Language competence should be valued, whether acquired within the educational system or outside in the community. This project addresses the need for a national standards framework or benchmark for languages in the UK, and will actively promote the take-up of the European Language Portfolio (ELP) in UK Higher Education amongst a range of learners.
The project, managed by Vicky Wright, Director of the
Centre for Language Study at the University of Southampton, also aims to:
- explore the usefulness of the Common European Framework as a common reference point or benchmark;
- strengthen interest in a range of languages;
- promote the development of good language and lifelong learning strategies;
- evaluate the effectiveness of the ELP as a reflective and reporting tool.
A number of partner institutions will run mini-projects, using an adult portfolio of their choice in order to evaluate their individual usefulness for different contexts. Students who are specialist linguists will take part in the pilots, together with those who are studying other subjects.
Project partner institutions arranging Socrates exchange placements will be encouraged to work with their European partners to develop the use of the 'Passport' section of the ELP. This records language competence in terms of the Common European Framework. It is hoped that, in this way, the problems experienced by sending and receiving universities of the recognition of language level will be minimized.
Findings, due early next year, are likely to be of equal interest to adult education providers of language courses and employers who place a value on the language competence of their staff.
