European Language Portfolio - Promoting automy

steve mann

4 Dec 201505:09

Summary

TLDRThis video provides an overview of the European Language Portfolio (ELP), a tool for learners to document their language learning journey, self-assess their skills, and reflect on their progress. The ELP promotes learner autonomy and lifelong learning. It includes templates for creating portfolios, while ready-made versions are also available. The video highlights different sections of the portfolio, such as personal information, learning strategies, and self-assessment grids based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels. A step-by-step guide is provided to locate self-assessment grids online.

Takeaways

📚 The European Language Portfolio (ELP) is a tool designed for learners to document their language learning journey and self-assess their skills.
📝 The ELP allows learners to track their progress in learning different languages and cultures, encouraging autonomy in their learning.
🌍 The ELP includes personal information sections, such as 'Me and the World,' and prompts for reflecting on how learners acquire new languages.
🗂️ While there are online portfolios available, most ELPs are still paper-based and can be purchased for classroom use in some countries.
🇩🇪 An example of a German ELP is shown, which is structured to help first-year foreign language students reflect on their learning process and abilities.
✅ The ELP is linked to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), using descriptors like A1 to help students assess their skills across different levels.
🔍 Self-assessment grids for various languages are available, but finding them online can be difficult due to multiple steps involved in navigating the website.
🌐 Self-assessment grids can be found through the 'How to develop an ELP model' link on the Council of Europe website, under the 'language passport' section.
🔄 The self-assessment grids allow learners to evaluate their abilities in listening, reading, speaking, and writing across six CEFR levels.
🎯 The ELP promotes lifelong language learning and helps learners take ownership of their progress and motivation.

Q & A

What is the European Language Portfolio (ELP)?
-The European Language Portfolio (ELP) is a tool for learners to document their language learning journey, self-assess their skills, and track their progress in acquiring a foreign language and understanding its culture.
Who owns the European Language Portfolio?
-The ELP is owned by the learners themselves, allowing them to actively manage and document their language learning experiences.
What are the available formats of the European Language Portfolio?
-The ELP can be paper-based, like a physical folder, or in some cases, electronic portfolios are available online. However, most portfolios are still paper-based.
What kind of ready-made ELPs are available, and where can they be found?
-Ready-made ELPs can often be found through school book publishers and other educational resources in various countries, which have developed versions suited for classroom use.
What are the main sections of the European Language Portfolio in a school context?
-In the school context, the ELP contains sections such as personal information (me and the world), the student's learning strategies, how languages are used globally, and a reflective section where students assess their progress over time.
How does the ELP relate to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)?
-The ELP is linked to the CEFR by using its language proficiency descriptors. For example, students can assess their language skills at levels such as A1 by checking their progress against CEFR standards.
What is the self-assessment grid in the ELP, and how is it used?
-The self-assessment grid allows learners to evaluate their proficiency in areas like listening, reading, speaking, and writing. It includes CEFR levels (A1-C2) and descriptors for each skill, which learners can tick off as they assess their abilities.
Where can learners find the self-assessment grids on the Council of Europe’s website?
-The self-assessment grids are somewhat hidden on the Council of Europe’s website. To find them, learners need to navigate to 'How to develop an ELP model,' then to 'Guide to compiling an ELP,' and from there, go to the 'Language passport' where the self-assessment grids are located.
How can the self-assessment grid help learners from different linguistic backgrounds?
-The self-assessment grid is available in multiple languages, allowing beginners to assess themselves in their native language. This makes it easier for learners from diverse backgrounds to understand and evaluate their language skills.
What is the ultimate purpose of the European Language Portfolio?
-The ELP aims to promote learner autonomy, encourage lifelong language learning, and provide a practical tool for learners to reflect on and document their language acquisition journey.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to the European Language Portfolio (ELP)

The European Language Portfolio (ELP) is introduced as a tool designed for language learners to document their language learning journey. It helps learners reflect on their skills, cultural understanding, and self-assess their development. This segment emphasizes the availability of templates to create personal ELPs and points out that while electronic versions exist, most portfolios are still paper-based.

📂 Example of a Paper-Based Portfolio from Germany

This paragraph provides an example of a paper-based ELP used in Germany for students in their first year of learning a foreign language. It explains the various sections within the portfolio, such as 'Me and the World,' where students provide personal information, reflect on their language learning methods, and assess their language abilities based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The A1 level descriptors are used to track student progress.

🔎 Finding the Self-Assessment Grids Online

The process of locating the self-assessment grids on the Council of Europe website is detailed, starting from the 'How to develop an ELP model' link and navigating through various sections until reaching the language passport section. These grids, available in different languages, help learners assess their language skills and are especially useful for diverse learner groups, as they can be accessed in the learner’s first language.

🗣️ Example of a Self-Assessment Grid in German

This paragraph illustrates how a self-assessment grid works by using a German example. It explains the six CEFR levels, which cover different language skills such as listening, reading, interaction, speaking, and writing. Students can use these grids to evaluate their abilities by ticking boxes that reflect their proficiency.

🌍 Promoting Learner Autonomy Through the ELP

In the closing segment, the ELP is highlighted as a practical tool that encourages learner autonomy and motivates lifelong language learning. The speaker revisits key features, including the self-assessment scales, and teases a future video that will demonstrate where to find these scales online.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡European Language Portfolio (ELP)

The European Language Portfolio (ELP) is a tool designed for learners to document their language learning journey and self-assess their skills. It promotes learner autonomy by encouraging reflection on language development. In the video, the ELP is described as both a paper-based and electronic portfolio that students can use to track their progress in learning different languages.

💡Learner Autonomy

Learner autonomy refers to the ability of learners to take charge of their own learning process, including setting goals, evaluating progress, and reflecting on their development. In the video, the ELP is highlighted as a tool that fosters learner autonomy by allowing students to self-assess and document their language learning experiences.

💡Self-assessment

Self-assessment is the process in which learners evaluate their own skills and competencies, often against set criteria. The video emphasizes how the ELP provides self-assessment grids where students can mark their language proficiency levels based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

💡Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is a guideline used to describe language proficiency across six levels, from A1 (beginner) to C2 (proficient). In the video, the CEFR is closely linked to the self-assessment grids within the ELP, helping students evaluate their language skills in areas like listening, reading, and speaking.

💡Self-assessment Grid

A self-assessment grid is a tool where learners can measure their language skills across different CEFR levels. In the video, these grids are described as being available in multiple languages and are organized by skill areas such as listening, reading, and writing, enabling learners to reflect on their abilities in each domain.

💡Language Passport

A language passport is a section within the ELP that provides a formal record of a learner's language proficiency and achievements. In the video, the language passport is mentioned as part of the path to accessing the self-assessment grids, emphasizing its role in documenting progress.

💡Descriptors

Descriptors refer to the specific criteria or statements used to define the levels of language proficiency in the CEFR. In the video, descriptors are used in the self-assessment grids to help students determine what they can do in areas like reading and speaking at different levels, such as A1 or A2.

💡Lifelong Language Learning

Lifelong language learning is the concept of continuously developing language skills throughout one’s life. The video highlights the ELP as a motivational tool that encourages learners to pursue language learning as an ongoing, lifelong process.

💡Heterogeneous Learner Group

A heterogeneous learner group refers to a class or learning environment where students come from diverse backgrounds, often with varying levels of language proficiency. The video suggests that the ELP can accommodate such diversity by offering self-assessment grids in the learners' first language, making it easier for them to assess their skills.

💡Language Learning Strategies

Language learning strategies are the approaches and techniques that students use to acquire a new language. The video refers to a section in the ELP where students can reflect on how they best learn languages, which helps them identify the strategies that work well for them in their language learning journey.

Highlights

The European Language Portfolio (ELP) is a tool designed for language learners to document their learning journey and self-assess their progress.

The ELP is owned by learners and aims to foster learner autonomy in both language and cultural learning.

Learners can use the ELP to document their development in different languages and reflect on their skills.

Templates for building an ELP are available online, and there are also ready-made portfolios developed by various schoolbook publishers.

While some electronic ELPs exist, the majority of portfolios are still paper-based, usually organized in folders.

The ELP contains different sections, such as 'Me and the World,' which captures personal information about the student.

One section focuses on how students best learn languages, including strategies for improving listening skills.

There is a summative section, where students reflect on their progress after one year and assess their language abilities.

The ELP uses the Common European Framework (CEFR) to help students self-assess their language proficiency at different levels (e.g., A1, A2, B1).

The self-assessment grid in the ELP allows learners to evaluate their skills in listening, reading, interaction, speaking, and writing.

Self-assessment grids are available for many languages and can be used in the learner's native language, making it easier for beginners to assess their skills.

The ELP emphasizes lifelong language learning and helps motivate students to continue their language education.

A detailed example of a self-assessment grid from a German school was provided, showing how learners assess their performance across different language tasks.

The ELP provides a structured way to promote both language proficiency and cultural understanding.

In addition to paper-based portfolios, users can access online versions and digital tools to support their language learning and self-assessment process.