12.08.2025DECODE network meeting: discussing the importance of developing competences for democratic culture (CDC) in young learners through language education
Four DECODE project team members and their ECML consultant met with 19 teacher educators, teachers and researchers at the network meeting which was held at the ECML in Graz, Austria, on 24-25 June 2025. The participants were from Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
During the two-day meeting, participants explored how to foster competences for democratic culture (CDC) in young learners through language education. On the first day, the team introduced the CDC model and discussed challenges in language education, the role of CEFR tools, and principles for developing CDC-related materials. A template for CDC materials was presented, and participants shared best practices and identified teachers’ needs. On the second day, they collaborated in groups to create and present initial CDC teaching materials, offering feedback on the template. Five of the network participants also shared highly interesting testimonials (see below) about CDC’s relevance in their professional contexts and the value of the DECODE project. The meeting strengthened understanding of CDC and highlighted the importance of collaboration for successful implementation of the DECODE project.
Authors: Emina Jelešković, Martina Kramar
05.03.2018Setting the stage for 2018 training workshops in 9 ECML member states
On 2 March 2018 fifteen local organisers from Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Norway, Poland, Slovenia and “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” met ECML expert teams to prepare national training events in the areas of Plurilingual education (“FREPA - Plurilingual and intercultural competences: descriptors and teaching materials”) and Online technology (“ICT-rev - Use of ICT in support of language teaching and learning”).
These events are examples of the ECML offer of Training and Consultancy for member states - bilateral support responding to specific national priorities whereby previously successful ECML project teams share their expertise with national authorities and local experts to devise and implement in-country activities, tailored to the particular context and target audience.
A big thank you to national organisers and expert teams for their support and cooperation in preparing the delivery of 8 ICT-REV and 4 FREPA training activities for professionals in language education in these nine countries.
05.05.2017Recently published: European Language Gazette no. 36 (January-April 2017)
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
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