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Launch of new resourcess |
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The European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) of the Council of Europe is delighted to announce the launch of the resources resulting from its programme “Inspiring innovation in language education: changing contexts, evolving competences”. From 2020-2023, nine projects addressed the themes of: formative assessment in early language learning and for newly arrived migrant children, languages in support of digital citizenship and other transversal skills, the CEFR Companion Volume and linguistic mediation, CLIL in languages other than English, neighbouring languages in cross-border vocational training, teacher competences for pluralistic approaches. These issues were identified by member states as priority areas when initially establishing the programme. The programme was conducted against the challenging backdrop of Covid. We encourage you to use these innovative resources, to adapt them to your respective contexts, and to share them within your networks, colleagues and institutions who may benefit from them. A number of the resources are also featured within the Centre’s current training and consultancy activities – where member states can request national workshops on themes of ECML expertise – with the workshops customized according to the specific context.
ECML resources from the “Inspiring innovation in language education: changing contexts, evolving competences” programme – overview flyer: English – French
Programme overview – web page: English – French
Programme flyer: English – French – Slovenian
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E-Lang Citizen – Digital citizenship through language education |
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What the website offers
The E-lang citizen platform offers a wealth of resources designed to empower educators and learners alike in navigating the digital world responsibly, safely, and effectively. This website provides a comprehensive toolkit to integrate digital literacy into language education, fostering the critical thinking and ethical behaviour needed in today’s interconnected society. With 2025 designated the ‘European Year of Digital Citizenship Education’ by the Council of Europe – now is the perfect time to discover and explore these exciting new resources!
The E-lang citizen site is complementary to E-Lang's resource website “Digital citizenship through language education” (www.ecml.at/elang), which supports language teachers in promoting the use of “real-world tasks” in a pedagogical approach that fully integrates social interactions.
Key resources at a glance
- A portrait of language and digital technology users enables language practitioners to identify the aspects they can explore with their learners if they wish to promote digital citizenship education.
- A pedagogical framework for the development of digital citizenship provides concrete ways of helping learners to develop their digital citizenship while learning and practising languages as authentically as possible.
- A database of concrete and practical learning activities with tasks to be carried out on participatory online platforms enabling learners to experience both authentic (inter)actions and digital citizenship.
- Bilingual glossary and bibliography.
Who can benefit
- Language teachers
- Language teacher educators
- Decision-makers
Flyer: English – French
Website available in English and French: www.ecml.at/elangcitizen This resource features within the ECML training and consultancy activity “Fostering digital citizenship through language education”.
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TePA – Developing teacher competences for pluralistic approaches – Tools for teacher education |
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What the website offers
This website equips teacher educators and teachers with essential skills to embrace linguistic and cultural diversity in the classroom, fostering inclusive and enriching learning environments for all students. It also provides a wealth of resources for designers of teacher education programmes.
The website offers:
- practical tools for integrating pluralistic approaches;
- comprehensive training materials for professional development;
- insights into promoting intercultural understanding and multilingualism.
The resources build on the work of A framework of reference for pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures (FREPA). FREPA outlines the competences that learners need to develop in the course of plurilingual and intercultural learning, while TePA focuses on teachers' competences for using pluralistic approaches in their teaching in the context of plurilingual and intercultural education.
Key resources at a glance
- Reference framework of teacher competences for pluralistic approaches with descriptors for specifying teacher education objectives and raising awareness of the need for specific teacher competences when implementing pluralistic approaches.
- Sequences of tasks for teacher education: each sequence is centred around the development of one or more of the teacher competences seen as important for facilitating learners‘ progress and their plurilingual and intercultural competences. The sequences each include a scenario outlining the main steps and suggestions for adaptation, as well as materials and/or links to relevant existing materials and guidance for teacher educators.
Who can benefit
- Teacher educators
- Teachers of languages and other subjects
- Designers of teacher education programmes
Flyer: English – French
Website available in English and French: www.ecml.at/pluralisticteachercompetences
This resource features within the ECML training and consultancy activity “Plurilingual and intercultural education: teacher and learner competences”.
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METLA – Mediation in teaching, learning and assessment |
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What the website offers
The METLA resources propose innovative and engaging ways in which foreign language teachers in primary and secondary education can include language mediation in their everyday classroom practice. They provide essential information about language mediation, examples of cross-linguistic mediation tasks and step-by-step guidelines on how to design and evaluate language mediation tasks.
Key resources at a glance
- Teaching guide for foreign language teachers in primary and secondary education with information about what mediation entails, how it can be taught and types of mediation tasks
- Database with cross-linguistic mediation tasks in different languages for different contexts
- Bilingual glossary for mediation and plurilingualism
- Bibliography of sources consulted for the teaching guide
The teaching guide highlights examples of mediation tasks in different languages which draw on the Companion Volume of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR CV). It also offers an array of tips and suggestions for teachers on how they can design their own mediation tasks. Who can benefit
- Foreign language teachers in primary and secondary education
- Teacher educators
- Curriculum planners and material developers
- School inspectors and advisors
Flyer: English – French
Website available in English and French: www.ecml.at/mediation This resource features within the ECML training and consultancy activity “The CEFR Companion Volume: Mediation and other key concepts”.
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Building blocks for planning language-sensitive teacher education |
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What the website offers
The aim of language-sensitive teacher education is to equip practising and future teachers with the competences to address language and communication needs of their learners. The Building Blocks resources are designed to support teacher educators and curriculum planners working with teachers across all languages and subjects, offering practical and systematic guidance for embedding language-sensitive education into teacher education curricula and courses.
Each of the 6 Building Block features a step-by-step approach with definitions and information, as well as tasks and reflective questions for individual or collaborative use with colleagues. The thematic areas include:
- An Orientation Building Block to explore what language-sensitive education means and what it can include;
- a Building Block on addressing learners’ language awareness and development through curricula;
- three Building Blocks providing guidelines, questions for reflection and tasks to integrate language-sensitive teaching into pre- and in-service teacher education programmes;
- profiles that illustrate the specific competences that teachers of various subjects need for language-sensitive education, with tasks to tailor these profiles to different contexts.
Key resources at a glance
- Guidelines for reviewing
and developing teacher
education curricula
- Model tasks for
curriculum orientation,
reflection and design
- Profiles of teacher
competences for language sensitive education
Who can benefit
- Teacher educators
- Curriculum planners for teacher education programmes
Flyer: English – French – German
Website available in English and German: www.ecml.at/languagesensitiveteachereducation
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RECOLANG – Resources for assessing the home language competences of migrant pupils |
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What the website offers
The website aims to support the social and institutional recognition of home languages and to enhance migrant learners’ plurilingual
repertoires in secondary education. It does so by:
- rethinking language assessment, particularly for languages with limited resources which focus on assessment and those not integrated into national education systems;
- offering insights and inspiration to assess learners’ competences in home languages spoken in Europe;
- promoting a shift in perception about learners’ language repertoires and their role in learning and school pathways; and
- encouraging methods of assessment that are tailored to these groups and their learning pathways.
Key resources at a glance
- Rationale and principles for formative assessment of learners’ home languages
- Assessment scenarios for different types of learners and educational contexts
- Examples of assessment approaches, practices and materials
Who can benefit
- Language teachers and teacher trainers
- Headteachers and decision-makers in language education
- Individuals and institutions involved in the assessment of language
Flyer: English – French
Website available in English and French: www.ecml.at/homelanguagecompetences
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Enhancing language education in cross-border vocational education |
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What the website offers
The website focuses on how to best promote language education in border regions, especially in professional and vocational education. It offers practical guidance for developing plurilingual and intercultural competences in vocational settings.
The web modules are designed for cross-border vocational language teaching and learning and are organised within three key sections: Plurilingualism – Intercultural competences – Languages, disciplines and professions. Each section includes background information about the selected topic, interactive tasks, and activities adaptable to different cross-border vocational contexts.
The Portfolio entitled “Language education in cross-border vocational education” supports (self-)reflection in language learning and teaching, and provides strategies and techniques to enhance language education in cross-border vocational settings.
Key resources at a glance
- An online guide with interactive tasks and activities for educators in cross-border environments, working with learners in vocational education or with adults in professional education
- A teacher and learner portfolio, based on the European Language Portfolio
- Insights into 5 border regions (Germany-France-Luxembourg-Belgium, Germany-Denmark, Poland-Czechia, Lithuania-Poland-Latvia, Sweden-Finland)
- A bilingual glossary
Who can benefit
- Teachers
- Teacher educators and researchers
- Learners, both teachers and their students
- Any stakeholder involved in professional and vocational education in border regions
Flyer: English – French
Website available in English and French: www.ecml.at/crossbordervocationaleducation
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CLIL in languages other than English – Successful transitions across educational stages |
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What the website offers
The website supports the professional community in promoting continuity and dealing with discontinuities in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) from primary to secondary and tertiary education.
It provides a gateway to a wide array of practical resources enabling you to:
- explore approaches and recommendations that support CLIL in languages other than English (CLIL-LOTE) across educational levels, both in the language classroom and in other subjects;
- discover examples of practice from various contexts offering a holistic view on curricula, teacher education, professional collaborations between institutions, teachers and/or students of different educational levels, teaching materials and formative assessment.
Key resources at a glance
- Recommendations, curriculum guidelines and teaching materials
- llustrative models and scenarios from different organisational settings
- A bibliography on CLIL, CLIL in languages other than English, CLIL and transitions, CLIL and plurilingual education
- A trilingual glossary of key CLIL-LOTE terms
Who can benefit
- Teachers
- Teacher educators
- Curriculum designers
- Teaching material designers
- Head of schools
- Decision-makers
Flyer: English – French
Website available in English and French: www.ecml.at/CLILLOTEtransitions
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PALINGUI – Young children’s language learning pathways – Making early language learning visible |
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What the website offers
The PALINGUI website encourages teachers and educators working with children aged 3 to 12 to make all language learning of the children visible within their education system through observation, documentation, and assessment. It offers essential information about early language learning, as well as tools and tasks that will help to observe, document, and assess young children's language learning pathways in a multilingual context.
PALINGUI builds on the principles and concepts identified in the ECML’s resource “ILLEY – Inspiring language learning in the early years”.
Key features at a glance
- Core principles, inspiring practices, and practical tools from different educational contexts
- Learner-centred strategies for observation, assessment and documentation
- Bilingual glossary of key terms
- A bibliography for further exploration of young children’s language learning pathways
Who can benefit
All teachers and educators of children within the early years of the education system: those in contexts where multilingualism is the norm either in the community or the education system, but also those living and working in mainly monolingual contexts. It addresses in particular:
- pre-primary and primary teachers,
- teacher educators,
- other professional educational staff.
Flyer: English – French
Website available in English and French: www.ecml.at/younglearnerpathways
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VITbox – CEFR Companion Volume implementation toolbox |
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What the website offers
The website provides practical insights to apply the innovative aspects of the Council of Europe’s ground-breaking Common European Framework of Reference Companion Volume (CEFR-CV) in language learning, teaching and assessment – with a focus on the vocational and university sectors.
The toolbox offers:
- guidance on using and disseminating key concepts of the CEFR-CV, especially in the vocational and university sectors, in initial teacher education, professional
development programmes and self-study;
- easily accessible modules with a wide range of explanatory videos to facilitate access to key concepts: the CEFR-CV and innovation; the action-oriented and task-based approach; the four modes of communication; interaction; mediation; plurilingual and pluricultural approaches; constructive alignment of teaching, learning and assessment;
- adaptable teaching materials: short videos and sample tasks for teacher education, checklists, templates and adaptable sample classroom materials.
Key features at a glance
- Modules with resources for teacher education and professional development activities, as well as self-study purposes
- Materials for reflection to support the implementation of key concepts of the CEFR-CV
- Sample teaching and assessment tasks for teacher education
- A glossary of key terms
Who can benefit
Professionals working in the field of language teaching, learning and assessment at vocational and university level:
- teacher educators,
- curriculum designers,
- teachers.
Flyer: English – French
Website available in English and French: www.ecml.at/companionvolumetoolbox
This resource features within the ECML training and consultancy activity “The CEFR Companion Volume: Mediation and other key concepts”.
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