Cyprus: experts involved and ECML activities

Initiatives that support plurilingualism and pluriculturalism in Cyprus include the following:

English Language Certification Programme:

The European Union emphasises multilingualism as a key competence for personal development, sustainability, employability, active citizenship, and social inclusion. In alignment with this goal, first-year Lyceum students will prepare for and take the B1 Preliminary for Schools (PET) exam by Cambridge Assessment in January 2025. Additionally, second- and third-year Lyceum students will take the IGCSE (B2) exam by Cambridge International in May 2025. This program, fully funded by the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Youth (MOESY), aims to enhance English language skills in public schools.

There have been developments in our accreditation process for English language teaching. Our efforts have been acknowledged by a world-renowned organisation that accredits language acquisition to the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). As a result, our graduates will now have their level of English proficiency indicated on their school leaving certificates. The organisation has recognised our programme's emphasis on listening, reading, and writing skills, and we are currently conducting workshops to train teachers on the speaking component to complete the accreditation process. I am also pleased to confirm that our exams have been accredited as B2 level, further enhancing the value of our certification.

• German Language Classes: Free German language courses are offered after regular school hours in Cyprus, providing students with the opportunity to learn a new language and broaden their cultural awareness and educational prospects.
• French Language Certification: Students are required to attain certification in French at A1, A2, and B1 levels, facilitating their ability to communicate across cultures, access broader career opportunities, and engage meaningfully with others across borders. 
• Early Introduction of English Instruction: English language education begins at the pre-primary level, laying a foundation for the development of English skills from an early age.

Maria Iacovidou,
Secondary school inspector, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth of Cyprus
ECML Governing Board member, National Nominating Authority, National Contact Point, national EDL relay

ECML web pages dedicated to Cyprus

The Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth and the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) jointly organized a two-day workshop entitled ICT-REV: Use of ICT in support of language teaching and learning at the Journalists’ House in Nicosia, Cyprus. The workshop took place on Thursday 21 and Friday 22 September 2023 and was attended by 32 academics, inspectors, teacher educators and language teachers of all levels. Participants had the opportunity to develop practical skills in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by actively participating and reflecting on their benefits. The workshop was moderated by a team of three experts from the ECML.

The main objective of the workshop was to present and evaluate a selection of freely available ICT tools and open educational resources supporting language teaching and learning, to train and familiarise teachers, education stakeholders and multipliers in the use of ICT tools, encourage reflection on best practices in task design and sustainable use of ICT on the basis of pedagogical principles, and reinforce synergies among participants.

During the workshop, participants discussed both the opportunities and challenges arising from the use of ICT tools and gained valuable knowledge about different teaching activities based on the use of technology. This two-day online workshop received very favourable comments from the participants.

Greek version:

Επιμορφωτικό σεμινάριο για εκπαιδευτικούς ICT-REV: Use of ICT in support of language teaching and learning (21-22  Σεπτεμβρίου, 2023, Λευκωσία)

Το Υπουργείο Παιδείας, Αθλητισμού και Νεολαίας σε συνεργασία με το Ευρωπαϊκό Κέντρο Σύγχρονων Γλωσσών (ΕΚΣΓ) διοργάνωσε διήμερο εργαστήριο με τίτλο ICT-REV: Use of ICT in support of language teaching and learning στη δημοσιογραφική Εστία Λευκωσίας με τη συμμετοχή ακαδημαϊκών, επιθεωρητών, καθηγητών ξένων γλωσσών και δασκάλων την Πέμπτη 21 και την Παρασκευή 22 Σεπτεμβρίου 2023.  Οι συμμετέχοντες/ουσες είχαν την ευκαιρία να αναπτύξουν τις διδακτικές τους δεξιότητες στον τομέα των Τεχνολογιών Πληροφορικής και Επικοινωνιών (ΤΠΕ/ICT) μετέχοντας ενεργά και αποσπώντας θετικά σχόλια. Το εργαστήριο συντόνισε μια ομάδα τριών εμπειρογνωμόνων του ΕΚΣΓ.

Βασική επιδίωξη του εργαστηρίου ήταν η παρουσίαση και αξιολόγηση μιας επιλογής ελεύθερων διαθέσιμων εργαλείων ΤΠΕ και ανοικτών εκπαιδευτικών πόρων που υποστηρίζουν τη διδασκαλία και εκμάθηση γλωσσών, η κατάρτιση και εξοικείωση των εκπαιδευτικών, φορέων της εκπαίδευσης και πολλαπλασιαστών στη χρήση των εργαλείων ΤΠΕ και τη βιώσιμη αξιοποίηση των ΤΠΕ στη βάση παιδαγωγικών αρχών.

Κατά τη διάρκεια του εργαστηρίου, οι συμμετέχοντες/ουσες συζήτησαν τόσο για τις ευκαιρίες όσο και για τις προκλήσεις που αναδύονται από την αξιοποίηση των ΤΠΕ, και απέκτησαν γνώσεις για διάφορες διδακτικές δραστηριότητες που βασίζονται στη χρήση ψηφιακών εργαλείων, ώστε να τις αξιολογήσουν και να προβληματιστούν σχετικά με τη χρησιμότητά τους.

Maria Iacovidou, local coordinator

Local organiser: Maria Iacovidou, Ministry of Education Cyprus      

ECML experts: Rita Jukneviciene, Lithuania; Jana Beresova, Slovak Republic

Participants: 27 (language teachers, examiners, trainers, curriculum developers, language inspectors and policy makers)

"The Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth - Secondary Education in collaboration with the European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe (ECML) organised a workshop in the context of the RELANG initiative focused on the module "Alternative, continuous methods of assessment in line with the CEFR and its Companion Volume". 

The participants – language teachers, examiners, trainers, curriculum developers, language inspectors and policy makers – were thoroughly informed on the necessity of using the CEFR descriptors while planning and delivering language lessons, but also while constructing language exercises, tests and examinations, ensuring thus the authenticity, reliability and validity of the aforementioned tasks. Emphasis was also given on the design of reliable testing criteria and their use while assessing. All participants had a hands-on experience on developing their own material in groups for all language skills by applying the principles of the CEFR and its Companion Volume. All material was presented and discussed in plenary sessions. 

During this three-day workshop, the participants enriched their knowledge, exchanged ideas with the ECML experts in the field of language learning and testing and shared their expertise, knowledge and practices with their colleagues. Upon completion of the workshop, everyone expressed gratification on the usefulness of the event, looking forward to similar professional development sessions in the future."

Maria Iacovidou, local organiser, 17 October 2022

ECML project website: RELANG – EU-ECML cooperation agreement 2022 "Innovative methodologies and assessment in language learning"

Date and venue of the event: 8-9 September 2022, Acropolis Lyceum, Nicosia, Cyprus
Local organiser: Maria Iakovidou, English Language Inspector, Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth
Participants: 24 language testers and examiners, item writers; primary, secondary school teachers of foreign languages, secondary technical, vocational education and training teachers and language inspectors; teacher trainers; curriculum developers; policymakers, decision-takers

The Cyprus Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth and the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) jointly organised a 2-day workshop entitled “Learning environments where modern languages flourish” at the Acropolis High School in Nicosia, Cyprus. The seminar was held between 8 and 9 September 2022 and was attended by 24 teachers who teach languages in primary, secondary general and secondary technical, vocational education and training. The aim was to inform teachers about the challenges and opportunities of taking a strategic approach to language teaching and learning with the aim of creating a language friendly learning environment in schools.

During the workshop the participants had the opportunity to discuss the importance and enrichment of the pedagogical practice with activities that promote multilingualism and multiculturalism. They also worked closely to create research projects with the aim of developing a learning environment at their school where modern languages can flourish. Then, a series of specific actions were discussed, in the context of modern methodological approaches, which contribute to the effectiveness of the foreign language education provided in the public school. These include setting up discussion groups for proposed collaborative research projects, connecting with the school community and family, as well as involving all stakeholders in multilingual and multicultural activities.

All teachers were also asked to finalise their ‘action plan’ which will be uploaded on the European Centre for Modern Languages website.

This two-day seminar received favorable comments from the participants, who enriched their knowledge, exchanged opinions with experts, and shared ideas and experiences.

Maria Iakovidou

• More information about the training and consultancy offer of the ECML for member states “Setting up learning environments where modern languages flourish (EOL)”

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Σεμινάριο εργαστηριακού τύπου που διοργανώθηκε από το ΥΠΑΝ και το Ευρωπαϊκό Κέντρο Σύγχρονων Γλωσσών

Εκπαιδευτικό σεμινάριο εργαστηριακού τύπου με θέμα «Learning Environments where Modern Languages Flourish» συνδιοργάνωσαν με μεγάλη επιτυχία το Υπουργείο Παιδείας, Αθλητισμού και Νεολαίας (ΥΠΑΝ) και το Ευρωπαϊκό Κέντρο Σύγχρονων Γλωσσών (European Centre for Modern Languages-ECML) στο Λύκειο Ακροπόλεως στη Λευκωσία. Το σεμινάριο διεξήχθη στις 8 και 9 Σεπτεμβρίου 2022 και παρακολούθησαν 24 εκπαιδευτικοί που διδάσκουν γλώσσες στη Δημοτική, Μέση Γενική και Μέση Τεχνική και Επαγγελματική Εκπαίδευση και Κατάρτιση.

Στόχος ήταν η ενημέρωση των εκπαιδευτικών για τις προκλήσεις και ευκαιρίες της αξιοποίησης της πολυγλωσσίας και της πολυπολιτισμικότητας στο δημόσιο σχολείο. Κατά τη διάρκεια του εργαστηρίου οι συμμετέχοντες είχαν την ευκαιρία να συζητήσουν για την σπουδαιότητα και εμπλουτισμό της παιδαγωγικής πράξης με δραστηριότητες που προωθούν την πολυγλωσσία και την πολυπολιτισμικότητα. Εργάστηκαν, επίσης, στη δημιουργία ερευνητικών σχεδίων εργασίας (projects) με στόχο να αναπτύξουν ένα περιβάλλον μάθησης όπου μπορούν να ανθίσουν οι σύγχρονες γλώσσες. Στη συνέχεια, συζητήθηκαν σειρά συγκεκριμένων δράσεων, στο πλαίσιο των σύγχρονων μεθοδολογικών προσεγγίσεων, οι οποίες συμβάλλουν στην αποτελεσματικότητα της παρεχόμενης ξενόγλωσσης εκπαίδευσης στο δημόσιο σχολείο. Σε αυτές συμπεριλαμβάνονται η σύσταση ομάδων συζητήσεων για τα προτεινόμενα σχέδια συνεργατικής έρευνας, η σύνδεση με τη σχολική κοινότητα και την οικογένεια, όπως επίσης και η εμπλοκή όλων των άµεσα ενδιαφερόµενων φορέων σε πολυγλωσσικές και πολυπολιτισμικές δραστηριότητες.

Ζητήθηκε, επίσης, από όλους τους εκπαιδευτικούς να οριστικοποιήσουν το «σχέδιο δράσης» τους προς κοινοποίηση στον ιστότοπο του Ευρωπαϊκού Κέντρου Σύγχρονων Γλωσσών.

Το διήμερο αυτό σεμινάριο απέσπασε τα ευμενή σχόλια των συμμετεχόντων, οι οποίοι εμπλούτισαν τις γνώσεις τους, αντάλλαξαν απόψεις με τους ειδικούς, και μοιράστηκαν ιδέες και εμπειρίες με τις ομάδες τους και την ολομέλεια.

Maria Iakovidou

Photo gallery

The European Language Gazette, the ECML's e-newsletter, provides up-to-date news about the ECML (events, projects, resources), the Language Policy Unit and other relevant sectors of the Council of Europe, as well as our partners. It focuses on national developments in the field of language education in the member states and beyond.

Read the latest issue: English - French

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Issue no. 36 – Contents

Focus on ECML programme developments – "Languages at the heart of learning" (2016-2019)

Latest project developments

"Language awareness in subject classes": participate in an online survey

"Towards a Common European Framework for Language Teachers": latest news

e-lang project in 2016: laying the foundations for a digital literacy in the language teaching and learning context

"Promoting excellence in sign language instruction (PRO-Sign2)": ECML workshop (Graz, Austria, 1-2 March 2017) – cooperation partnership with Moscow State Linguistic University

"A quality matrix for CEFR use": ECML workshop (Graz, Austria, 15-16 November 2016) – Interview with Denis Vigneron, French participant

ECML training and consultancy for member states

Network meeting of local organisers and ECML consultants (Graz, Austria, 7-8 March 2017) and upcoming national training workshops

National training workshop "Supporting multilingual classes" in Slovenia (Koper, 2-3 March 2017)

National workshops "A pluriliteracies approach to teaching for learning" in Malta (Floriana, 2-3 March 2017) and Latvia (Riga, 6-7 March 2017) 

Forthcoming events

Recent ECML publication: Language skills for successful subject learning – CEFR linked descriptors for mathematics and history/civics

European Day of Languages

National developments in Armenia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland

Professional Network Forum of the ECML: upcoming events

Council of Europe developments

The linguistic integration of adult migrants: some lessons from research

Council of Europe Ad hoc Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (CAHROM) (ECML, Graz, Austria, 29-31 March 2017)

International Roma Day – 8 April

Pestalozzi programme: creating an online community of action researchers – summer school 2017

Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities: developments in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Finland, Kosovo*, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"

Urban policies for inclusive integration and diversity advantage: join the Intercultural Cities 2017 Milestone Event (Lisbon, Portugal, 28-29 November 2017)

Cyprus Chairmanship Conference in Nicosia: "Securing Democracy through Education"

Recent publication

Editorial news from other organisations: Eurostat, Eurydice, OECD, Unesco, Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning, Babylonia

Quick links

Date, venue, format: 2-3 December 2021, face to face event in Nicosia, Cyprus
Local organiser: Maria Iacovidou, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth of Cyprus
ECML experts: Jackie Robbins, Spain; Pauline Ernest, Spain
Participants: 20 foreign language teachers (mainly English language teachers + Spanish and Russian language teachers), heads of departments, teacher trainers, advisors from both secondary and primary education

A number of language teachers in Cyprus from all sectors had the opportunity to participate in the ICT-REV workshop “Using ICT in support of language teaching and learning” so as to include more ICT tools in the teaching, learning and assessment process.

In this two-day workshop the participants were introduced to a number of digital tools and then designed activities according to the trainers’ instructions. The activities were designed to encourage participation and engage learning in the classroom, subsequently enhancing all four skills. Of course, all of this was done in a pedagogically sound way. An  collaborative workspace online was created where teachers could share ideas and good practices and gain new insights into language teaching and learning.

The ECML language experts, Jackie Robbins and Pauline Ernest, who led the workshops offered practical tips for both face to face and distance learning scenarios. The atmosphere during the workshop was positive and quite lively, especially during group work where experiences were shared. All participating teachers commented favourably about both trainers, saying that they were extremely efficient, highly competent and thoroughly professional.

It was a very useful workshop which should be followed up on.

Maria Iacovidou, local organiser of the event

• More information about the ECML training and consultancy for member States "Use of ICT in support of language learning and teaching - ICT-REV"

Local organiser: Katerina Konstantinides-Vladimirou, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth

ECML experts: Katja Schnitzer, Germany; Mercè Bernaus, Spain

Participants: 35 (foreign language teachers, teachers of the language of schooling, policymakers/ curriculum writers, school administrators)

“The workshop ‘Supporting Multilingual Classrooms’ which was organised by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth in Limassol, Cyprus in collaboration with ECML has been a success. The two ECML experts, Merce Bernaus and Katja Schnitzer have, through their lively presentations, interactive approaches, and teaching-learning techniques, enlightened the audience with new knowledge and perspectives to use in their classrooms and schools. The audience consisted of teachers of Greek who teach many periods in the migration biography classrooms of secondary education, and teachers of English.

The workshop has added value, ideas and practices to the policy of student migration biography, a policy upon which the Ministry of Education invests programmes aiming to enable young migrants to integrate in the education system of Cyprus without difficulty. To achieve this aim, there is a Migration Biography Committee in the Ministry of Education which focuses on the improvement of teachers’ knowledge and skills necessary for those students’ induction.

At the school level, emphasis is given on the learning of methods and techniques that would help migrant students to learn Greek as a second language more easily in order to communicate with others (students, teachers), and develop a sense of ownership in our schools. The workshop has contributed a lot to the learning of interactive and creative methods. Each school organises activities, every year, which engage student migrants and make them develop emotional literacy besides literacy (reading and writing). The workshop has given to teacher participants many ideas of activities that indicate acceptance and respect to the diversity of people and, more specifically, students.

The workshop ‘Supporting Multilingual Classrooms’ constitutes an educational innovation for secondary education, signifies progress, and empowers teachers to continue to invest energy, time, effort and love in their classrooms. In general, the workshop has added high value to teacher professional development and learning. The participant teachers are now richer in interactive methods, teaching techniques, and emotional intelligence and using these in their teaching job, they can make their classrooms flourish!”

Katerina Konstantinides-Vladimirou, local organiser, 22 September 2021

ECML project website: Supporting multilingual classrooms – EU-ECML cooperation agreement 2020-2021 "Innovative methodologies and assessment in language learning"