Twenty-one teachers of English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian (some of them, also, teacher trainers, curriculum authors, professional development advisor) in primary and secondary schools from throughout the country participated in the two-day workshop Using ICT in support of language teaching and learning, organized by the Bureau for Education Services and European Centre for Modern Languages.

The training was facilitated by Ursula Stickler, Jackie Robbins and Sarah Heiser, members of ICT REV team. In preparation for the workshop the participants filled in an online questionnaire and completed some tasks on a Moodle workspace.

The facilitators introduced participants to various online tools, platforms and materials they can use in their everyday work in classroom, such as Padlet, Moodle, Clasroomscreen, Mentimeter, Clickchamp, Audacity, Makebelief, Genially, Pixabey. The participants had plenty of opportunities to discuss and share their experiences of working with these tools and apps.

The participants worked together on creating new teaching activities which they recorded and uploaded on the Padlet as “Tools I had used”.

At the end of the workshop both the trainers and the participants presented their best materials they had recorded before the workshop while contemplating possibility of introducing newly acquired tools.

The training showed that most of the participants are already active users of various tools and apps for use of ICT in teaching and learning modern languages. So the overall tone of the training was motivating and fertile as a result of both inspiring and enthusiastic support of the trainers and dedicated i motivated work of the participants.

Montenegrin version:

21 nastavnice engleskog, italijanskog, njemačkog, španskog, rusko (a neke od njih, istovremeno, treneri, autorke programa, savjetnica za profesionalni razvoj) u osnovnim I srednjim školama širom zemlje učestvovale su u dvodnevnoj obuci za Upotrebu IKT u nastavi i učenju stranih jezika, koju su organizovali Zavod za školstvo i Evropski centar za moderne jezike.

Obuku su vodile Ursula Stickler, Jackie Robbins i Sarah Heiser, članice ICT REV tima. Kao pripremu za ovu obuku učesnice su ispunile online upitnik i odradile zadatke na Moodle platformi.

Voditeljke obuke su upoznale učesnice sa različtim online alatima, platformama i materijalima koje mogu koristiti u svakodnevnom radu u učionici, npr. Padlet, Moodle, Clasroomscreen, Mentimeter, Clickchamp, Audacity, Makebelief, Genially, Pixabey. Učesnice su imale priliku da diskutuju i podijele svoja iskustva u radu sa ovim alatima i aplikacijama. 

Učesnice su zajedno radile na izradi novih nastavnih aktivnosti koje su snimile i postavile na Padlet kao “Alati koje sam koristila”.

Obuka je pokazala da većina učesnica već aktivno koristi razne alate i aplikacije za korišćenje IKT u nastavi/učenju stranih jezika. Tako je opšta atmosfera obuke bila motivišuća i plodna kao rezultat, s jedne strane, inspirativne podrške i entuzijazma voditeljki obuke, a s druge, posvećenog i motivisanog rada učesnica.

Jasmina Djordjevic, local coordinator

The Directorate-General for Education (DGE) of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation (MECI) organized a workshop entitled Using Information and Communication Technology in support of language teaching and learning (ICT-REV) on the 10th and 11th of October 2024 at Padre António Vieira Secondary School in Lisbon.

This was an international training activity, resulting from a partnership between the Council of Europe's European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) and the European Commission, aimed at developing a joint action called Innovative Methodologies and Assessment in Language Learning.

In this initiative, which is of great importance for the national context of primary and secondary education, participants, professionals involved in language teaching, had the opportunity to deepen their scientific and technological literacy in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

The teachers replicate their knowledge in the short term, contributing to the promotion of innovative pedagogical practices, which will provide more dynamic and varied first language/second language/foreign language classes, aligned with the needs and competencies of students in an increasingly demanding digital context.

Portugal, represented by the DGE/MECI, is, for the sixth year, one of the European countries conducting training workshops promoted by the CELV.

Portuguese version:

A Direção-Geral da Educação (DGE), do Ministério da Educação, Ciência e Inovação (MECI), promoveu, nos dias 10 e 11 de outubro de 2024, na Escola Secundária Padre António Vieira, em Lisboa, a realização de um workshop intitulado Using Information and communication Technology in support of language teaching and learning (ICT-REV).

Tratou-se de uma atividade de formação internacional, resultante de uma parceria entre o Centro Europeu de Línguas Vivas (CELV), do Conselho da Europa, e a Comissão Europeia, com o objetivo de desenvolver uma ação conjunta denominada Innovative Methodologies and Assessment in Language Learning.

Nesta iniciativa, de grande importância para o contexto nacional dos ensinos básico e secundário, os participantes, profissionais ligados ao ensino das línguas, tiveram oportunidade de aprofundar a sua literacia científica e tecnológica em Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC).

Os docentes replicarão, a curto prazo, o seu conhecimento, contribuindo para a promoção de práticas pedagógicas inovadoras, que propiciarão aulas de língua materna/não materna/estrangeira mais dinâmicas e variadas, alinhadas com as necessidades e competências dos alunos, num contexto digital cada vez mais exigente.

Portugal, representado pela DGE/MECI, é, pelo sexto ano, um dos países europeus que realizam oficinas de formação promovidas pelo CELV.

Ana Filipa Morais, local coordinator

ECML training and consultancy "Approach to teaching for deeper CLIL and beyond – A pluriliteracies learning": hybrid workshop (11-12 October 2024, Podgorica, Montenegro)
Venue: Bureau of Educational Services in Podgorica
Local organiser: Jasmina Djordjevic, Bureau for Educational Services of Montenegro
ECML experts: Letizia Cinganotto (Italy) and Susanne Staschen-Dielmann (Germany)
Participants: 22 teachers of all subjects in elementary and secondary schools, advisor from the Bureau for Education

On 11-12 October 2024. the Bureau for Education Services, with the expert support of the European Centre for Modern Languages, organised a hybrid workshop Approach to Teaching for Deeper CLIL and Beyond – A Pluriliteracies Learning.

Class and subject teachers from elementary and secondary schools that are implementing bilingual education programmes and an advisor from the Bureau for Education Services participated in the workshop. The participants had an opportunity for  training on the basics of integrated learning of content and language (CLIL) and deeper learning episodes which support the transfer of learning across language and subject, based on the pluriliteracies model.

The high standards set through technology and innovation strongly influence both curricula and teaching, so the approach from the pluriliteracies perspective for knowledge transfer provides teachers with a valuable skill for responding to the needs of contemporary school. 

The workshop was facilitated by ECML experts Letizia Cinganotto (Italy), in-person, and Susanne Staschen-Dielmann (Germany), on-line.

For more about European Centre for Modern Language of the Council of Europe: www.ecml.at/TrainingConsultancy/CLIL/tabid/1815/language/en-GB/Default.aspx.

Jasmina Đorđević

Montenegrin version 

Zavod za školstvo, uz ekspertsku podršku Evropskog instituta za moderne jezike Savjeta Evrope, organizovao je hibridnu obuku Approach to Teaching for Deeper CLIL and Beyond – A Pluriliteracies Learning 11. i 12. oktobara 2024. 

Obuku su pohađali nastavnici osnovnih i srednjih škola u kojima se organizuje dvojezična nastava i savjetnica Zavoda za školstvo. Nastavnici su imali priliku da prođu obuku iz osnova integrisanog učenja sadržaja i jezika i sveobuhvatnog planiranja časa, koja pruža podršku transferu učenja  između jezika i sadržaja, zasnovano na modelu multipismenosti. 

Tekući visoki standardi koje postavljaju tehnologija i inovacije snažno utiču na kurikulum i nastavu tako da pristup iz perspektive multipismenosti za transfer znanja pruža nastavnicima vrijednu vještinu kako bi odgovorili zahtjevima savremene škole.

Obuku su vodile ekspertkinje ECML-a Letizia Cinganotto, neposredno, i dr Susanne Stachen-Dielmna, on-line.

Više of Evropskom centru za moderne jezike Savjeta Evrope: www.ecml.at/TrainingConsultancy/CLIL/tabid/1815/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

Jasmina Đorđević

Date : 5 and 19 October 2024
Venue: Online, Świętokrzyskie In-Service Teacher Training Centre in Kielce, Poland
Local organiser: Ewa Witczyńska, Świętokrzyskie Centrum Doskonalenia Nauczycieli, Kielce
ECML experts: Eli Moe (Norway) and Jérôme Béliard (France)
Participants: 23 primary and secondary school teachers who teach their subjects in English; English teachers involved in bilingual education, teacher trainers involved in the bilingual education

The workshop “Language of schooling: Developing language awareness in subject classes” was a unique event for the Świętokrzyskie Region primary and secondary school teachers involved in bilingual teaching. The training, conducted by ECML experts – Eli Moe and Jérôme Béliard – was run in two online sessions on 5 and 19 October 2024.

The agenda of the training was perfectly adapted to the online mode of working. During the sessions, the experts provided  structured input on language and subject integration and on the language scaffolding techniques. They emphasised the importance of cooperation between the subject teachers and language teachers and showed ways of organising such cooperation in a school.

The experts created a friendly and stimulating atmosphere during the training, which encouraged the participants to actively express their opinions, discuss ideas and present their solutions. The participants worked individually and in groups and shared their findings. Materials provided by the trainers and developed during the training were made available  to all in an open access folder  and can be used for developing bilingual lesson plans in the future.

Thanks to the trainers’ expertise, the workshop deepened the participants' knowledge, provided a source of reflection and inspiration, and enhanced the search for effective bilingual teaching methods.

The trainings offered by ECML guarantee the highest quality – it is worth taking advantage of them!

Ewa Witczyńska

Polish version

Szkolenie ECJN w Świętokrzyskiem

Warsztaty “Language of schooling: Developing language awareness in subject classes” były wyjątkowym wydarzeniem dla świętokrzyskich nauczycieli szkół podstawowych i ponadpodstawowych zaangażowanych w nauczanie dwujęzyczne. Szkolenie, prowadzone przez ekspertów ECML - Eli Moe i Jérôme Béliarda - odbyło się w dwóch sesjach online w dniach 5.10.2024 i 19.10.2024.

Program szkolenia został doskonale dopasowany do trybu online. Podczas sesji eksperci przekazali usystematyzowane porcje wiedzy na temat integracji językowej i przedmiotowej oraz technik wspomagania językowego. Podkreślili znaczenie współpracy między nauczycielami przedmiotów i nauczycielami języków obcych oraz wskazali sposoby organizacji takiej współpracy w szkole.

Prowadzący stworzyli podczas szkolenia przyjazną i stymulującą atmosferę, dzięki czemu uczestnicy czuli się swobodnie wyrażając swoje opinie, dyskutując o pomysłach i prezentując swoje rozwiązania. Uczestnicy pracowali indywidualnie i w grupach oraz dzielili się swoimi spostrzeżeniami. Materiały dostarczone przez trenerów i opracowane podczas szkolenia były sukcesywnie umieszczane w pliku dostępnym dla wszystkich i mogą posłużyć do opracowania scenariuszy lekcji dwujęzycznych w przyszłości.

Dzięki doświadczeniu trenerów, warsztaty pogłębiły wiedzę uczestników, stały się źródłem refleksji i inspiracji oraz zachęciły do dalszych poszukiwań skutecznych metod nauczania dwujęzycznego.

Szkolenia oferowane przez ECML to gwarancja najwyższej jakości - warto z nich skorzystać!

Ewa Witczyńska

Local organiser: Maria Iacovidou, Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth

ECML experts: José Noijons, the Netherlands; Jana Beresova, Slovak Republic

Participants: 27 (teachers and teacher trainers, language testers and examiners, item writers, curriculum developers, language inspectors, policymakers)

“The Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth, in collaboration with the European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe (ECML), successfully organised a training workshop on alternative, continuous methods of assessment in line with the CEFR and its Companion Volume and on exploring ways to test mediation and pluricultural/plurilingual skills in the classroom.

The workshop, which included hands-on sessions, took place from 2 to 4 October 2024 at the OELMEK (Organization of Greek Cypriot Secondary Education Officers) building in Nicosia. Participants included language teachers, inspectors, and specialists in the field of second or foreign language teaching and learning.

The training aimed to promote alternative continuous assessment practices in line with the standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Specifically, the workshop emphasized the use of CEFR descriptors, which ensure quality and validity in language education and provide a common framework for recognizing language proficiency levels across Europe and internationally.

Additionally, strategies were presented for assessing linguistic, communicative, plurilingual, and pluricultural skills, which involve reception, production, interaction, and mediation. The participants developed exercises, scales, and assessment methods for the aforementioned skills in working groups, presenting to the plenary how these are aligned with the CEFR’s assessment recommendations.

This workshop provided foreign language teachers with a significant opportunity for professional development and for promoting excellence in language education. Over the course of three days, participants enriched their knowledge, exchanged views and reflections, and shared experiences and ideas with the experts and their teams. At the end of the workshop, they expressed their satisfaction and the desire for similar future initiatives aimed at strengthening authentic learning and assessment.”

Maria Iacovidou, local coordinator, 21 October 2024

ECML project website: RELANG, ECML-EC cooperation agreement 2024 "Innovative methodologies and assessment in language learning"

Date: 9-10 October 2024
Venue: Lycée Georges Frêche, Montpellier, France
Local organiser: Cyril Dowling, Education inspector, Regional Educational Inspector
ECML experts: Kevin Schuck (Netherlands) and Frédéric Taveau (Switzerland)
Participants: 50 regional inspectors (each overseeing approximately 500 teachers), school directors (between 500 and 2,000 students), primary school inspectors, primary school advisors, education advisors for primary schools, teacher trainers

On 9 and 10 October, 50 staff members (management staff and inspectors at primary and secondary level education), pedagogical advisors and teacher trainers, gathered at @Lycée Hotelier George Frêche for a seminar organised in cooperation with the @European Centre for Modern Languages @Council of Europe. This event was opened by Mr. Thierry Duclerc, Director of Pedagogy at the Académie de Montpellier, and Mrs. Valérie Lacor, Inspector General of Education, Sports, and Research.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the benefits of CLIL / non-language subject practices (integrating modern foreign and regional languages into subject areas) in relation to the 4 pillars of the Montpellier Academy project.

Pillar 1: Shared values. Develop students' intercultural skills and strengthen their identity as European citizens.

Pillar 2: Successful students. Teachers' consideration of the linguistic dimension in each subject contributes to strengthening students' transversal skills and language proficiency.

Pillar 3: Ambitious partners. Through the development of CLIL/non-language subject pathways, European links are established, and an international dimension can be brought to school/ business partnerships.

Pillar 4: Committed men and women. Develop teachers' international skills in all disciplines within their own master’s programmes, contributing to their personal growth and mobility.

In addition to theoretical contributions, the academy’s staff and trainers engaged in a series of immersive activities in English and Swiss German, putting themselves in the shoes of students and teachers! They created, over the two days, an academic group that shares the culture and principles of CLIL/ non-language subject teaching and pluriliteracies. 

The Académie de Montpellier includes: 22 international sections and 7 BFI (baccalauréat Français international), 4 ABIBAC (French-German high school diploma), 7 BACHIBAC (French and Spanish high school diploma), 140 European sections, 29 CLIL pathways in primary education, 39 bilingual CATALAN pathways, and 33 bilingual OCCITAN pathways.

Thanks to the European experts, professors @Kevin Schuck and @Frédéric Taveau for their theoretical contributions and the immersive workshops offered. Thanks to @Reseau Canopé eTwinning for its participation.

@European Centre for Modern Languages

Académie de Montpellier – Cyril Dowling

• More information about the Training and consultancy offer of the ECML for member states: "Beyond CLIL – Pluriliteracies teaching for deeper learning"

​