook with CD-Rom for teacher
trainers providing guidelines and instructions on the use of case
studies in language teaching and ideas for professional development
courses
- a project website
- three training workshops on international and
regional level
- a final report on the results of the project
which will include the results of the evaluation process.
handbook:
The handbook will consist of the following parts:
- a definition of 'case studies' concerning teaching
applications, themes and linguistic requirements,
- guidelines for the development of case studies
which take into account useful resources, cultural matters and sensitivities,
linguistic 'richness' and suitability for language learning tasks,
age groups, gender and pre-requisite knowledge,
- guidelines for the development of Internet-based
case studies which explain the difference in using paper-based and
IT based classroom materials,
- criteria assuring the quality of the cases which
set up an evaluation feedback-loop and comparability between the specified
languages at similar levels,
- a discussion of the methodological aspects of using
case studies in language teaching,
- guidelines for the adoption of case studies at
secondary level bearing in mind national and international forms of
assessment and study patterns,
- guidelines for the use of case studies in subject-specific
language classes,
- models of best practice which demonstrate
co-operation between:
- teachers of the same language working in different
countries
- teachers working in different languages in
different countries
- language teachers and subject-area specialists
at university level in the creation of the case study materials
and the piloting and evaluation of them,
- guidelines for evaluating the students' performance
by applying the level descriptors provided by the CEF,
- guidelines for the development of teacher training
courses for language teachers.
In this way, the handbook will provide information
on the development of case studies for language teaching purposes and
their use in language classes. It will also provide guidelines for teacher
trainers to prepare and carry out professional development courses themselves
and thus have an important multiplying effect of the project activities.
b) processes
The LCaS project will run two regional workshops (one in English, one in
French) and one central event in Graz in order to pilot and disseminate
the teacher training modules and the case studies.
ACTION
PLAN _________________________ ____________
2004
23-24 April
1st meeting of project team to plan the development and piloting
of the case studies and of the teacher training modules.
January-December
Throughout 2004 the project team will develop case studies and pilot them
with students in class (Etain Casey and Marija Lešnik will produce
case studies in English, Elke Gigl and Ana Margarida Abrantes in German,
Johann Fischer in French and Italian). The team will also work on the
production of the teacher training modules. René Krätschel
will develop the website and produce an Internet version of the case studies.
8-9 October
2nd meeting of project team to evaluate the case studies, the piloting
of the case studies, the teacher training modules and the website. It
will also plan the piloting of the case studies in project year 2 and
the first regional event.
2005
3-5 March
1st regional event in Finland to present the teacher training modules.
Participants profile:
This workshop addresses language teachers and teacher trainers in secondary
schools and university language teaching. The participants should be practicing
language teachers and should have been involved in teacher training; they
should like to familiarise themselves with task-oriented and problem-based
teaching and learning methods. The participants will be invited to pilot
both the case studies and the teacher training modules after the workshop
and to give feedback to the project team.
Although the teaching material available at the workshop is produced for
classes of English, French, German and Italian (main target group), our
workshops are open to teachers and teacher trainers of all languages.
Participants must, however, be competent in English, which is the working
language at this regional event, but it would be advantageous if teachers
of Italian, French and German took part.
19-20 August
3rd meeting of project team to evaluate the case studies, the
piloting of the case studies, the teacher training modules, the results
of the 1st regional event, and the website. It will also plan the second
regional event and plan the production of the handbook.
January-December
Throughout the year 2005 the project team will pilot and revise the case studies and continue the production of the teacher training modules. The piloting of the case studies will also be carried out through the joint delivery of a course in a real distance learning situation with students from two partner institutions. Throughout the year the project website will be regularly updated
2006
11-13 May
2 nd regional event to present teacher training modules designed for case studies at a workshop carried out in English.
This workshop addresses language teachers and teacher trainers who work in initial teacher training and/or further development programmes for secondary and university language teachers. The participants should have had experience in teaching languages and may have been involved in teacher training; they should be interested in task-oriented and problem-based teaching and learning methods.
The participants will receive case study examples and readings to examine before the workshop. After the workshop, they will be invited to pilot both the case studies and the teacher training modules or disseminate them as appropriate, and provide feedback to the project team.
The teaching material has been produced for use by English, French, German and Italian language teachers and learners, and teachers teaching these languages are welcome to participate.
6-7 October
4th meeting of project team to evaluate the case studies, the piloting
of the case studies, the teacher training modules, the results of the
2nd regional event, and the website. It will revise the draft version
of the handbook and plan the central event.
January-December
Throughout the year 2006 the project team will continue to pilot the
case studies and revise the teacher training modules. The project
team will prepare a draft version of the handbook. The project
website will be regularly updated.
2007
15-17 February
Central event to present teacher training modules designed for case studies at a workshop carried out in English and French.
This workshop addresses language teachers and teacher trainers who work in initial teacher training and/or further development programmes for secondary and university language teachers.
The participants should have experience in teaching languages and may have been involved in teacher training; they should be interested in task-oriented and problem-based teaching and learning methods.
The participants will receive case study examples and readings to examine before the workshop. After the workshop, they will be invited to pilot both the case studies and the teacher training modules or disseminate them as appropriate.
The teaching material has been produced for use by English, French, German and Italian language teachers and learners, and teachers teaching these languages are welcome to participate.
13-14 April
5th meeting of project team to evaluate the results of the central event, to revise the teacher training modules, the handbook and the website. The team will also prepare the final report.
January-December
Throughout the year 2007 the project team will revise the teacher training
modules and the handbook, and update the website. The team will also
prepare the final report.
August
The handbook - with CD-Rom - will be published, containing
the theoretical background knowledge, the results of the team's studies,
the teacher training modules and the case studies.
All workshops will consist of :
- theoretical input sessions. These give background
information on the different types of case studies and methodological
approaches which have been successful in subject areas. The participants
then analyse how case studies may be developed specifically for language
learning and how these would affect the planning, syllabus and evaluation
of their current language training programmes and what adaptations and
innovations would be necessary.
- hands-on sessions in which the participants can use
case study material for language teaching and learning. Through discussion
they can develop scenarios for their own case studies and learn to collect,
evaluate and select appropriate material for the cases and their target
group(s) of learners.
- evaluation and feedback sessions.
LANGUAGES
The working languages of the project are English and French. Simultaneous interpretation will only be provided for central events (ECML workshops).
Participants are expected to be fluent in one of the working languages and have passive knowledge of the other.
|
