News
06.08.2025
New UNESCO report highlights the power of multilingual education!
UNESCO’s recent publication Languages matter: Global guidance on multilingual education underlines how vital multilingualism is in building inclusive and effective education systems worldwide - and Europe features prominently!
Key European highlights from the report:
- References Council of Europe instruments such as the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
- Spotlights practical Council of Europe resources supporting plurilingual education.
ECML’s impact in practice:
Multilingualism isn’t just an asset - it’s essential for quality education and social cohesion. And the Council of Europe and its ECML play a key role in advancing this European/global agenda!
References:
Unesco (2025), Languages matter: global guidance on multilingual education, pp. 36, 50, 67, 78, 80, 84, 95, 96, 97, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000392477.
Unesco (2025), Les langues comptent : orientations mondiales pour l’éducation multilingue, pp. 38, 52, 69, 80, 82, 86, 98, 99, 100, https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000392809.
07.11.2022
Presentation of the METLA project at the Symposium of the Finnish Association of Applied Linguistics (AFinLA) (Helsinki, Finland, 27-29 October 2022)
The METLA team (Dr Maria Stathopoulou Magdalini Liontou, Phyllisienne Gauci and Silvia Melo-Pfeifer) presented the topic "Embracing the "multi-" in language assessment through cross-linguistic mediation: the METLA project" at the yearly Symposium of the Finnish Association of Applied Linguistics (AFinLA) (27-29 October 2022) in Helsinki.
AFinLA 2022: abstracts, p. 127:
“Maria Stathopoulou, Magdalini Liontou, Phyllisienne Gauci & Sílvia Melo-Pfeifer: Embracing the “multi-” in language assessment through cross-linguistic mediation: the METLA project.
Despite growing interest and renewed calls to embrace a move towards multilingualism in education, particularly in developing and implementing plurilingual pedagogies, a pervasive monolingual mindset can still be seen in language assessment. In this presentation, we discuss how we can promote a more inclusive approach to language assessment since the environment in which our learners live and thrive is “multi-”, e.g. multilingual, multicultural and multimodal. We suggest that this can be achieved by introducing crosslinguistic mediation in the language classroom. According to the CEFR-CV, “in (cross-linguistic) mediation, the user/learner acts as a social agent who creates bridges and helps to construct or convey meaning (…) from one language to another” (Council of Europe, 2020, p. 90) and by doing so, they promote social inclusion and enhance participation initially in the language classroom and then beyond. Notably, we present the role of cross-linguistic mediation in language assessment and the key considerations for evaluating it. We also provide illustrative examples from the Mediation in Teaching, Learning and Assessment (METLA) project carried out within the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML). Particularly, in the METLA project, we focus on formative assessment tasks in which we promote the use of different languages. The aim is twofold for the learners: to evaluate their performance of cross-linguistic mediation and, through reflection, to develop their mediation skills.
Council of Europe (2020). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment Companion volume with new descriptors. Council of Europe. https://rm.coe.int/commoneuropean-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea0d4.”
#metla #mediationskills #crosslinguisticmediation #ecmlproject #multilingualism #foreignlanguages #education #educationmatters #AfinLA
14.04.2022
Language learning materials for Ukrainian children living in exile
The Government of Ukraine launched the New Ukrainian School reform in August 2018 to modernize the education (https://mon.gov.ua/eng/tag/nova-ukrainska-shkola). The Finnish support to this reform, Learning Together project, seeks to enhance the quality of education in Ukraine (https://sites.utu.fi/bre/learning-together-finlands-support-to-ukrainian-school-reform/). In this project, a team of Ukrainian teachers designed a high quality textbook kit (grades 1-4) for studying Ukrainian SL/L2. The kit for the first grade was completed just before the outbreak of war.
The learning material (including a textbook kit, a teacher’s manual “Ukrainian for all”, a guide for distance learning, and a guide on language camps with interactive, multimodal activities) is targeted for Ukrainian L2 learners, focusing on the need to improve the quality of teaching Ukrainian among ethnic communities. However, as it is rich, inclusive, pedagogically innovative, interactive, multimodal, and integrated in content areas related to the objectives of the syllabus, it is suitable for Ukrainian as mother tongue studies as well. There is an urgent need for the high quality materials to support learning, participation, and identity construction of the children living in diaspora, and these materials do serve as such.
For the most part, the material suits both pre-school and primary education. Further, the teacher’s manuals support teachers in planning to meet the needs of diverse learners. Even teachers who are not proficient in the Ukrainian language may find these materials useful.
The Ukrainian teachers have been putting their heart into developing the education in Ukraine. Let us support them and share their incredible work. And hopefully, soon their children will return to rebuild their beautiful country and democracy.
Source:
The Finnish Network for Language Education Policies
www.kieliverkosto.fi
[email protected]
@kieliverkosto
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Matériel d'apprentissage des langues pour les enfants ukrainiens vivant en exil
Le gouvernement ukrainien a lancé la réforme de la nouvelle école ukrainienne en août 2018 pour moderniser l'enseignement (https://mon.gov.ua/eng/tag/nova-ukrainska-shkola). Le soutien finlandais à cette réforme, le projet « Learning Together », vise à améliorer la qualité de l'éducation en Ukraine (https://sites.utu.fi/bre/learning-together-finlands-support-to-ukrainian-school-reform/). Dans le cadre de ce projet, une équipe d'enseignants ukrainiens a conçu un kit de manuels scolaires de haute qualité (classes 1 à 4) pour étudier l'ukrainien SL/L2. Le kit pour la première année a été achevé juste avant le début de la guerre.
Le matériel d'apprentissage comprend un kit de manuels, un manuel de l'enseignant « L'ukrainien pour tous », un guide pour l'apprentissage à distance et un guide sur les camps linguistiques avec des activités interactives et multimodales. Il est destiné aux apprenants ukrainiens en L2, en mettant l'accent sur la nécessité d'améliorer la qualité de l'enseignement de l'ukrainien au sein des communautés ethniques. Cependant, comme il est riche, inclusif, innovant sur le plan pédagogique, interactif, multimodal et intégré dans des domaines de contenu liés aux objectifs du programme d'études, il convient également à l’enseignement/apprentissage de l'ukrainien en tant que langue maternelle. Il existe un besoin urgent de matériel de haute qualité pour soutenir l'apprentissage, la participation et la construction de l'identité des enfants vivant en diaspora, et ce matériel est utile à cet égard.
Dans la plupart des cas, le matériel convient à l'enseignement préscolaire et primaire. De plus, les manuels destinés aux enseignants leur les aideront dans le cadre de la planification pour répondre aux besoins divers des apprenants. Ce matériel est également utile pour les enseignants qui ne maîtrisent pas la langue ukrainienne.
Lien vers le matériel sur Google Drive
Source:
The Finnish Network for Language Education Policies
www.kieliverkosto.fi
[email protected]
@kieliverkosto
Université de Jyväskylä, Finlande
02.02.2022
Topical report on the state of the language reserve in Finland published
In early 2021, The Finnish Network for Language Education Policies (Kieliverkosto) published the report Language Reserve. Now! which took a comprehensive look into the language reserve in Finland in 2021.
An English summary of the report is now available here.
The current report is a follow-up on the 2017 report Multilingualism as a strength (Pyykkö 2017), in which more than 30 procedural recommendations for developing the national language reserve were suggested. Based on these recommendations, the following research questions were formulated:
- Which of the procedural recommendations issued by Pyykkö in 2017 regarding the language reserve in Finland have been advanced since the report’s release?
- Which recommendations have not been advanced at all or have been only partially advanced?
- What is the state of Finland’s language reserve in 2021?
To create the report, data from various surveys and focus group interviews as well as recent research literature was utilised. Surveys were sent to universities & universities of applied sciences, teachers, rectors, ECEC personnel, and administrative personnel in municipalities as well as the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish National Agency for Education and the Matriculation Examination Board. More than 300 language teachers and close to a hundred early childhood education professionals answered our surveys. Interviews were conducted to fill in any gaps left by the surveys – the interviewees comprised employees of educational administration, a teacher educator, an expert in evaluation, and a leader responsible for education in a municipality.
In a multilingual society, a language-aware approach in education and teaching benefits all, not only multilingual pupils. Moreover, we can say that in a multilingual society, language awareness concerns everyone – it promotes everyone’s possibilities to utilise different linguistic resources. With a language-aware mind-set, we make all languages visible and equal in our society. This is an important goal also from the viewpoint of the national language reserve. The report found that while language awareness as a term has gained wider recognition in the past few years, there is still work to be done if we want all students in Finland to gain the benefits of it.
Language awareness, encouraging language learning, promoting language choices and developing teaching are often something that individual teachers do without external support or extra resources. Long-term strategies for development are needed to get all teachers the continuing education they deserve and to promote language learning at a national level.
The language education boat is slow to steer. Nevertheless, development work is done on many different levels in many different ways: national curriculum work and language education policy decisions, in projects and networks, through continuous education and developing teacher training. When steering the boat, profound knowledge of the field and current research are essential.
Language Reserve. Now! (English summary)
Language Reserve. Now! (Full report in Finnish)
Pyykkö (2017), Multilingualism as a strength. Procedural recommendations for developing Finland’s national language reserve
The Finnish Network for Language Education Policies
www.kieliverkosto.fi
[email protected]
@kieliverkosto
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Author: Sanna Riuttanen, project researcher at the Finnish Network for Language Education Policies
03.11.2016
European Language Gazette : enjoy the latest issue!
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.
Issue no. 33 (September - October 2016): available in English and in French.
31.05.2016
“Pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures: a framework of reference and teaching tools” – Training seminar for teachers of/in French in Finland
A new elementary and secondary education curriculum will be introduced in Finland from August 2016. Both school curricula emphasize the varied skills at whole-school level and in all subjects. These skills are divided into seven areas; the competence to think and learn, cultural and communicative competence, competence of daily life, multiliteracy, digital competence, professional competence and, finally, the competence to contribute to and influence a sustainable future.
Thinking in particular about the pluralistic competences in languages and cultures, language teachers, especially those teaching French as a subject or using it, need specific tools that they can or will be able to use once the new curricula have been introduced. Knowing the ECML‘s solid experience in this area, experts from the Centre were invited through the National Board of Education of Finland to share their practices and thoughts on the subject with them. After a theoretical introduction, teachers were familiarized with examples of good practice; they carried out practical activities and collected ideas on how to implement them in their classes - at all educational levels.
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ECML moderators: Brigitte Gerber, Switzerland; Michel Candelier, France
Local organisation:
- Marie-Aude Boucher, Deputy Headmaster in charge of French studies at the Franco-Finnish secondary school
- Therese Almén, Chair of the Association of French Teachers in Finland (APFF)
- Sophie Cecilia, Cooperation Attaché for French, French Institute of Finland
ECML resources