Launched by the Council of Europe, the European Language Portfolio (ELP) has rapidly become one of the most influential instruments in the reform of language teaching and learning practice in Europe.This publication is aimed at language teacher educators and language teachers who are preparing to use the ELP with their learners. It is the result of an ECML project "Training teachers to use the European Language Portfolio" carried out in the Centre's 2004-2007 programme.The booklet:* provides a summary description of the ECML project;* introduces the ELP and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR);* explains the pedagogical potential of the ELP;* discusses the implications of the CEFR and the ELP for language teacher education, reporting on experience in Switzerland and Finland.The accompanying CD-Rom contains:* PowerPoint presentations, group work activities and discussion tasks to be used in training events for teachers;* additional materials and activities developed by members of the project team for particular national contexts;* reports on a series of training events that took place in ECML member states in the framework of the project;* key Council of Europe documents and a number of research studies related to the ELP.
1. Introduction to Project C6: Training teachers to use the European Language Portfolio
2. The European Language Portfolio and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
2.1 The European Language Portfolio
2.1.1 What is the ELP?
2.1.2 What are the ELP's functions?
2.1.3 How is the ELP meant to work?
2.2 The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
2.2.1 The relation between the ELP and the CEFR
2.2.2 The CEFR's action-oriented approach
2.3 The ELP and learner autonomy
3. Implications of the CEFR and the ELP for teacher education
3.1 Introduction: a new paradigm in foreign language education
3.2 Pre-service teacher education: the Swiss experience
3.2.1 The CEFR and the ELP - common core for training syllabuses
3.2.2 The CEFR as an educational and teaching tool: a range of methods
3.2.3 Study plan
3.2.4 Other training aspects inspired by the CEFR
3.3 In-service teacher education: the Finnish experience
3.4 The professional change processes
3.4.1 Sociocultural theory: the role of beliefs and interaction
3.4.2 Towards a transformative paradigm in teacher education
3.4.3 Encountering educational change
3.4.4 A note on the context of professional growth
4. The CD-Rom
4.1 The kit of teacher training materials
4.1.1 Individual and group reflection on the ELP and key issues in teacher training
4.1.2 Sketching preliminary action plans
4.1.3 The Common European Framework: activities, competences, levels
4.1.4 Self-assessment in relation to the common reference levels: how do I know what level I am at, and how do I prove it?
4.1.5 Learning to learn: a model of reflection for teacher trainers, teachers and learners
4.1.6 Learner autonomy: drawing together the threads of self-assessment, goal-setting, reflection
4.1.7 Language in the ELP: language(s) of presentation and process; plurilingualism
4.1.8 The intercultural dimension: global simulation
4.1.9 Integrating the ELP with language curricula and textbooks; using the ELP to go beyond the textbook
4.1.10 Connecting assessment with the ELP and the common reference levels
4.2 Additional materials
4.3 National training events
4.4 Reference documents
References
Notes on the authors
