Local organiser: Anna Schönbach, Pädagogisches Landesinstitut Rheinland-Pfalz

ECML experts: José Noijons, the Netherlands

Participants: 22 (language testers and examiners, item writers, teachers and teacher trainers; curriculum developers, language inspectors, policymakers)

“Our group of teaching advisors, teacher trainers and representatives of decision-makers is grateful for this hybrid workshop that informed us about the necessity of setting priorities in the selection of descriptors contained in the CEFR Companion Volume (CV). It helped us to focus on the action-oriented approach that is aiming at supporting the learner as a social agent. As every successful action requires focus, teaching by objective in the wording of can-do-statements in authentic settings becomes particularly important. This workshop has helped the experts to develop a deeper understanding of the role of the social dimension in languages, which also includes plurilingualism and the importance of competences related to the digital age. Our experience from exchanging ideas in these workshops has shown that the best guidance for teachers, teacher trainers can be achieved through this process of focusing and setting priorities.

Another benefit was enabling our experts to disseminate ideas about the multiple dimensions of mediation. Our suggestions on intercultural activities, plurilinguistic tasks and the integration of transferable skills in our teaching could be updated and consolidated. We became aware of differences between assessment practices and teaching practices, which has a huge potential of contributing to the implementation of an action-oriented and task-based approach in teaching, learning and assessment and thus make teaching and assessment more relevant to the learner. Tasks, activities and scenarios can now be rendered more meaningful to the learner – both in teaching and assessment. Thank you very much for the inspiring input and an opportunity of bringing us together and exchanging ideas.”

Anna Schönbach, local organiser, 9 October 2021

ECML project website: RELANG – EU-ECML cooperation agreement 2020-2021 "Innovative methodologies and assessment in language learning"