Subgroup 5 Year One R eport

1. Subgroup 5 Year One Report Language Learning

2. Definition of LL • Developing the ability to communicate in the second/foreign language/s • Language and intercultural aspects – as part of languageprocess and outcomes • Common European Framework of Reference – to label course and examination levels

3. Definition of LL • A reflection of practices & procedures in 12 member institutions (PL, NL, AT, BE, BG, DE, ES, FI, FR, IT, LU, LV, UK, TR) • 1 language for specialists • 2 language for non specialists / service languages • 3 language of instruction • 4 language for social purposes (mobility, students studying abroad)

4. Language learning • Comprehensive universities – all 4 aspects • Universities offering specialised/profiled education – aspects 2 – 4

5. Delivery • Mode: • Face to face • Blended learning • On-line courses – minority • Affiliation • Language centres • Language departments • Other departments • Outsourced

6. Assessment/evaluation • Exams • written and oral, administered by expert language teachers • Computer-based tests • The same test format for non-specialist students • Exit levels • Defined in CEF terms for non-specialist students • Not the case for specialist students • No significant changes in the assessment procedure • Grades not related to CEF • Exit level proficiency not mentioned in the diplomas • Language exams not CEF-proof

7. QA mechanisms • Few countries – national QA mechanisms • Audits or accreditations rare if any • Institutional QA systems under development or in use – variety of approaches (top-down, bottom-up) • QA adopted at language centre level • Tools

8. Additional information • Little co-operation/co-ordination between language centres and language departments • Self-access centre • Language advisers • Language learning in the context of lifelong learning: a need for study • Provision • Validation

9. Case studies • Cross-border, joint cases: • Effective language delivery • CEF and related instruments in language courses and programmes • Relation between academic programmes and stakeholders, external providers • Institutional approaches to QA • Continuous professional development

10. Effective language delivery • In this case study innovative aspects that potentially increase the effectiveness of language programmes are addressed, because they add value to the language learning experience. In particular, we think of opportunities increasing authentic interaction and exposure to the target languages (and cultures), e.g. integrating study abroad into the language programme and using CMC (computer mediated communication) tools, both asynchronous and synchronous

11. CEF and related documents in language courses and programmes • This case study will focus on how CEF related instruments such as ELP and Dialang can be adapted and integrated in language programmes, • to achieve transparency and comparability of learning outcomes • to foster autonomous learning and language awareness among learners. • In particular we will describe the following experiences: • Germany: the development of new modules and new descriptors for academic language skills (2-year project), • Latvia: the use of the ELP with teachers and non-specialist students, • The Netherlands: the use of the ELP with specialist students and of Dialang and ELP with non-specialist to promote reflective learning and autonomy.

12. Relation between academic programmes and stakeholders, external providers • In this case study we will identify quality issues related to different kinds of interfaces between academic language teaching providers and external agencies, e.g. ministries, employers, private companies, private and national language institutes, non-profit organisations, commercial language testers, publishers • The following experiences will be described: • Italy: the development of tests for primary school teachers commissioned by and in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, • Belgium: experience with external clients and partners, • Spain: language testing hosted by academic centres, delivered through Universia, with funding by Banco Santander, • Germany: the development of courses in cooperation with Instituto Cervantes

13. Institutional approaches to QA • In this case we will identify different institutional approaches to quality assurance in language teaching/learning and how they impact the process of language provision/delivery and its effectiveness (in terms of learning outcomes). In particular we shall describe a stricter, more structured and prescriptive, top-down approach of the University of Ulster, and a more liberal, bottom-up approach of the University of Warsaw

14. Continuous professional development