Language teaching and learning strategies for understanding and communication

EUROPEAN PORTFOLIO OF LANGUAGES IN SLOVENIA EPL

SLOVENIA

The European Portfolio of Language (EPL) is a project of the Council of Europe in the field of teaching and studying foreign languages. Thirteen countries have entered the pilot project, Slovenia being one of them.
The basic aims of these programmes are the creation of new strategies for the establishment of the inter-culturalism and the active and independent teaching of languages and self-assessment of learning achievement. Despite similar and basic structures, each country adapts it according to its own values and culture. In Slovenia, the project is divided in three parts: My first language portfolio 1 (age 6-10), Language portfolio 2 (age 9-15) and Language portfolio 3 (adults). The EPL aims to be presented as a tool to facilitate learner autonomy and responsible citizenship education. As the multicultural context is one component of this project, we can relate it to theme 3.

Slovene education has arrived at the stage of introduction of individual solutions in school practice and thus the setting of a plan for a modern, democratic and effective school system. The project involves: 643 learners (540 primary pupils and 104 university students), 19 primary schools (21 classes), 2 faculties(university students) and 25 teachers. The program provides for the learners of two foreign languages with an optional third language in secondary school in order to stimulate plurilingual competencies. The EPL helps the learners to participate in the process of learning, and to self-assess their competencies with the utilisation of three sections: the Biography, the Dossier and the Passport (which has pedagogical functions such as to position the learners, to motivate for learning and to help to present competencies and experiences). Teachers are vital for the sustainability of the program by guiding the whole process. They use different kinds of material (videos, practical training packs) as guides. Furthermore, they can participate in introductory courses and interactive teacher training workshops. Finally, teachers improve their professional skills while using the EPL and at the same time get through an innovative experience that would help them to become "multipliers" of the project.

The program is implemented because Slovenia is in the process of reforming its education system, from pre- school to higher education level, especially in primary level. The curriculum reform will have been fully set by 2003/4. The portfolio of languages is a tool compatible with the approaches adopted by the curriculum reform, focusing on the requirement of evaluation as well as the provision of a personal and polyvalent tool which can stimulate the learning of several languages, in a multicultural context.

Ms. Zdravka GODUNK
Co-ordinator of Slovenia Portfolio Project
Counsellor to the Minister
Ministry of Education and Sport
Dep. of International co-operation
UI: Stare Pravde 6
1000 Ljubljana- SLOVENIA
Tel : +386 61 1323 225
Email: Zdravka.Godunc@mss.edus.si
http://www.culture2.coe.int/portfolio/inc.asp?L=F&M=$t/208-1-0-1/main_pages/welcomef.html

Institutional Partners
Council of Europe, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), University of Maribor (Slovenia), Ministry of Education and Sport (Slovenia), Institute of Education (Slovenia).
Financial Partners
Ministry of Education and Sport

September 1998

The pilot phase has been evaluated by experts from Slovene universities, Ministry of Education and Sport and the Institute of Education (1998-2000).