Tho Common European Framework and the European Language Portfolio: Developing FL teaching in Europe as Language Education

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Tho Common European Framework and the European
Language Portfolio Developing FL teaching in
Europe as Language Education

• Viljo Kohonen
• ELPiPL Project Seminar
• Kaunas College 12.6.2009

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Outline of presentation

• Common European Framework (CEFR 2001) and the
  ELP central guidelines and principles
• ELP research
• 2.1. Inga Rebenius (2007, Sweden)
• 2.2. Manolis Sisamakis (2006, Ireland)
• 2.3. Radmila Perclová (2006, Czech Republic)
• 2.4. Viljo Kohonen (2006, Finland)
• 3. Why reflection in FL education, and how to
  facilitate it in the FL classroom?
• 4. Discussion Exploratory practice, two
  dimensions in teacher development, professionalism

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1. Common European Frame-work (CEFR 2001) ELP

• Action-oriented approach FL learner seen as a
  social agent and language user, a whole human
  being with a unique personal identity gt developed
  in response to the enriching experiences of
  cultural otherness
• gt Plurilingual competence to which all
  knowledge/ experience of language contributes and
  in which languages interrelate and interact gt to
  be developed as a life-long task motivation,
  skill, confidence (CEFR 2001, 4-5)

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4. Intercultural Competence
Appropriateness
2. Socio-linguistic Competence Acceptability

• General competences
• Declarative knowledge
• Procedural knowledge
• Existential competence
• Ability to learn

• 3. Pragmatic
• Competence
• Discourse cohesion and coherence

• 1. Linguistic
• Competence
• Accuracy
• lexical
• syntactic
• morphological
• phonological
• orthographic

• 5. S t r a t e g i c
• Competence
• Fluency of action
• reception
• production
• interaction
• mediation

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The European Language Portfolio (ELP)

• TOOL as part of the CEFR, with two complementary
  functions
• Pedagogic function to organize gt take charge of
  the learning process specify the objectives gt
  monitor/ reflect on the processes in the social
  context of learning gt develop autonomy (gtgt
  Language Biography Dossier)
• Reporting function to assess gt document the
  outcomes in a transparent way, using the Common
  Reference Levels (A/B/C, Language Passport
  Dossier) gt international mobility

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The European Language Portfolio (ELP)...

• THREE sections 1. Language Passport,
• 2. Language Biography, 3. Dossier
• Significant instrument for documenting the
  language users progress towards plurilingual and
  pluricultural competence over time gt self-/
  peer-assessment
• Recording of learning experiences and results gt
  self-assessment of proficiency in all languages
  known gt making FL and intercultural learning more
  visible gt deeper understanding of com-munication
  gt autonomy, agency, reflection

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The CEFR ELP...

• Holistic approach use of the cognitive,
  emo-tional and volitional resources and a full
  range of abilities to carry out communicative
  tasks, using the specific competences to achieve
  a given result in communication (including
  para-linguistic communication)
• Emphasis on initiative, interaction and social
  responsibility democratic citizenship education
  for multilingual/-cultural Europe

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ELP Principles the common European core of the
ELP

• 1. Tool to promote plurilingualism/-culturalism
• 2. The property of the learner
• 3. Values the full range of language and
  intercultural competence and experience (acquired
  within or outside formal education)
• 4. Tool to promote learner autonomy
• 5. Pedagogic and reporting functions
• 6. Based on the CEFR (with the A/B/C Levels)
• 7. Encourages learner self-assessment, and the
  recording of assessment by the teachers etc.

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The CEFR ELP (2001)...

• Learner autonomy through an interactive process
  of learning to learn and learning to use language
  for authentic communication
• Paradigm shift plurilingualism/-culturalism
  going beyond the attainment of a given level of
  proficiency in a particular language
• ELP an important tool for developing, and
• a format for documenting, the language users
  progress towards plurilingualism by re-cording
  the FL learning experiences gt formal recognition
  of proficiency (eg. EUROPASS)

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ELP making the CEFR (more) concrete/ accessible
to the pupil

• ELP bringing the concerns, aims and
  per-spectives down to the level of the pupils
  what they can DO in the FL (at A/B/C levels)
• Descriptor a clear, transparent, positively
  formulated communicative act (performing a task)
  gt Self-assessment Grid descriptors with an
  independent, stand-alone integrity
• Self-assessment pupils to consider and specify
  the level, value and quality of their learning
  products or FL use

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ELP lt--gt CEFR an example of descriptor SPOKEN
INTERACTION

• Level A1
• I can interact in a simple way provided the
  other person is prepared to repeat or rephrase
  things at a slower rate of speech and help me
  formulate what Im trying to say. I can ask and
  answer simple questions in areas of immediate
  need or on very familiar topics (CEFR, 26)

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ELP lt--gt CEF example of SPOKEN INTERACTION
Checklist (A 1)

• I can say basic greetings and phrases (e.g.,
  please, thank you etc)
• I can say who I am, ask someones name and
  introduce someone
• I can say I dont understand, ask people to
  repeat what they say or speak more slowly,
  attract attention and ask for help
• I can ask how to say something in the TL or what
  a word means
• I can ask and answer simple direct questions on
  very familiar top-ics (e.g., family, school) with
  help from the person I am talking to
• I can ask people for things and give people
  things
• I can handle numbers, quantities, cost and time
• I can make simple purchases, using pointing and
  gestures
• gt Can do Checklists useful for goal setting
  gt monitoring gt self-assessment gt more
  transparent, concrete, accessible objectives for
  action

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How to begin the ELP journey?

• Teachers need to understand well the goal of
  autonomy and the nature of the learning task that
  the students are to undertake, and the
  professional reasons/ educational goals for
  developing a reflective, ELP-oriented approach gt
  essential pre-requisite for success
• Begin from where the pupils/students are gt
  facilitate them to understand the aims of the ELP
  gt see themselves as language users gt learn a
  reflective orientation, working on their personal
  experiences of language learning/use and
  intercultural learning

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How to continue the ELP journey?

• Negotiate curriculum-based ELP tasks
  written/spoken tasks, done alone/in groups (e.g,
  My hobbies/ home town/ favourite music review
  of a book/movie a play/poem/ short
  story/argument about a topic CV/ job
  application/ company presentation) gt present
  discuss in groups, using the target language
• Provide specific help and support to design/
  carry out the project work, reflection and self-/
  peer-assessment gt as part of doing real, relevant
  and challenging communicative tasks

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Continuing the ELP journey...

• From teacher-imposed differentiation to
  self-differentiated learning encourage
  students to work at the frontiers of their
  current proficiency gt comprehensible output gt
  meaningful interaction
• Extend and go beyond the current limits gt take
  risks gt develop their TL repertoire gt take social
  responsibility for learning help others to
  progress in their tasks (peer-support/ help/
  assessment/ correction/commenting)
• New culture of collaborative FL education

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2. ELP research 2.1. Inga Rebenius (2007)

• Inga Rebenius (Sweden) Discourse on Learner
  Autonomy (LA, Council of Europe) a vague
  concept, mixing two strands
• 1. Mainstream LA emphasis on learner gt
  psychological basis, autonomy in language
  learning (for life-long learning)
• Holec (1979) taking charge of ones FL
  learning plan gt carry out/ monitor gt
  self-assess ones learning
• gt technical, individual perspective learning
  to manage ones learning without the teacher

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2.1. Rebenius (2007)...

• 2. Critical LA Autonomy as a person
• constrained, relational freedom, through
  participation in society interdependence of
  person and society gt individual as a moral
  subject, as an authentic person gt finding gt
  having a voice
• gt Revitalizing the LA notion as socialization
  of pupils towards democratic citizenship through
  perspectives from moral philosophy, values
  education/ society membership gt use of
  educational power by the FL educators

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2. ELP Research 2.2. Manolis Sisamakis (2006)

• Longitudinal study of the Irish ELP
  imple-mentation (2003-04)extensive quantitative
  and qualitative data (N 364 pupils, 14 FL
  teachers)
• Theoretical framework learner autonomy (Little
  1991 2004 Dam 1995) self-deter-mination theory
  (Deci Ryan 2002) motivation research (esp.
  social motivation Ushioda 2003)
• Pupils ELP had a positive effect on intrinsic
  motivation taking charge of their learning
  acceptance of social responsibility in classroom

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2.2. Sisamakis (2006)...

• ELP helped them to develop ownership for their
  learning goal-setting and self-assessment useful
  for organizing learning making their own choices
  
• Getting emotionally engaged in the learning gt
  confidence gt ELP as a significant TOOL for
  autonomy understanding the geography of FL
  learning essential

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2.2. Sisamakis (2006)...

• Teachers assumed a broader perspective to
  teaching, feeling more confident/ at ease, less
  dependent on exams/ textbooks
• Cycles of negotiated learning continuity for
  pupils efforts gt capacity for chopping the
  intimidating TL learning task into more
  manageable chunks gt a cyclic process of
  goal-setting gt monitoring gt self-assessment gt
  virtuous circle in FL development gt enhanced FL
  motivation gt gained more confidence in using the
  TL for real communication

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2. ELP Research 2.3. Radmila Perclová (2006)

• The ELP in Czech compulsory education
• Participants (1) Pilot project teachers (N53)
  and their pupils (N902) gt How was the ELP
  pedagogy put into practice in the Czech context
  (1999-2000)?
• Teachers ELP created a rich, positive learning
  environment, supporting pupil motivation and
  active participation gt reflective abilities
  gradually emerging in the classes gt deeper
  learner understanding through setting personal
  objectives gt autonomy new educational culture

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2.3. Perclová (2006)...

• Pupils from FL learning as words and grammar gt
  to a broader view communication
• ELP supported feelings of self-efficacy and
  self-confidence teacher support indis-pensable
  for sustained motivation
• No significant correlation between the ELP and
  the grades low achievers also positive ELP was
  found predominantly positive girls more positive
  than boys
• Culture of working alone prevailing
  self-assessment problematic in the Czech context

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2. ELP research 2.4. Viljo Kohonen (2006)

• Finnish ELP Pilot Project (19982001)
• 1. Significance of the ELP tracking authentic
  evidence of progress over time gt
  self/peer-assessment gt reflective learning gt new
  educational culture
• Recording of learning experiences and results gt
  making FL learning (more) visible gt deeper
  understanding of communication gt autonomy as a
  language learner/ user/ person

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2.4. Kohonen (2006)...

• 2. Flexibility of the ELP use at all levels of
  proficiency doing something personal with the TL
  gt gaining power over the TL
• gt Beginners small modifications based on
  textbooks gt Intermediate users more open,
  demanding tasks gt stretching out their FL gt
  Advanced users handling a variety of texts,
  producing own discourses, interacting fluently
• 3. Teachers need to understand the goal of
  autonomy/ ELP well, and the rationale for
  developing a reflective approach Pupils need a
  great deal of explicit guidance and support

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2.4. Kohonen (2006)...

• 4. Begin with the pupils themselves first learn
  a basic reflective orientation to FL learning
• 5. Motivation teacher needs to justify the
  benefits of reflection/self-assessment to the
  students and explain why reflect on learning and
  assess their FL skills
• 6. Teacher significant role in fostering
  reflection for learning life-skills personal
  comments on the progress gt specific, concrete
  feedback as an important source of motivation for
  students laborious for the teacher to do

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Fishing...

• Give the man a fish, and he wont be hungry that
  day
• Teach him to fish, and he wont be hungry for the
  rest of his life
• Pedagogical fishing ...
• Teach the teacher (and the pupil) to reflect on
  his/her educational fishing ... will be able to
  develop it ... and also teach others to fish

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3. Why reflection in FL education? (Kolb 1984
Kohonen 2001)

• Experience (language/ communication/ learning
  processes/ personal growth/ cultural learning) is
  the key to language learning but not sufficient
  as such
• Experience needs to be processed consciously
  notice learning gt develop awareness gt take charge
  of learning
• Transform observations/ information into personal
  understanding and knowledge
• Learning has to be done by the pupil active role

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3. Why reflection in FL education...

• Leo van Lier (1996, 11)
• To learn something new one must first notice it.
  This noticing is an awareness of its existence,
  obtained and enhanced by paying attention to it.
• Paying attention is focusing ones
  conscious-ness, or pointing ones perceptual
  powers in the right direction, and making mental
  energy available for processing.

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3... What is reflection?

• John Dewey (1938, 87-88) To reflect is to look
  back over what has been done so as to extract the
  net meanings ... for intelligent dealing with
  further experiences. It is the heart of
  intellectual organisation and of the disciplined
  mind.
• Interplay between looking ahead (action directed
  by some idea) and looking back
• Learning as a continuous process of
  recon-struction of experience anticipate -gt act
  -gt observe -gt organise ideas for future use

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3... How to facilitate reflection in FL class?

• 1. Personal awareness Guiding the students to
  reflect on their beliefs of language learning/
  their task and role, as part of the language
  lessons
• What strengths/ shortcomings do you have as a
  (language) student?
• How do you see your role as a language learner?
• What expectations do you have for your language
  teacher?

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3... How to facilitate reflection in FL class...

• 2. Process and situational awareness
• How are you going to work on your aims for this
  course (week, etc)?
• How might you improve your work/ working habits?
• What is a good group member like in our language
  class? Why?
• How might you improve your participation in your
  groups?

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3... How to facilitate reflection in FL class...

• 3. Task awareness
• How do you understand FL communication?
• What elements and skills does language learning
  include?
• What aspects of the (X) language are easy
  (difficult) for you?
• What skills are you good at? What can you
  improve?
• What aims are you going to set for yourself
  for the this course (this week, etc)?

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CEFR-pedagogy

• Users of the Framework may wish to consider and
  where appropriate state, i.e., consider
  different options and arrive at well-informed
  decisions, in the local context (learning
  culture)
• Language teacher to develop an inquiring
  professional mind -gt a reflective approach
• CEFR as a comprehensive TOOLBOX containing a
  set of well-defined concepts does not provide a
  consistent theory of how to use them in a given
  setting for a particular educational purpose

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Dialogical teaching

• Jorma Lehtovaara (2001, 157-58) our teaching
  methods are our philosophy of praxis gt we need
  to clarify our conception of man What is it
  being human? What is the meaning of that for me?
  
• Open dialogue gtgt to facilitate the pupils to
  learn dialogue, the goal is the open dialogue,
  lt--gt development of open dialogue achieved only
  through open dialogue
• gt How do I organize/guide my pupils work in my
  classrooms? How do I encourage them?

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4. Discussion 1 Exploratory Practice (EP) in FL
education

• 1. Putting quality of classroom life first
• 2. Understanding life in FL classrooms
• 3. Involve everybody in practitioner research
• 4. Work for mutual development, seeing pupils as
  developing practitioners in their own right
• 5. Integrate work for understanding into
  classroom practices -gt use class time to make
  space for understanding, without losing FL time
• 6. Continuous work for practitioner-based
  understanding of learning (Allwright 2006)

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EP... what is quality of life?

• FL classrooms as communities of practice with
  complex social relationships
• gt integrating local understandings into the
  teaching-learning events teaching, learning and
  quality of life closely intertwined culture of
  learning sharing and respect
• focus on understanding the contextual nature of
  classroom problems in the first place
• provide a range of learning opportunities/
  individual options, encouraging autonomous
  life-long learning (Allwright 2006)

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EP... as situated classroom understanding

• Situated classroom discourse participants talk
  to each other in the context of a shared history
  of interaction
• create opportunities for learning, based on
  contextual understanding using the elements of
  time, space, affective engagement, participation,
  material and cognitive resources to enhance the
  quality of classroom life
• a puzzle-oriented view of classroom life,
  inviting participants to be seekers after their
  understandings ? social actors (Allwright 2006
  Gieve Miller 2006)

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Discussion 2 Two ways of pro-gressing Al Gore
(Nobel Prize Interview 2007)

• If you want to go quickly,
• go alone.
• If you want to go far,
• go together.
• (an African saying)

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2... Two dimensions in teacher education and
teaching

• 1.Professional development and work within a
  prevailing individual-cognitive dimension
  cultural socialization for teacher isolation
  (cf. Dan Lortie 1975, Schoolteacher)
• 2.Professional growth and work within a
  social-interactive dimension cultural
  socialization for collegial collaboration

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Teacher Isolation
I did it my way...
Individual - Cognitive Dimension
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Teacher Collaboration
I did it our way...
Social-Interactive Dimension
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Professionalism as collective knowledge creation
(Bereiter 2002)

• Innovative knowledge creation going beyond the
  frontiers of current knowledge gt work at the edge
  of understanding gt take on new challenges gt
  stretching out together (Bereiter Scardamalia
  1993 surpassing ourselves
• Collective professional empowerment enhancing
  the profession by working on increasingly
  challenging tasks gt collegial interaction/
  dialogue as an essential source of professional
  renewal

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Teacher Development some quotes

• There is no curriculum development without
  teacher development (Lawrence Stenhouse 1975)
• There is little significant school development
  without teacher development (David Hargreaves
  1994)
• It is teachers who, in the end, will change the
  world of school through understanding it
  (Stenhouse1975)