Subgroup 5 Year One Report

1
Subgroup 5 Year One Report

• Language Learning

2
Definition of LL

• Developing the ability to communicate in the
  second/foreign language/s
• Language and intercultural aspects as part of
  language process and outcomes
• Common European Framework of Reference to label
  course and examination levels

3
Definition of LL

• A reflection of practices procedures in 12
  member institutions (PL, NL, AT, BE, BG, DE, ES,
  FI, FR, IT, LU, LV, UK, TR)
• 1 language for specialists
• 2 language for non specialists / service
  languages
• 3 language of instruction
• 4 language for social purposes (mobility,
  students studying abroad)

4
Language learning

• Comprehensive universities all 4 aspects
• Universities offering specialised/profiled
  education aspects 2 4

5
Delivery

1. Mode
2. Face to face
3. Blended learning
4. On-line courses minority
5. Affiliation
6. Language centres
7. Language departments
8. Other departments
9. Outsourced

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Assessment/evaluation

1. Exams
2. written and oral, administered by expert language
   teachers
3. Computer-based tests
4. The same test format for non-specialist students
5. Exit levels
6. Defined in CEF terms for non-specialist students
7. Not the case for specialist students
8. No significant changes in the assessment
   procedure
9. Grades not related to CEF
10. Exit level proficiency not mentioned in the
    diplomas
11. Language exams not CEF-proof

7
QA mechanisms

1. Few countries national QA mechanisms
2. Audits or accreditations rare if any
3. Institutional QA systems under development or in
   use variety of approaches (top-down, bottom-up)
4. QA adopted at language centre level
5. Tools

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Additional information

1. Little co-operation/co-ordination between
   language centres and language departments
2. Self-access centre
3. Language advisers
4. Language learning in the context of lifelong
   learning a need for study
5. Provision
6. Validation

9
Case studies

• Cross-border, joint cases
• Effective language delivery
• CEF and related instruments in language courses
  and programmes
• Relation between academic programmes and
  stakeholders, external providers
• Institutional approaches to QA
• Continuous professional development

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Effective language delivery

• In this case study innovative aspects that
  potentially increase the effectiveness of
  language programmes are addressed, because they
  add value to the language learning experience. In
  particular, we think of opportunities increasing
  authentic interaction and exposure to the target
  languages (and cultures), e.g. integrating study
  abroad into the language programme and using CMC
  (computer mediated communication) tools, both
  asynchronous and synchronous

11
CEF and related documents in language courses
and programmes

• This case study will focus on how CEF related
  instruments such as ELP and Dialang can be
  adapted and integrated in language programmes,
• to achieve transparency and comparability of
  learning outcomes
• to foster autonomous learning and language
  awareness among learners.
• In particular we will describe the following
  experiences
• Germany the development of new modules and new
  descriptors for academic language skills (2-year
  project),
• Latvia the use of the ELP with teachers and
  non-specialist students,
• The Netherlands the use of the ELP with
  specialist students and of Dialang and ELP with
  non-specialist to promote reflective learning and
  autonomy.

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Relation between academic programmes and
stakeholders, external providers

• In this case study we will identify quality
  issues related to different kinds of interfaces
  between academic language teaching providers and
  external agencies, e.g. ministries, employers,
  private companies, private and national language
  institutes, non-profit organisations, commercial
  language testers, publishers
• The following experiences will be described
• Italy the development of tests for primary
  school teachers commissioned by and in
  cooperation with the Ministry of Education,
• Belgium experience with external clients and
  partners,
• Spain language testing hosted by academic
  centres, delivered through Universia, with
  funding by Banco Santander,
• Germany the development of courses in
  cooperation with Instituto Cervantes

13
Institutional approaches to QA

• In this case we will identify different
  institutional approaches to quality assurance in
  language teaching/learning and how they impact
  the process of language provision/delivery and
  its effectiveness (in terms of learning
  outcomes). In particular we shall describe a
  stricter, more structured and prescriptive,
  top-down approach of the University of Ulster,
  and a more liberal, bottom-up approach of the
  University of Warsaw

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Continuous professional development