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• Why is it important to study languages?

• Improving Foreign Language Learning

• The Lisbon Strategy & Language Learning

• Our personal suggestion about foreign Language Learning

• European Projects connected to Language Learning

• Language Learning and the EU

Studying foreign languages is one of the key factors of the Lisbon Strategy. Students should learn them for these main reasons:

Efficiency and consolidation of the single market

Competition at a global level with countries such as China or India

Partnership with universities in growth and job

Studying languages offers some interesting

opportunities like living for a period of time abroad, or experimenting students exchanges with other European countries

Moreover

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In addition, we can also consider language knowledge …In addition, we can also consider language knowledge …

Develops a dynamic and knowledge based economy

Increases the number of jobs Improves the quality of jobs Promotes understanding and tolerance of

other cultures

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Improving Foreign Languages Learning is necessary to give more opportunities to all citizens

1. The language-friendly school

schools and training institutions may adopt a holistic approach to the teaching of language

appropriate connections between the teaching of the mother tongue, foreign languages, the language of instruction, and the languages of migrant communities policies will help children to develop their communicative abilities

receptive multilingualism should be developed

The Action Plan for language learning and linguistic diversity NextTopics

Common European profile for language teacher education

Language learning for learners with special education needs

European agency for linguistic diversity and language learning

Effective ways for promoting language learning

European language certification systems

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Improving Foreign Languages Learning is necessary to give more opportunities

to all citizens

2. The Languages Classroom

Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci programmes have stimulated the development of many useful tools for teaching and learning foreign languages

eLearning approaches based on Internet-facilitated school twinning and on the pedagogical use of ICTs for learning

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Language teachers have a crucial role to play in building a multilingual Europe.

3. Language Teacher Training

They are called upon to exemplify the European values of openness to others, tolerance of differences, and willingness to communicate

more work is required to make sure that the results of research into language pedagogy, and the evidence of good practice and successful innovation, are disseminated to the people who can make use of them.

to date, the key role played by language teacher trainers, inspectors of foreign language teaching and other professionals, in promoting good practice has not received the attention it merits

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In addition to this, teachers 3.1. Language Teacher Training – The Teacher

must have adequate experience of using the target language and understanding its associated culture

should have spent an extended period in a country where that language is spoken and have regular opportunities to update their training

should improve contacts and effective networks between them at a regional, national and European level

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Moreover...

4. Training teachers of other subjects

Most pupils and trainees could study at least some of their curriculum through the medium of a foreign language.

Many more members of the teaching profession should in future be able to teach their subjects through at least one foreign language;

To this end, trainee teachers should study languages alongside their area of specialisation and undertake a part of their teaching studies abroad

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Heads of State and Government in Barcelona in March 2002Heads of State and Government in Barcelona in March 2002 noted the noted the lack of data on lack of data on citizens’ actual language skillscitizens’ actual language skills, , and called for the and called for the establishment of a European Indicator of Language Competenceestablishment of a European Indicator of Language Competence

5. Testing Language Skills

proposals for the design and administration of a periodic test of language skills new European indicator of language competence

There is a great diversity of tests and certificates of language skills in Europe, both within and outside formal education and training systems Not all tests are devised for the same purpose, or constructed to the

same degree of rigour These differences make the comparison of language skills between

individuals difficult

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• Garden of Eden

• Belgian Exchange

• INDIRE

• Conoscere l’Europa, Fare gli Europei

• Summer Study Tour

The European Union has endorsed different projects strictly connected to language learning. The ones we have adhered to are

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Living in a Garden of Eden is everybody's dream. Creating this utopian and yet reachable place is our ambitious aim. We, teachers and students, will go back to nature, study it by focusing on the water quality of a local river and on a typical plant that indicates the quality of the area…

GoE on the Web

Want to know more about it?

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Exchange between students of our school and students of a Belgian school in Geel in the Comenius Garden of Eden project

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Study and compare the most important national and international institutions.

We produced:A – Conceptual mapsConceptual maps (with Power Point support) about:- Italian Parliament:: structure, formation, tasks, relationship with the Government, comparison with the European Parliament;- Government:: structure, formation, tasks, relationship with the other communitarian organs;- Court of Justice and Constitutional Court: structure, formation, tasks, relationship with the other communitarian organs;

B – LinotypesLinotypes I II concerning juridical terminology

ITALIAN AND EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS: A COMPARISON

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Progetto Regione FVG

The aim of the project is to study and get to know the Lisbon Strategy.It offers the opportunity to reflect on the role and future of the EU and about the obstacles that it has to face:

•The EU: 50 years of peace, democracy and growth. What does the future hold?

•The rights of European citizens•The Lisbon Strategy: objectives, and role in Italy

At the end of the activity a study tour in Bruxelles or Strasburg, for students chosen by teachers is offered

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In summer we have the possibility to visit England and improve our linguistic competences, with a study holiday organized by our teacher and by the “Master Studio”

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Our suggestions to foster the knowledge of foreign languages (English) as the tool of communication and sharing of ideas. They are grouped into three parts (the three “L”s): the first about Learning English, the second about Loving English and the third about Living English

• To start English learning earlier• To improve language teacher skills through

state of the art and refresher courses (preferably abroad)

• To improve teacher skills (non language teachers) for lessons of different subjects in English (basic levels acceptable)

• To enhance exchanges of students with other Countries. More and before.

• To provide incentives for journeys (especially where English is the mother language)

• To enable students of the 5th year (for example) of high school to a two week study holiday abroad (where English is the mother language)

• Not to dub any original English language broadcasts or movies. At the most, subtitles are acceptable

• To use both languages (road signs, home appliances, etc …).

• To promote events where English is the keyword (contests of poetry in English, etc …)

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Improving foreign Language Learning

Is one of the specific objectives of the “Education and training 2010” programme

Is part of the broader strategic objective of “opening up education and training systems to the wider world”

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Work programmes for Language Learning

Adult education (15 examples) Vocational training (11 examples) Learners with special educational needs

(11 examples) Using ICTs (7 examples)

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European indicator of linguistic competence

Two foreign languages Productive skills Receptive skills

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Key data on teaching languages at school in Europe

Carried out by the Eurydice European Unit in January 2005, it includes 37 sets of data.

Some of the most important points are:– context– organisation– participation– teachers– pedagogical processes

NextPrev Some of the Eurydice’s Data

Some of the Eurydice data…

50% of primary school pupils study one or more foreign languages

The great majority of pupils have the possibility to learn two or more languages

Schools can decide to offer more foreign languages as compulsory or optional subjects

10-15% of total teaching time is devoted to foreign languages

The dominant role of English as the most widely taught foreign language is further increasing

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Policy recommendations

Promote the awareness of the importance of linguistic diversity– awareness– motivation– more widely advertisement– awareness-raising campaigns

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Policy recommendations

Improve the mainstreaming of provisions for regional, minority, migrant and neighbouring languages– acting on the demand side– strengthen and enlarge the offer– integrate immigrants

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Policy recommendations

Have a set of carefully and clearly stated objectives for language teaching– decide the starting age for learning languages

in the light of these objectives– decide methodologies in the light of these

objectives

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Policy recommendations

Ensure continuity of linguistic choice and of methodologies in the transition from primary to secondary school– remove the structural obstacles– enforce cooperation between teachers and

schools

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Policy recommendations

Encourage a generalisation of content and language integrated learning (CLIL)– defining the standards of teacher qualification– supporting the preparation of appropriate

teaching materials

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Policy recommendations

Establish transparent certification systems based on the Common European Framework Common European Framework of Reference for Languagesof Reference for Languages– CEFRL is adopted in the majority if the

countries– CEFRL is under trial or is going to be

introduced in the near future in several countries

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Policy recommendations

Introduce mentoring systems to assist language teachers at the beginning of their career– mentoring exists as standard practice in

several countries– informal mentoring or mentoring as part of

initial training exist in a few countries

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Policy recommendations

Introduce or extend the schemes for dual or multiple recognition of language teaching qualifications– the question has not been yet raised in many

countries– bilateral agreements exist between certain

partner countries

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Obstacles to language learning Rigidity of systems and curricula Scarcity of appropriate materials Scarcity of trained teachers

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Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

Standard for curricular reforms Standard for national certification systems Six levels of knowledge

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Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

A Basic User A1 Breakthrough A2 Waystage

B Independent User B1 Threshold B2 Vantage

C Proficient User C1 Effective Operational Proficiency C2 Mastery

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The Common Reference Scales of the Council of Europe’s Common European

Framework of Reference for Languages provide a good basis for schemes to

describe individuals’ languageskills in an objective, practical, transparent

and portable manner

from the Lisbon Strategy about Language Learning

• A European framework should define the new basic skills to be provided through lifelong learning: IT skills, foreign languages, technological culture, entrepreneurship and social skills

• … fostering the mobility of students, teachers and training and research staff both through making the best use of existing Community programmes (Socrates, Leonardo, Youth), by removing obstacles and through greater transparency in the recognition of qualifications and periods of study and training

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Acciarino Teresa

Bernardini Francesco

Bufo Sara

Cancellieri Lorenzo

Raise Tatiana

Serpi Gianluca

Virgolin Marco