Philia Thalgott Language Policy Division - DG IV Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France coet

3. Council of Europe Policy Texts 2 Conventions 22 Recommendations / Resolutions since 1968 Committee of Ministers to member States Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Doc. DGIV/EDU/LANG (2008)4 > online Council of Europe Conference of European Ministers responsible for migration affairs (Kyiv, 2008)

4. ECRI European Commission against Racism and Intolerance - www.coe.int/ecri Annual Report, 2008: “Successful integration is a two-way process, a process of mutual recognition, which bears no relation to assimilation”

5. Language Policy Division Tools Concept Paper: The role of languages in policies for the integration of adult migrants Thematic Studies: The CEFR and the development of policies for the integration of adult migrants Quality assurance in the provision of language education and training for adult migrants – guidelines and options Language tests for social cohesion and citizenship- an outline for policy makers Language learning, teaching and assessment and the integration of adult migrants. The importance of needs analysis Tailoring language provision and requirements to the needs and capacities of adult migrants Case Studies (Intergovernmental Seminar 2008) Texts available online: www.coe.int/lang - Section Minorities and migrants

6. Language Policy Project Principles respect for migrants’ human rights + dignity rights + responsibilities migrants: heterogeneous group - diversified needs and capacities ? No single uniform approach

7. CEFR Common reference levels >> illustrative « can do » descriptors of global and detailed outcomes

8. Some Language Test Issues IF testing, what kinds of tests for what purposes? How a ‘level’ relates to the actual language needs underlying active, responsible democratic citizenship in society Do they assess what they are supposed to assess? What are the purposes of assessment where this exists, and what modes of assessment might be most appropriate for different purposes How to accomodate the heterogeneity of migrants? How to gauge the impact of decisions on language requirements and assessment on migrants and on society generally? Other approaches – European Language Portfolio (ELP)

9. Surveys in member states on language requirements for migrants (2008 + 2010) Language tuition - obligatory/voluntary and duration - free/subsidised/paying Tests linked to - entry, permanent residence or naturalisation Language attainment target

10. General trends of 2009 survey Increasing interest for an evaluation of programmes Differences between 2007 and 2009 survey are limited Still a large variation between countries in terms of (e.g.): Regulations and conditions Cost and sanctions Proficiency level required Sanctions language conditions: present in slightly more countries required level of proficiency: increased in a few cases language conditions prior to entry: increasingly applied (interest to follow this route growing in other countries) No offer of language courses: still the case in some countries (candidates have to go on the private market) Further feedback on results: Strasbourg Conference (june 2010)

11. Language Policy Division Initiatives Nov. 2009 > Jan. 2010: follow-up survey to take stock of developments in Council of Europe member states since 2007-2008 24-25 June 2010 – Strasbourg: Intergovernmental conference on the linguistic integration of adult migrants: Ways of evaluating policy and practice

12. Websites Council of Europe: www.coe.int Language Policy Division: www.coe.int/lang Conference June 2010: Section Events Documentation & context: Section Minorities and Migrants) Migration Division / CDMG: www.coe.int/migration ECRI: www.coe.int/ecri White Paper: www.coe.int/dialogue Contact: philia.thalgott@coe.int