EAQUALS-ALTE Portfolio Project
The European Language Portfolio: support and development for
language learners
Linked to the Common European Framework
The Portfolio project is very closely linked to the Common European
Framework and both have grown out of the work on the Council of
Europe Modern Languages project during the 1990s. The Portfolio
model uses the six level system from the Common European Framework
(A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) and in particular the Passport section
includes the overall grid of descriptors by level and skill from
the Common European Framework. This is a very important point and
a strength of the Portfolio, as the Common European Framework
is increasingly becoming the standard to which courses, materials
and tests are linked all over Europe in school, vocational and
higher education. For this reason the Portfolio can fit into education
systems or more independent learning and provide added value for
its owner by referring to a recognised pan-European system.
Underlying aims of the Portfolio
The Portfolio project is designed to support European integration
and the mobility of European citizens by providing users with
a tool which not only allows them to record formal learning (classes
and examinations taken in school) but also provides a means of
recording other ways in which languages may be learnt or developed.
In this way intercultural experiences and less formal ways of
language development are given value, providing an overall picture
of an individual's abilities. The Portfolio, (and in particular
the Passport element), therefore supports the mobility of European
citizens by providing a full record of an individual's skills,
within a transparent model which is easily recognisable from country
to country in Europe, especially for those applying to work or
study in another country.
A strong element of the Portfolio project is the provision of
support for lifelong learning. Holders of European Language Portfolios
are encouraged to return to them at regular intervals in order
to update the record of their skills. Some may start in school
with a Portfolio specifically aimed at primary or secondary school
students, and then move on to versions suitable for adult learners,
others may start off with a version suitable for adult learners.
Although language users are likely to receive their Portfolios
in more formal learning situations such as in school or on a language
course, one of the aims is to encourage them in independent learning.
The Portfolio is always the property of its owner, who should
use it to help record his or her progress and identify new learning
goals.
The Portfolio motivates European citizens to develop partial
competence in several languages, as any level of ability may be
recorded. Citizens are thus supported in becoming more plurilingual
and pluricultural. One of the aims of the Council of Europe is
to encourage people to achieve partial competence in several languages,
rather than mastery of just one, in order to promote appreciation
of cultural diversity and to support greater understanding of
others.
Structure of the European Language Portfolio
In 2000 the Council of Europe set up a Validation Committee to
deal with applications for official recognition of Portfolio versions.
Among the conditions for this is the requirement that officially
recognised versions must include three specific parts within the
whole Portfolio. These three parts are:
- Passport: this has a reporting function
and is likely to be the part most used for external purposes
- Language Biography: used to record language
learning experiences
- Dossier: contains samples of materials
supporting the other two parts
The EAQUALS-ALTE Portfolio
The first published edition of the EAQUALS-ALTE Portfolio was originally published in four languages: English, French, German and Italian. A version in Basque, Spanish, French and English was published recently (2004) and an English, French, German and Romanian version is also available; other languages are in preparation. It is useful to look at the sections of the Portfolio in some detail in order to highlight some of the aims and principles behind it.
Passport
As this is the part of the Portfolio which is most likely to be
used for external purposes (such as when applying for a job or
for study abroad), as far as possible it is designed to be completed
without using words. Most pages involve either ticking or shading
in boxes and the format is A5 so that a double page can easily
be photocopied onto A4 sheets.
The first two pages give an introduction to the Council of Europe,
the Portfolio project and space to record the owner's name. It
is also possible, though not obligatory, to include a photo of
the owner.
This is followed by a section entitled 'Profile of Language
Skills', in which the user identifies his or her mother tongues(s)
and other languages spoken. There is space here to record ability
in up to 6 languages, including the mother tongue(s), which are
given equal weight within the Portfolio. In order to complete
this section the holder of the Passport makes use of the main
self-assessment grid from the Common European Framework (table
2 from Chapter 3 in Common European Framework of Reference
for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment), which appears
in the centre of the Passport booklet. This grid gives overall
statements of ability for the six levels of the Common European
Framework (A1 to C2) in five skill areas: Listening, Reading,
Spoken Interaction, Spoken Production and Writing. The idea here
is for the user to identify his or her overall level for each
skill and language, shading in the appropriate boxes on the 'Profile
of Language Skills' tables. This part of the Passport in not
designed for frequent use; the user would probably come back to
this table once every month or so, depending on how intensively
and continuously a language is being learnt and/or used. As will
be seen, there is scope to analyse level in greater detail and
more frequently in the Language Biography.
The next main section of the Passport covers 'Language learning
and intercultural experiences', firstly on a table looking
at use of languages(s) in a country or region where the language
is not spoken, and then use in a region where it is. Again the
aim with these two tables is for completion to be by means of
ticking or shading boxes and these pages are designed to give
an overall summary, which is expanded on in the Language Biography.
The pages covering use of the language in a country or region
where the language is not spoken provide for time periods in years
(up to 1/3/5 years and over 5 years) and include sections such
as school, vocational and adult education, use in the workplace
and regular contact with other speakers of the language. These
pages could for example be completed by someone living in Germany
and using French regularly for their job. There is also a small
space at the bottom for very brief further comment, which could
be used if it is felt that none of the other contexts are suitable.
The pages covering stays in a region where the language
is spoken are in a similar format, but the time boxes provide
for periods in months rather than years, since many such stays
would be of a shorter duration. Examples of the types of stays
are: attending a language course and using the language for study
or training, and again there is a small space for inclusion of
particular details.
The Passport then provides space for the recording of Certificates
and Diplomas obtained and identifying the marks or grades
received with the levels in the Common European Framework. This
section might include both school and other examinations.
Up to this point the pages mentioned are standard Council of
Europe pages which should be included in every Portfolio which
has been officially validated. The pages and other sections which
follow were developed specifically for the EAQUALS-ALTE edition.
The ALTE Framework of Language Examinations appears on the next
pages. At present this includes examinations produced in 16 of
the languages represented in ALTE, with 8 further languages soon
to be added. The examinations have been placed on 6 levels, so
that it is possible to see which level an examination is at compared
with many others produced for other languages. Through the work
on the ALTE Can Do project, the linking between the examinations
on the ALTE Framework and the Common European Framework has been
demonstrated empirically and the examinations appear under the
headings of the CEF. Using the next pages to appear in the Passport,
users can record any courses they have taken at EAQUALS member
schools and examinations they have taken which appear on the ALTE
Framework.
The final pages of the Passport give guidelines for completing
the document, together with brief information about ALTE and EAQUALS,
together with the associations' web site addresses.
Language Biography
As mentioned above, the aim of the Language Biography part of
the Portfolio is to allow users to give greater detail about their
language learning and intercultural experiences. The first three
sections give general guidelines but are not too prescriptive
as to the content or length of information given. The format is
loose-leaf so that updating is easy and can be done regularly,
allowing great flexibility of use. The three sections are:
- My language learning aims: this section encourages
users to write about why they are learning a particular language
and to consider what skills are most important to them. They
might be wanting to use it for a specific purpose or it may
be important to reach a certain level for work or other reasons.
- My language learning history: here the user is asked
to give details in chronological order of language learning
experiences, such as courses taken, using languages at work
and on holidays. This includes languages the learner was exposed
to as a child, for example within the family or living abroad.
- My most significant linguistic and intercultural experiences: the focus here is on how these experiences may have changed
the way the user relates to the language and culture concerned
and their feelings about the learning experience. For example,
they may feel more motivated to learn after visiting the country
where the language is spoken.
It can be seen that sections ii. and iii. allow the user to develop
in much greater detail the information which was simply ticked
or shaded in boxes in the Passport under 'Language learning
and intercultural experiences'.
The final section in the Language Biography gives the opportunity
to develop in greater detail the information given in the 'Profile
of Language Skills' section of the Passport. That section
provided overall descriptors by CEF level and skill. Here, under
the section 'My current language learning priorities' there
is a much fuller set of descriptors. These were developed for
the CEF and the ELP by Günther Schneider and Brian North
in a Swiss National Science Foundation project. For each level
and under the skill headings there are more detailed descriptors
(about 40 descriptors per level), allowing the user to pinpoint
more accurately his or her level. These may either be used to
assess one's current level or to set learning objectives. The
learner is asked to identify his or her overall level in the Passport
grid, then work through the relevant checklist for that level,
looking at which of the descriptors are things s/he can do now
or would like to be able to do in the future. Having done this,
the overall level (which may be different for each skill) can
be recorded in the Passport.
Work on the Language Biography might be done by the learner independently
or together with a teacher, possibly when planning a course.
Dossier
In this part of the Portfolio the user collects samples which
support the information provided elsewhere. These may be certificates,
reports or pieces of written work as well as cassettes or videos
of spoken ability or presentations. There is a grid on which to
record the work kept and to record whether it was work done individually
or jointly with others, and whether it includes corrections from
for example a teacher.
It can be seen from the example above that the Portfolio has both
a reporting and a pedagogical function, as well
as supporting the aims of the Council of Europe. The reporting
function is most evident in the Passport which, as has been mentioned,
is likely to be the element of the Portfolio most used 'externally'.
Whilst they also have a reporting role, the Language Biography
and Dossier give the learner the opportunity to take up and continue
the challenge of learning languages as an autonomous activity
for which he or she is responsible.
The learner can use the elements of the Portfolio as a means
of tracking progress to date and also as a means of setting targets
for future development. These might involve improving the level
of existing language knowledge or learning new languages. As well
as being used to set goals, the Portfolio encourages the learner
to think about how they learn languages and to consider languages
in their cultural contexts.
It is anticipated that the Portfolio will have an impact on curriculum
design, due to learners becoming more aware of their needs. It
should also encourage learners to seek quality in language courses
and examinations.
References, further information and useful web site addresses
Council
of Europe
Swiss National Science Foundation project: Schneider, G. &
North, B. (2000). Fremdsprachen können - was heisst das? Chur/Zürich, Rüegger.
© Editions scolaires du canton de Berne /Berner Lehrmittel-
und Medienverlag 2001
A version of this article has recently been published in Sprøgforum
To order copies of the EAQUALS-ALTE Portfolio: please contact
the ALTE Secretariat.
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