Castilla-La Mancha, a region in the european context

1. Castilla-La Mancha, a region in the european context

2. Some key dates about Spain • 1977. Arrival of democracy. • 1978. The democratic constitution. • 1986. Spain is part of the European Union. • Referring to education: the Constitution recognizes the right of Spaniards to education without discrimination. • The Constitution establishes a new model of state: the autonomous communities.

4. CASTILLA-LA MANCHA

5. Castilla-La Mancha • Castilla-La Mancha is one of these autonomous communities with wide legislative and executive autonomy, with its own parliament and regional government. • Ithas a population of about 2 million inhabitants and a total area of 30,589square miles. • It is made up of five provinces: Guadalajara, Toledo, Cuenca, Ciudad Real, Albacete. • Toledo, the regional capital city is considered a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO.

6. About our Economy • Although agricultureused to be the dominant sector, our industry is undergoing a major transformation and a great effort is being made to stimulate energy efficiency and renewable energies.

7. About Education in Spain • The Spanish Constitution recognizes the possibility that the autonomous communities may assume executive powers in education. • It is a decentralized system, the national government only takes charge of: • Defining minimum common curricular contents. • Scholarship policies. • Degree recognition and standardization. • Coordination of Autonomous Communities education administrations. • Supporting Autonomous Communities to keep a territorial balance.

8. Referents Education and Training 2010. Lisbon European Council, 2000. Organic Act in Education.LOE. May 2006 Political Outlines of the Regional Government Education Act for Castilla-La Mancha Region.

9. Education in Castilla-La Mancha • Our government has been competent in the field of education since 2000. Main principles: • The school for everybody as a right for lifelong learning. • Diversity as a value not as a handicap. • Inclusive an intercultural perspective. • Teacher-training for quality in education • Quality/Equality

10. GENERAL EDUCATIVE SYSTEM

19. SOME FIGURES

20. 369,026 Students. 1,085Schools. 86% Public Schools. (930 14% Private Schools. (157) Our Schools

21. EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION2010 2,157 MILLIONS (€) 22. 43 % Regional Budget 5.6% Regional Gross Domestic Budget

22. A Plan to promote and improve communicative competence in languages in Castilla – La Mancha

23. Background • March 2000: Lisbon Strategy. The European Council agreed to set a strategic goal for the European Union to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy and society in the world by 2010. • 2001 was declared the European Year of Languages to promote multilingualism and a greater languages capability across Europe. • The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages provides a common basis for the elaboration of language syllabuses, curriculum guidelines, examinations, textbooks, etc. across Europe. • The European Language Portfolio (ELP) is a document in which those who are learning or have learned a language - whether at school or outside school - can record and reflect on their language learning and cultural experiences • March 2002: The conclusions of the Barcelona European Council called for further action to improve the mastery of basic skills, in particular by teaching foreign languages to all from a very early age.

24. Background • The Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning, one of which is communication in foreign languages.‘Communicative competence’. • It introduces the idea of Multilingualism to integrate the treatment of mother-tongue, language of context and foreign languages.

25. Objectives • To promote the respect and acknowledgement of the linguistic and cultural plurality as an element enriching society. • Application of the Common European Framework of Reference for the Use of Languages; use of the European Portfolio of Languages; assessment of competences; collaborative learning in the process of foreign language acquisition. • To reach the number of 175 bilingual schools by 2011. • To disseminate the use of Contents and Language Integrated Learning. (CLIL) • To achieve specific training and linguistic competence for the teachersof non- linguistic subjects who are teaching in the foreign language; • To promote the didactic and linguistic training of foreign language teachers, in order to implement the use of the Common European Framework of Reference for the Use of Languages and the European Portfolio; and increase the participation in Longlife Learning Programme Projects. • To encourage youth mobility, school partnerships, student and teacher exchanges, as well as the learning of foreign languages in summer or autumn courses, both in Castilla- La Mancha and abroad.

26. Different programmes • For students: • Language Courses. • Stays abroad. • Projects for schools: • European Programmes for Lifelong Learning. • Bilingual schools (in English and French). • In-Service Teacher Training programs

27. Courses and stays abroad • In order to help our students to improve their foreign language level and accuracy, we have a grant policy and funds which allows more than 1,300 students to stay abroad for different length stays. • 3-week summer courses: • United Kingdom: 770 students. • Ireland: 220 stu. • Canada: 75 stu. • France: 90 stu. • Germany: 15 stu. • Integration courses in March and September: • Ireland: 120 stu. • Academic course in Ireland: 25 stu. • Students’ Exchanges: Some schools take part in bilateral exchanges of students, with schools of other countries. Last year more than 900 students participated in this exchanges. • Some other activities take place in Castilla – La Mancha : • English summer courses for young students (12-16). 740 stu.

28. Lifelong Learning Programme • Castilla-La Mancha participates in the different actions carried out by the Lifelong Learning Programme through the Spanish National Agency for Lifelong Learning Programmes attached to the Ministry of Education, and with specific funds from our regional government: • Comenius • Leonardo da Vinci • Erasmus • Grundtvig • Transversal Programme • Jean Monet

29. Longlife Learning in LanguageSchools • In Castilla- La Mancha there are thirteen Official Language Schools, where different languages are taught. • Language education is structured in three levels, elementary, intermediate and advanced, in concordance with the level of competences established by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. • They have been designed for students over 16 who need to acquire or to improve their competences in a language, and obtain an official certificate. • In 2009, 15.000 students attended these schools all over Castilla – La Mancha.

30.  Bilingual sections • 1996: An agreement was signed between the SpanishMinister of Education and the British Council to carry out a bilingual programme through the teaching of a Spanish - British integrated curriculum in Primary schools. • 2002: Spanish- French sections were created at Primary schools. • 2005: Castilla-La Mancha decided toincrease the number of Bilingual Sections and create its own Programme.

31. BilingualSections • Bilingual Sections are those schools where certain non-linguistic disciplines are taught through a foreign language as the vehicular tongue. • The second language is used as an instrumental language, a teaching instrument. • Objectives. • To improve the students skills in foreign languages. • To put them in contact with different people, cultures, customs and environments. • To improve general skills. (cognitive flexibility) • The schools have to apply to have the opportunity to run a Bilingual Section.

32. Language assistants • One of the priorities of the Regional Government is to provide our schools with native language assistants who will back up foreign language Spanish teachers and teachers of other subjects which are taught in English (CLIL). • The language assistants are provided with a monthly allowance, a health insurance and technical support.

33. Teaching Training • Foreign Language teachers. • Every year more than 200 teachers spend part of the summer studying abroad for 3 or 4 weeks. • Non-linguistic areas teachers. • One of the most important priorities of the Government in Castilla – La Mancha is to provide these teachers with the linguistic skills and competences necessary to teach in the context of Contents and Language Integrated Learning. • The final step of this special training process is a workplace shadowing visit and periods at educational institutions of the country where the language used for the teaching of their subjects is spoken. • Near 200 teachers are going to spend time abroad during the year 2010.

34. International Cooperation • School partnerships and student and teacher exchanges. • Teacher training, particularly in the English and Spanish respectively. • Shadowing. • Courses and stays abroad. • Exchanges between both parties of innovative ideas and projects in the area of educational administration. • Ways to cooperate: • Lifelong Learning Programme funds. • Other resources.

35. Ministry of Education and Science Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha Luis Miguel Miñarro López lmminarro@jccm.es Thanks a lot!