REAL European federation of language teacher associations

1. REALEuropean federation of languageteacher associations REAL 2 PROJECT This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

2. CONTEXT • The REAL 2 project is funded by the European Commission (Lifelong Learning Programme). • It is being developed by a consortium of 8 language teacher associations from 8 different countries coordinated by CIEP (Centre International d’Etudes Pedagogiques), from Sevres, France. • It is based on REAL 1, which produced a feasibility study identifying 138 associations, representing 154 000 language teachers, with the view of creating a European federation of language teacher associations.

3. AIM • The REAL project brings together language teacher associations of many different shapes and sizes.  What they have in common is the desire to promote linguistic diversity and the teaching of languages, and to support language teachers. 

4. General Context • REAL has grown out of the reality that education authorities, European policies and teachers of modern languages in the very centre of the EU are not correlated. The European Commission is now moving towards a more active linguistic policy, as demonstrated by the appointment of a Commissioner for Multilingualism. As a consequence, the Commission is very open to all suggestions made by teachers in the field. In order for these suggestions to be made efficient,  a clearly identifiable platform is needed. • Recent studies show that within Europe the teaching of modern foreign languages is evolving in a common direction, but according to very differing methodologies. Associations would therefore have a lot to discuss and learn from each other as they work towards common objectives. 

5. PARTNERS • Centre international d'études pédagogiques - CIEP (France) : team leader and contracting party of the project • Association for Language Learning - ALL (United Kingdom) : coordinating partner of the REAL2 project • Asociatia profesorilor de limba engleza din Moldova Romania - MATE (Romania) • Association des professeurs de français de Pologne - PROF-EUROPE (Poland)

6. Association des professeurs de langues vivantes - APLV (France) • Federación Española de Asociaciones de Professores de Francés - FEAPF (Spain) • Lietuvos kalbu pedagogu asociacija - The Lithuania Association of Language Teachers - LKPA (Lithuania) • Lingua e nuova didattica - LEND (Italy) • Verband Englisch und Mehrsprachigkeit - E&M (Germany)

7. RESULTS OF REAL 1 FEASABILITY STUDY • 200 associations of language teachers were identified, 138 associations responded to the survey, representing over 154, 000 teachers from 29 countries. These 138 associations form the informal base of the REAL network. • All the associations which replied to the survey stated that they are in favour of the creation of a European network. These results, as well as the discussions which took place during the final seminar of the REAL 1 project organized in September 2007 In Paris with 52 associations, led us to the conclusion that there is a real need for a network of associations of language teachers linked to the EU.

8. OBJECTIVES • The goal of REAL 2 is to create a European federation of language teacher associations. • The federation is open to monolingual as well as to multilingual associations from all EU and EFTA member states as well as the other states participating in the Lifelong Learning Programme (32 countries in all). • The REAL federation will support the associations - and thus, the teachers - to bring Europe into the language classroom and to make the voices of language teachers heard.

9. TARGET ASSOCIATIONS PROFILE • Language teachers associations at primary, secondary and university level • Associations of teachers in private language centres • Native teachers associations • Languages in view: all langauges supported by EU educational policy (European languageas, regional and minority languages, sign language, langauges of economic partners such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, etc.)

10. Five major needs to be addressed: 1. To develop good practice in teaching via exchanges and common projects at a European level. 2. To develop European skills (better knowledge of tools and sources of finance available at a European level). 3. To develop strategic skills between associations, with the particular aim of ensuring continuity with regards to young teachers. 4. To better represent language teachers in national and European policy making. 5. To defend cultural and linguistic diversity, particularly for the less widely used languages.

11. PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS Over a period of three years, the project will • see the creation of a legally established federation, • put together a common directory of European language teacher associations, • set up a reference website • develop seminars and training modules for language teachers aswell as for association leaders.

12. REAL SEMINARS Which of the following themes would be of interest to you? • Developing / Enhancing life- long learning competences through the activities of language teachers’ associations • Setting up European projects • Professional training in Europe • European language policies • Helping to improve the overall competencies of teachers of languages by a commitment to excellence through European/international cultural exchanges;

13. 6. Establishing a platform for the exchange of ideas that could lead to an overall improvement in the effective teaching of languages; 7. Making our students grow: challenges and strategies specific to different languages; 8. Teacher (self-)motivation; 9. Motivating students – preparing students to face European challenges; 10. Using translation in class – the role of the contrastive approach 11. Caring and sharing: literature in the language class 12. Other _______________________________

14. What would be the advantages for your association? • Sharing good teaching practice • Acquiring information concerning interaction between associations • Acting together to influence language policy at national and European level • Promoting multilingualism • Supporting cultural diversity • Other _____________________________

15. For more information real@ciep.fr • REAL feasability study www.ciep.fr/real/