Cooperation with the European Commission
Innovative methodologies and assessment in language learning

ECML-EC colloquium:

‘Multiple voices in the classroom: Harnessing the power of regional and minority languages in secondary education’

The colloquium, taking place at the ECML in Graz on 4 December, will explore the impact of demographic changes on the vitality of Regional and Minority Languages (RMLs) and their role in secondary education, examine how evolving policy frameworks are expected to shape RML instruction and investigate the factors likely to motivate newcomers to learn these languages.

The event will also address the challenges RMLs are facing at secondary level in increasingly multilingual classrooms, highlighting promising pedagogical practices. Innovative teaching models to support RML learning which are potentially transferable/adaptable to other contexts will be showcased. A series of video testimonies are planned to illustrate the potential benefits students may gain from learning an RML at secondary level.

The one-day event will seek to build upon the experience of the 2023 colloquium “Regional and minority languages within a plurilingual context” and will involve nominated representatives from the 38 member states of the ECML and the European Union, as well as key networks and associations active in this area.

Target audience:

• Educators and school administrators (secondary level)
• Language policy makers
• Linguists and researchers
• Community leaders and NGOs
• National and Regional Government representatives

If you are interested in applying to participate, please contact your National Nominating Authority: https://www.ecml.at/en/About-us/National-Nominating-Authorities.

For further information see the colloquium website : www.ecml.at/RML2025colloquium

The 4th edition of the ECML Summer Academy, entitled “Inspiring Innovation in European Language Teacher Education”, took place from 30 June to 4 July 2025 at the ECML premises in Graz, Austria. Organised as part of the ongoing cooperation between the ECML and the European Commission, this initiative brought together 30 language teacher educators from 28 European countries, along with 8 international experts. The event offered an intensive and, living up to its title,  ‘inspiring’ week of exchange and professional development.

The Summer Academy has established itself as a successful format, offering a unique opportunity for teacher educators from across Europe to connect, to learn with and from each other, and to reflect on their professional expertise and experience within an intercultural context.

The 2025 programme focused on key developments in language teacher education. Topics included the role of teacher education in the context of linguistic and cultural plurality, the use and integration of ECML resources, digital literacy and language-friendly environments in times of artificial intelligence, current approaches to research in teacher education, as well as the identities, values and competences of language teacher educators.

Participants explored these topics in depth through a varied programme of presentations, interactive discussions and workshops. The academy not only fostered professional learning, but also supported the development of sustainable follow-up projects, ensuring that exchange and cooperation continue beyond the event. Participants worked on individual and collaborative project planning aimed at long-term impact.

Cultural and social activities complemented the professional development programme. Highlights included a guided walking tour of the beautiful city of Graz, an evening in the Styrian vineyards, and a special session at the University of Graz, hosted by the Austrian Association of the ECML. There, participants were welcomed by Professor Hermine Penz, with an engaging presentation by Eva Bauer on digital storytelling, which encouraged discussion and reflections on its classroom applications.

The Summer Academy provides a unique opportunity for intercultural and transnational exchange. It supports the European language education community and promotes quality, innovation, and inclusion in language teacher education.

For more information about the Summer Academy, please visit: www.ecml.at/summeracademy

Local organiser: Tomislava Maljković, Hotel and Tourism School, Zagreb

ECML experts: Chantal Muller (Belgium), Katja Schnitzer (Germany)

Participants: 23 (foreign language teachers, teachers of other subjects, teacher educators, teachers of the language of schooling, policymakers, school administrators)

On 8 and 9 April 2025, a two-day workshop on Supporting Multilingual Classrooms was held at the Hotel and Tourism School in Zagreb, Croatia. Tomislava Maljković (local coordinator) along with Ana Trogrlić and Petar Bekić liaised with the ECML expert team, Katja Schnitzer and Chantal Muller on the organisation of the event.

The Hotel and Tourism School is known for holding classes of as many as seven foreign languages as well as Croatian language classes for foreigners. It educates future tourism professionals who will, one day, work in a multicultural and multilingual environment.

This workshop enabled us, above all, to become better acquainted with the possibilities of sensitization in working with different cultures and languages, including migrant students. We also learned about the challenges and new approaches to intercultural dialogue in our classroom and beyond. It placed emphasis on the importance of first creating a microcosm of diversity respect and tolerance within ourselves, as only then can we transfer it effectively to our classroom, to our students and colleagues, and ultimately to society as a whole.

The workshop analysed how to create an inclusive environment in which all languages are valued, including the language of schooling, discussing how multilingualism in tourism and hospitality schools and other schools in Croatia can serve as an advantage and how a lifelong school approach strategy can be developed within the framework of continuous support for multilingual curricula.

One of the topics was also recognizing linguistic diversity as a pillar of learning and the holistic development of students.

Thanks to the lively input and interactive approaches of the ECML expert team, the workshop participants were introduced to new knowledge and skills that they can now apply in their classrooms.

Tomislava Maljković, local organiser, 14 April 2025

ECML project website: Supporting multilingual classrooms, ECML-EC cooperation agreement 2025 "Innovative methodologies and assessment in language learning"