Language for work – Work-related second language learning for adult migrants and ethnic minorities

Local organiser: Vanessa Monika Isenmann, project manager at Mímir - símenntun
ECML experts: Matilde Grünhage-Monetti (Germany, Alexander Braddell (UK)
Participants: 22 Icelandic teachers as well as project managers at Mímir – símenntun

Thanks to the ECML, Mímir, a lifelong learning centre in Reykjavík (Iceland), had the opportunity to host a workshop on work-related L2-Icelandic teaching for teachers and project managers. Led by two ECML experts from the Language for Work network, the workshop provided new insights and ideas regarding the design and planning of more effective L2-courses at the workplace, as well as fresh perspectives and methods for the development of course curricula, lesson structures, and course materials.

The workshop featured inputs from Language for Work partners across Europe, showcasing innovative practices and principles from various contexts. The participants were able to relate these examples to their own settings, identifying opportunities to enhance local practices. This collaborative effort fostered a shared understanding between the participants on how to better support work-related language learning.

The event significantly impacted the participants, offering a clearer vision of effective language teaching for the labour market. This knowledge will enable us to better plan and organize Icelandic courses at workplaces and to promote improved collaboration between our teachers and project managers.

Overall, the workshop achieved both didactic-methodological and strategic goals, marking a transformative step in enhancing adult language education in Iceland.

Why a Language for Work TaC activity is relevant for Iceland

Over the past three decades, immigration has grown profoundly in Iceland. While in 1993 less than 2% of Iceland’s population had foreign nationality, in 2023 more than 17% were non-Icelandic citizens according to Statistics Iceland. At the same time, unemployment is very low in Iceland and the Icelandic labour market depends increasingly on skilled workers from abroad, for example in the health system, childcare, construction, and in the hospitality sector. As a result of this, the demand for Icelandic courses, not least with regard job-related language training, has grown immensely in recent years and with it the need for skilled teachers of Icelandic. However, courses and training opportunities for (future) teachers of Icelandic as a foreign language are rare in Iceland. Especially when it comes to specialized job-related Icelandic courses, training opportunities for teachers are few and far between. Therefore, our Icelandic teachers greatly benefit from  well-structured and established teacher education regarding job-related language teaching.

Vanessa Monika Isenmann, project manager at Mímir - símenntun

Related links (available in English and French)

• ECML resource website: Language for work – Tools for professional development 
• ECML training and consultancy offer “Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants”

The ECML offers its member states European expertise in language education adapted to the concrete needs and specific contexts within individual countries. This bilateral support in a range of key areas helps strengthen the cooperation between member states and the ECML by taking the expertise gained from ECML projects directly into member states. ECML experts work with national authorities and local experts to devise and implement in-country activities, tailored to the particular context and target audience.  For 2025 a number of new areas are on offer which  build on the results of projects run within the Inspiring innovation in language education programme (2020-23). Please note that activities offered in cooperation with the European Commission are subject to a separate Call for requests which will be issued in late November.

The  following  ECML training and consultancy activities are on offer for 2025:

• Plurilingual and intercultural education: teacher and learner competences
• Steps towards implementing plurilingual and intercultural education
• Plurilingual and intercultural education in early language learning
• The CEFR Companion Volume: Mediation and other key concepts – Focus: teacher and learner competences  
• The CEFR Companion Volume: Mediation and other key concepts – Focus: curriculum and evaluation
• Learning environments where languages flourish – Focus: Plurilingual and intercultural education
• Learning environments where languages flourish – Focus: Early language learning
• Action research communities for language teachers
• Fostering digital citizenship through language education
• Language for work – Work-related second language learning for adult migrants and ethnic minorities
• Beyond CLIL – Pluriliteracies teaching for deeper learning
• A roadmap for schools to support the language(s) of schooling

Details of the proposed activities, practical information and the application form can be found here: www.ecml.at/Trainingandconsultancy.

Requests for a Training and consultancy activity must be submitted via the national ECML representative in the Governing Board. Educational professionals interested in a particular activity should therefore contact their national representative.

The application deadline for 2025 is 15 November 2024.

Date and venue: 30-31 May 2024, Tallinn, Estonia
Local organiser: Ministry of Culture, Estonia
ECML moderators: Alexander Braddell (United Kingdom) and Matilde Grünhage-Monetti (Germany)
Participants: teachers, and researchers of Estonian as a second language (L2) for adults, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Integration Foundation, The Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund, The Estonian Employers’ Confederation, employers (including employer associations)

On 30-31 May 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Estonia, in cooperation with the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML), hosted a seminar entitled “Language education for labour market integration”. The event, held at Roosikrants Residence, Tallinn, brought together 34 participants, including representatives from various ministries, language companies, and integration foundations. Expert moderators Matilde Grünhage-Monetti and Alexander Braddell shared insights and best practices from across Europe, focusing on enhancing work-related language skills for adult migrants and ethnic minorities. 

The seminar emphasized the importance of flexible, needs-based language learning, collaboration with employers, and the development of digital learning tools. Positive feedback from participants highlighted the seminar's relevance and effectiveness. This initiative is a step towards creating a coherent and sustainable system for language education, aiding the integration of non-native speakers into the Estonian labour market and society. Future activities will continue to build on the strategies and commitments developed during the seminar.

Author: Ministry of Culture, Estonia

Estonian version:

Piiratud ressursside tingimustes tuleb otsida alternatiivseid lahendusi keeleõppe pakkumisel. Näiteks arendades digitaalseid õppevõimalusi ja otsides koostöövõimalusi tööandjatega.
30.05-31.05.24  toimus Kultuuriministeeriumi toel ja Euroopa Nõukogu kaasrahastusel keeleõppe seminar, kus Euroopa Nüüdiskeelte Keskuse eksperdid Matilde Grünhage-Monetti ja Alexander Braddell jagasid osalejatele teadmisi ja kogemusi ning tutvustasid teiste riikide parimaid praktikaid.
Kahe päeva jooksul otsisime vastuseid peamisele küsimusele – kuidas aidata täiskasvanud sisserändajatel arendada tööalast keeleoskust?
Seminarist võtsid lisaks tööandjatele veel osa ka Kultuuriministeeriumi, Majandus- ja Kommunikatsiooniministeeriumi ning Haridus- ja Teadusministeeriumi ametnikud, keelefirmad, Eesti Integratsiooni Sihtasutus ning Eesti Töötukassa.

Source: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7203388268317519873/

Ministry of Culture, Estonia

Related links

• ECML resource website: Language for work – Tools for professional development (available in English and French)
• ECML training and consultancy offer “Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants”

“Inspiring innovation in language education: changing contexts, evolving competences” – Join the livestream!

The conference represents the culmination of the four years of work of the ECML’s “Inspiring innovation in language education: changing contexts, evolving competences”  programme, involving, among others, 9projects, 1think tank, 12offers of training and consultancy (TaC) and a series of initiatives developed with the support of the European Commission.

The conference is aimed at all language education professionals and in particular at ECML stakeholders, policy makers and persons with a professional focus on the practice of language education (curriculum development, teacher education, material design…).

The programme involves plenary presentations, speeches, a round table, a series of smaller workshops for the presentation and discussion of programme outputs and outcomes as well as envisaged links to activities in the 2024-2027 programme.

The workshops on the second day of the conference will be organised thematically:

• Language teacher and learner competences,
• Transversal dimension of language education / Competences for life and work,
• Plurilingual and intercultural education,
• Languages of schooling; language in subjects.

Within each given theme there will be a focus on the completed project resources and related TaC activities from the current programme. Presenters will focus on the inspiring and innovative aspects of their TaC activity/new resources and will consider how the different approaches and materials presented in their thematic session complement one other.

This will also be an excellent opportunity to get a preview of the new ECML programme “Language education at the heart of democracy” (2024-2027).

In order to ensure access to a wider audience, the event will be streamed in both working languages (English and French) and the recordings made available on the ECML website.

Conference web page: English – French

Conference programme: English – French

Join the live streaming here – no registration required: English – French

#ECMLCELVconf2023

Date: 8 September 2022 and 9 May 2023, Germany
ECML experts: Matilde Grünhage-Monetti, Alexander Braddell and Christophe Portefin, Language for Work website, network and insights
Local organiser: Matthias von Gehlen, Goethe-Institut
Participants: 24 (8 September 2022) and 49 (9 May 2023)

“Developing the language of the immigration country (L2) for adult migrants for and at work is teamwork.” This could be the motto of the Language for Work (LfW) National Support for Germany 2022/23. This was split into two events: a face-to-face round table, during the 25^th Metropolis Conference, Berlin on 8 September 2022 and an online Workshop on 9 May 2023.

The round table (Fair Migration section) presented the point of view of L2 practitioners, researchers and providers, as well of employers and trade unions, stressing the need for partnership and joint action. The audience welcomed this systemic approach. The Clavis magazine for Labour Market and Integration reported on it along with other nine workshops in a special edition dedicated to the conference (www.bmas.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/EN/Topics/Labour-Market/imcb-2022-voices-and-insights.pdf? __blob=publicationFile&v=2).

The second event brought together L2 research and practice, business, trade unions, workers’ councils, labour administration and BAMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees). They discussed structures and conditions for fair, effective and sustainable ways to support migrant workers learning German for and at work.

In both events language was discussed as instrument for action in the context of work, constructing and giving meaning to ones’ own activities and enabling the speakers to act upon their world. Such an understanding requires approaches embedding language learning in the context in which it is used and gets its meaning: the workplace.

Matilde Grünhage-Monetti

• Online-Zukunftswerkstatt (available in German) 
• Programme (available in German) 
• ECML resource website: Language for work – Tools for professional development (available in English and French) 
• ECML training and consultancy offer “Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants”

The European Centre for Modern Languages is launching a series of 48 national training and consultancy workshops . The workshops which are hosted in member states offer a wide range of European expertise in language education and are adapted to the concrete needs and specific contexts within individual countries. This year represents the highest ever number of events organised according to this format by the ECML and reflects the increasing popularity of the Centre’s training and consultancy activities.

25 of the events will take place within the framework of the “Innovative methodologies and assessment in language learning” cooperation action between the ECML and the European Commission. These activities, covering member states of the ECML and the European Union, focus on Relating language curricula, tests and examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference (RELANG), Supporting Multilingual Classrooms and Use of ICT in support of language teaching and learning

The other 23 events targeting the member states of the ECML focus on the following areas: Action research communities, CLIL and beyond – pluriliteracies, Language for work, Language of schooling in subject learning, Plurilingual and intercultural approaches (CARAP/FREPA), The ROADMAP – a self-assessment tool to foster school development, Setting up learning environments where modern languages flourish.

The events combine professional input from the ECML and expertise in the member state to initiate quality developments – the workshops can assist in change processes in language education at local, regional and national levels. The first of the events, a RELANG workshop, will take place at the Lithuanian National Agency for Education in Vilnius on 7-9 March.

The ECML offers its member states European expertise in language education adapted to the concrete needs and specific contexts within individual countries.

On 26 January 2023, seven training and consultancy (TaC) teams exchanged their experience in the field of:

• Action research communities,
• CLIL and beyond – pluriliteracies,
• Language for work,
• Language of schooling in subject learning,
• Plurilingual and intercultural approaches (CARAP/FREPA),
• The ROADMAP - a self-assessment tool to foster school development,
• Setting up learning environments where modern languages flourish (online presentation),

focusing on highlights, challenges and learning opportunities, and conclusions for 2023 activities.

The network meeting with the local organisers from Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Slovak Republic and Slovenia took place on 27 January. The participants got an overview of the TaC offers and their benefits from previous experience, national contexts and needs, and the ECML support provided. Individual meetings took place for local organisers with the TaC teams to discuss the organisation and arrangements of their national events planned this year.

In 2023 the ECML will conduct 23 training events in 17 member states:

In addition, up to 25 workshops will be organised in ECML and EU member states through the Centre’s cooperation action with the European Commission – these will be announced shortly.

• More information on the ECML training and consultancy offer

Photo gallery

An international TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY EVENT, facilitated on-line by experts from the European Centre for Modern Languages – Matilde Grünhage-Monetti, Alexander Braddell and Kerstin Sjösvärd, was held online on June 1 and 9 June 2022. During this event, researchers from universities in Slovakia, representatives of employers, labour administration, and civil society as well as members of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic were able to learn about the implications of extending the responsibility for migrant language learning beyond the individual learner and their teacher. The key speakers presented a coherent system of support for work-related language learning, beyond grammar and vocabulary teaching and proposed new strategies on how teachers and providers can promote employability through language learning that includes engaging, interactive learning activities helping to develop learners’ employability, as well as their language skills.

Local coordinator: Prof. Edita Hornáčková Klapicová, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra
Date and venue of the event: 1 and 9 June 2022, online
Participants:  19 (+2), national coordinator, local organiser
Background of the participants: stakeholders, university researchers and professors, employers and labour market administration, employer of the Ministry of Education in the Slovak Republic

Edita Hornackova Klapicova

Related links:

• Resource website “Language for work – Tools for professional development”
• More information about the ECML Training and Consultancy offer “Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants”

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Slovak version

V dňoch 1. a 9. júna 2022 sa pod vedením expertov z Európskeho Centra Moderných Jazykov pani Matilde Grünhage-Monetti, pána Alexandra Braddella a pani Kerstin Sjösvärd uskutočnilo virtuálne medzinárodné ŠKOLIACE A KONZULTANČNÉ PODUJATIE. Výskumní pracovníci z univerzít na Slovensku, zástupcovia zamestnávateľov, úradov práce a občianskych združení, ako aj členovia Ministerstva školstva, vedy, výskumu a športu SR mali možnosť dozvedieť sa o následkoch šírenia zodpovednosti za učenie sa jazykov u migrantov nad rámec individuálneho študenta a jeho učiteľa. Kľúčoví rečníci predstavili koherentný systém podpory jazykového vzdelávania súvisiaceho s prácou nad rámec vyučovania gramatiky a slovnej zásoby. Predložili nové stratégie, ako môžu učitelia a poskytovatelia podporiť zamestnateľnosť prostredníctvom jazykového vzdelávania. Toto vzdelávanie by malo zahŕňať pútavé interaktívne aktivity,  ktoré napomáhajú rozvíjať jazykové znalosti študentov a zároveň podporujú ich zamestnateľnosť.

Edita Hornackova Klapicova

Dates: 20 May 2022, 26 May 2022, 27 May 2022
Format: online event
ECML experts: Matilde Grünhage-Monetti, Germany; Alexander Braddell, United Kingdom
Local organiser of the ECML training and consultancy: Matej Klemen, University of Ljubljana, Centre for Slovene as the Second and Foreign Language
Participants spread over three days: 26 teachers of Slovene as L2, experts in the field od L2, organisers of the courses for unemployed learners of Slovene as L2

Working language: English, Slovene

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How to support work-related language learning for adult migrants

In May 2022, the Centre for Slovene as a Second and Foreign Language (Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana) hosted a workshop "How to support work-related language learning for adult migrants". The ECML experts, Alexander Braddell and Matilde Grünhage-Monetti, considered the specific challenges faced in Slovenia when working with unemployed people in the field of teaching and testing Slovenian as a target language. 

During the three-day workshop, teachers and organisers of Slovene courses, as well as other experts in the field of Slovene as a second and foreign language, reflected on three areas in particular: language for employability, learners and their motivation to learn the language, and a supportive environment where language learning can flourish. In addition to their expertise, the presenters offered participants the opportunity to reflect on their own work, as well as lots of materials, simple and effective ways to improve teaching and to help unemployed people to learn Slovene as a second language effectively. 

The workshop will undoubtedly contribute to improving teaching practices. It has offered a good starting point for reflection on professional training programmes for teachers teaching Slovene on courses for the unemployed, as well as a reflection on current and future practices in testing of Slovene as a non-first language for professional/employment purposes.

Matej Klemen, local organiser

• Resource website “Language for work – Tools for professional development”
• More information about the ECML Training and Consultancy offer “Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants”

SLOVENE VERSION

Kako odraslim migrantom pomagati pri učenju jezika, povezanega z delom

Maja 2022 smo na Centru za slovenščino kot drugi in tuji jezik (Filozofska fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani) gostili delavnico z naslovom "Kako odraslim migrantom pomagati pri učenju jezika, povezanega z delom" ("How to support work-related language learning for adult migrants". Predavatelja, Alexander Braddell in Matilde Grünhage-Monetti, sta pri pripravi delavnice upoštevala specifične izzive, s katerimi se v Sloveniji soočamo pri delu z brezposelnimi osebami na področju poučevanja in preverjanja znanja slovenščine kot neprvega jezika.

Učitelji in organizatorji tečajev slovenščine ter drugi strokovnjaki s področja slovenščine kot drugega in tujega jezika smo v tridnevni delavnici razmišljali zlasti o treh področjih: o jeziku in zaposljivosti, o učencih in njihovi motivaciji za učenje jezika ter o vzpodbudnem okolju, v katerem se je jezika mogoče učiti. Predavatelja sta udeležencem poleg svojega strokovnega znanja ponudila priložnost za razmislek o lastnem delu, poleg tega pa tudi obilico gradiv, preprostih in učinkovitih načinov, kako izboljšati pouk in brezposelnim osebam pomagati pri učinkovitem učenju slovenščine kot drugega jezika. 

Delavnica bo nedvomno pripomogla k izboljšanju poučevalnih praks in bo izhodišče za razmislek o programih strokovnega usposabljanja za učitelje, ki poučujejo slovenščino na tečajih za brezposelne, ponudila pa je tudi razmislek o dosedanjih in prihodnjih praksah pri preverjanju znanja slovenščine kot neprvega jezika za poklicne/zaposlitvene namene.

Matej Klemen, local organiser

Date and format: online event held on 8 October and 26 November 2021.
Local organiser: Prof. Edita Hornáčková Klapicová, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovak Republic.
ECML experts: Matilde Grünhage-Monetti and Alexander Braddell.
Participants:

• Number of participants: 19 participants (17 from Slovakia and Ukraine, 1 from Poland, 1 from Italy).
• Participants’ profiles: professors from universities in Slovakia, Ukraine, Austria and Poland, faculty and staff members from Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovak Republic) and National Institute for Education in Slovakia, Federation of employers' associations of the Slovak Republic.
• Universities represented: Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, University of Zilina (Slovakia); University of Gdańsk (Poland); Uzhgorod National University (Ukraine).

An international participatory training and consultancy event facilitated online by experts from the European Centre for Modern Languages, Matilde Grünhage-Monetti and Alexander Braddell, was held online on 8 October and 26 November 2021. During this event, researchers from universities in Slovakia, Ukraine and Poland and members of Federation of employer's associations of the Slovak Republic were able to learn about the following important steps in supporting work-related second language learning:

1. How to do preliminary ethnographic research in companies on the background of the migrant workers and their needs and on the employer’s expectations.
2. The schemes and strategies for supporting L2 learning at work demonstrated through the case of different countries and their experience with implementing these schemes and strategies.
3. How to provide sustainable support for L2 learning in different contexts (demonstrated on the case of Sweden, Germany, UK, Italy).
4. How to develop instruction manuals and other useful materials (“short, sweet and simple”), identifying the expectations of the employers, creating the appropriate content, editing, pragmatic standardization (demonstrated on concrete examples).
5. Competences of the different actors.
6. Language advocates and mentors. Demonstrated on the peer coaching scheme in Sweden (health and social care, migration background, employee supported by the employer, training, social aspects between the employee and the patient). Language advocate programme.

The learning event “Language for Work: Supporting work-related second language (L2)” was organised by Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovakia (www.ukf.sk/en/), in cooperation with the National Institute for Education in Slovakia (www.statpedu.sk/en/).

Edita Hornáčková Klapicová (local coordinator for the Slovak Republic)
Department of translation studies
Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovakia

• More information about the ECML Training and Consultancy offer “Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants”

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Slovak version

Jazyk pre prácu: Podpora vzdelávania v druhom jazyku v pracovnom kontexte

Dňa 8. októbra a 26. novembra 2021 sa pod vedením expertov z Európskeho centra pre moderné jazyky (ECML) Dr. Matilde Grünhage-Monetti a Dr. Alexandra Braddella uskutočnilo virtuálne medzinárodné podujatie “Školenie a poradenstvo”. Počas tohto stretnutia mali výskumní pracovníci z univerzít zo Slovenska, Ukrajiny a Poľska a členovia Asociácie zamestnávateľských zväzov a združení SR možnosť získať nové informácie o vzdelávaní v druhom jazyku v pracovnom kontexte v krajinách EU a oboznámiť sa so schémami, ktoré sa pri tomto druhu vzdelávania v súčasnosti uplatňujú.

Hlavným organizátorom podujatia “Jazyk pre prácu: podpora vzdelávania v druhom jazyku v pracovnom kontexte” bola Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre. https://www.ukf.sk/en/
Spoluorganizátorom podujatia bol Štátny pedagogický ústav v Bratislave. https://www.statpedu.sk/en/

Edita Hornáčková Klapicová (hlavný koordinátor pre SR)
Katedra translatológie, Filozofická fakulta
Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre

Local organisers of this ECML training and consultancy event: Dr Deirdre Ni Loingsigh (University of Limerick (UL)) , Dr Catherine Martin (UL), Ciara Considine (UL) and Tara Robinson (Limerick & Clare Education Training Board)

This was the first ECML funded Language for Work National Training and Consultancy event to take place in Ireland. The event was designed to support development of work-related language skills crucial to the integration and participation of second language (L2) adult migrants and ethnic minorities in Irish workplace settings. A broad range of stakeholders attended the event and shared ideas about developing and supporting language for work provision for L2 learners in Ireland. The ECML moderators of the event offered participants practical guidance for helping teachers, providers, employers, policymakers, and others involved in supporting work-related L2 learning of adult migrants and ethnic minorities across the country. The event facilitated the creation of useful networks amongst key stakeholders in Ireland and there are plans to begin implementation of some of the LfW models presented at the event. 

This event provided a significant opportunity for staff from further and higher education to come together around an area of interest - that of Language for Work. The success of the event shows that there is exciting potential for collaborative work in the future which will be of benefit to all. The event energised stakeholders and provided tangibles examples of effective practice from other countries which can be implemented in Ireland. The importance of this training and consultancy was highlighted by the Vice-president of the University of Limerick, Professor Máiréad Moriarty also, who noted that “in bringing together a broad range of stakeholders to network and share ideas about language for work for L2 learners in Ireland, this event is addressing an urgent linguistic, cultural and economic need of Ireland”. 

Contact details: LanguageForWork@ul.ie

• More information about the ECML Training and Consultancy offer "Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants"

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Irish language press release (October 2021)

Scileanna Teanga don Ionad Oibre: Ag Tacú le Foghlaim an Dara Teanga ag an Obair  

Ar an 30 Meán Fómhair agus an 1 Deireadh Fómhair 2021, bhí ócáid Scileanna Teanga don Ionad Oibre (LfW): Ag Tacú le Foghlaim an Dara Teanga ag an Obair (T2) in Éirinn ar siúl den chéad uair in Éirinn. Tacaíonn an tionscadal Scileanna Teanga don Ionad Oibre (LfW) atá maoinithe ag an Lárionad Eorpach um Nuatheangacha (ECML) le forbairt scileanna teanga ag an obair, rud atá ríthábhachtach do chomhtháthú agus do rannpháirtíocht imirceach fásta dara teanga (T2) agus mionlaigh eitneacha san ionad oibre. Bhí sé mar aidhm leis an ócáid náisiúnta LfW seo raon leathan lucht leasa a thabhairt le chéile chun plé a dhéanamh agus smaointe a roinnt maidir le forbairt agus tacú le scileanna teanga don ionad oibre a chur ar fáil d’fhoghlaimeoirí T2 in Éirinn. Tugadh treoir phraiticiúil do mhúinteoirí, do lucht déanta polasaithe agus do dhreamanna eile a bhfuil baint acu le tacú le foghlaim T2 ag an obair d’imircigh fásta agus do mhionlaigh eitneacha ar fud na tíre ag an ócáid.

Ba iad comhordaitheoirí na hócáide náisiúnta seo an Dr Deirdre Ní Loingsigh, Scoil an Bhéarla, na Gaeilge agus na Cumarsáide, an Dr Catherine Martin, Scoil na Nuatheangacha agus na Teangeolaíochta Feidhmí, Ciara Considine, Aonad na Gaeilge, Ollscoil Luimnigh agus Tara Robinson, Bord Oideachais & Oiliúna Luimnigh & an Chláir.

Ag labhairt di faoi thábhacht na hócáide, dúirt an tOllamh Máiréad Moriarty, Leas-Uachtarán OL don Rannpháirtíocht Dhomhanda agus Pobail, go bhfuil an tionscadal seo ag tabhairt aghaidh ar riachtanas práinneach teanga, cultúrtha agus eacnamaíoch na hÉireann trí raon leathan 70+ lucht leasa a thabhairt le chéile chun smaointe a phlé agus a roinnt faoi scileanna teanga don ionad oibre d’fhoghlaimeoirí T2 in Éirinn. Is deis é seo scileanna teanga na n-imirceach fásta in Éirinn a fhorbairt don ionad oibre, agus ag an am céanna, scileanna ilteangacha na ndaoine a ghlacann páirt sa tionscadal a cheiliúradh.

D’oscail Maria Lorigan Cigire Sinsearach sa Roinn Oideachais agus ionadaí na hÉireann ar Bhord Gobharnóirí an Lárionaid Eorpaigh um Nuatheangacha, an ócáid go hoifigiúil,  agus dúirt an Dr Angela Farrell, Déan Cúnta, Idirnáisiúnta, OL, agus léachtóir in TESOL agus Teangeolaíocht Fheidhmeach, Ollsoil Luimnigh cúpla focal fáilte agus tacaíochta.

Bhí tairiscint na hÉireann ar cheann de líon beag iarratas rathúil ó bhallstáit ar fud na hEorpa chun oiliúint agus comhairleoireacht a reáchtáil sa cheantar. Ba iad áisitheoirí agus saineolaithe an Lárionaid sa réimse Matilde Grünhage-Monetti (DE); Alexander Braddell (RA), agus Kerstin Sjösvärd (SE). Roinn siad samplaí d’idirghabhálacha agus de thionscadail rathúla atá deartha chun tacú le foghlaim teangacha don ionad oibre i gcomhthéacsanna éagsúla ar fud na hEorpa.

Ar an gclár oibre bhí cur i láthair ar an tionscadal 'Eolas ar mhaithe le hAthrú' (K4C) i Luimneach, tionscnamh de chuid Chathaoir UNESCO le Taighde Pobalbhunaithe agus Freagracht Shóisialta san Ardoideachas chomh maith. Tá ríméad ar OL agus ar Bhord Oideachais & Oiliúna Luimnigh & an Chláir tacú le comhpháirtíochtaí nua maidir le Foghlaim Dara Teanga ag an Obair in Éirinn ag leibhéal áitiúil, náisiúnta agus Eorpach.

Sonraí teagmhála:

LanguageForWork@ul.ie

Online event for VU-NT2, VU University Amsterdam
Date: 18-20 November 2020
Local organiser: Annemarie Nuwenhoud, VU-NT2, VU University Amsterdam
Participants: 31 (including 4 LfW-members); professional teachers of Dutch for adult migrants:
- 13 teachers work at VU-NT2, VU University. They teach mainly to migrants and refugees with an academic background.
- 14 teachers work at other language institutes in the Netherlands.

From 18-20 November 2020, two Amsterdam based universities organised a Language for Work Week, with the support of the ECML. This Language for Work week was part of the ECML training and consultancy programme for member states. Experts from the Language for Work Network provided three online workshops at ITTA UvA and VU-NT2. Over sixty teachers of Dutch for adult migrants joined the workshops. Alexander Braddell from the UK gave two workshops on coaching for language learning at work and in daily life. Kerstin Sjösvärd from Sweden provided a workshop on the role of support from colleagues language advocates. We look back at a fruitful and inspiring online event.

Annemarie Nuwenhoud, VU-NT2 (VU University Amsterdam)

• For more information about this training and consultancy offer of the ECML for member states visit the dedicated web pages: "Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants"

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Dutch version

Language for Work-experts ECML bezoeken VU-NT2 & ITTA

Van 18 t/m 20 November 2020 organiseerden VU-NT2 en het ITTA de Language for Work-week, met steun van het ECML. Deze week was onderdeel van het ECML training & consultancy programma. Experts van het Language for Work-network verzorgden drie online workshops bij het ITTA (UvA) en VU-NT2 (VU). Meer dan zestig NT2-docenten en docenten Nederlands op de Werkvloer namen hieraan deel. Alexander Braddell uit Engeland gaf twee workshops over coaching voor praktijkgericht taalleren en taalleren op de werkvloer. Kerstin Sjösvärd uit Zweden verzorgde een workshop over de rol van collega’s bij taalleren op de werkvloer. We kijken terug op een leerzame en inspirerende week.

Annemarie Nuwenhoud, VU-NT2, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

In December 2019, the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) accepted requests from four ECML member states (Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden) for training and consultancy support by the Language for Work (LfW) team to take place in autumn 2020.

The LfW team then agreed to meet for two days in April 2020 at the headquarters of the ECML in Graz to initiate the LfW Training and Consultancy (T&C) offer. The first day (21 April) would be for the ECML secretariat to brief the LfW team. The second day (22 April) would be for the LfW team to meet the representatives from the four ECML member states who would act as local coordinators of the LfW T&C events in their own countries.

Little did we know then that COVID-19 lockdowns would completely upend our much-looked-forward-to plans for that springtime meeting in Graz… Instead we found ourselves, each in his or her own country, sitting at home in front of the computer for an internet-enabled virtual meeting. We are very happy to report that this ‘remote’ format still allowed for a very productive meeting.

The overall aim of both days was to create a common understanding of the LfW T&C offer: its structure and conditions, and the roles and tasks of the LfW team, its event moderators (i. e. the team members responsible for carrying out the different events), and the local coordinators (i.e. the point-of-contact coordinators and any relevant colleagues). 

On the first day, as originally planned, the ECML secretariat briefed the LfW team. On the second day, the meeting focused more specifically on the agreed LfW T&C events in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The local coordinators explained the context in their various countries regarding work-related L2 provision and rationale for training and consultancy from the LfW team. The type of event to be organised and the expertise requested from the LfW T&C moderators were discussed and a number of issues clarified, in relation to dates, venues, participant numbers and profile, etc. Bilateral consultations between the LfW T&C team and the local coordinators were initiated to take further concrete steps for each event.

The discussions were extremely informative and stimulating, certainly since the local coordinators and other partners are all experienced and committed LfW professionals. They expressed the wish to contribute to the events with their expertise and share the results.

In spite of the structural differences in migration and labour market policies in the various countries, common issues for the T&C events emerged:

• How to conceptualise the cooperation between different actors in education, for example second language teachers and VET teachers or between educationalists (language teachers and providers) and employers and/or labour market administrations.
• How to create sustainable support for workplace learning.
• How to support migrants with limited or no literacy.

Will the events take place as planned? Only time will tell, but we will be busy preparing for them over the next few months anyway and we’ll certainly keep you informed in the meantime.

Bleiben Sie gesund!

The LfW T&C team

• ECML dedicated web pages on the Centre's training and consultancy offer "Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants"