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    Promoting excellence in sign language instruction
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    Project overview

Promoting excellence in sign language instruction

This project will develop a professionally-oriented competency framework for sign language teachers and provide B2 level materials and learning activities from different European sign languages. We will also create a European language portfolio (ELP) that takes account of any modality specific requirements for sign languages.  Read more

Working languages of the project: International Sign Language, English
Project term: 2016-2019
Shortcut: www.ecml.at/Pro-Sign2

 

Who will benefit from the project?

The direct beneficiaries of this project will be sign language teacher educators and curriculum developers for sign language instruction. Student teachers, teachers and other learners of a sign language will benefit too as we will formulate a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) related framework of competencies and learning outcomes for SL teachers. This framework will form the basis for sign language instruction in sign language teacher education and in programmes where sign languages are taught (e.g. interpreter education). The products will be available via open access, with guidelines to support operationalisation and embedding of outcomes into existing or new sign language programmes. Teachers and learners will be able to access the guidelines and, via the basic ELP, become (more) autonomous learners. The material and assessment resources will ensure that examples of sign language teacher competencies will always be available for benchmarking across Europe.

Envisaged outputs

  • A comprehensive user guide for sign language teaching and learning within the framework of CEFR (with an emphasis on B2).
  • Practical examples of how the existing learning and teaching tools are used in sign language education, including reviews of national curricula (including learning outcomes as well as teaching and learning materials) with an emphasis on B2.
  • Development of European Language Portfolio for sign language learners.
  • A comprehensive analysis of the need for, and feasibility of, a Common European Framework of Reference for Language Teachers (with focus on B2).

Envisaged outcomes

  • Enhanced quality of sign language education which meets the needs of all sign language teachers and learners in terms of curricula and materials within the context of CEFR (with special focus on B2).
  • Professionalisation and standardisation of sign language teacher education.
  • Broader awareness of the importance of sign language teaching and learning within the framework of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and within the terms of inclusion.
  • Enhanced awareness of the linguistic and cultural diversity of sign languages in Europe.
  • Acknowledgement of sign language education as an instance of foreign language education.
  In cooperation with the 
Moscow State Linguistic University

This is a project of the European Centre for Modern Languages within its "Languages at the heart of learning" programme 2016-2019.
Go to the programme webpage

 
It is a follow-up to the project Sign languages and the Common European Framework of References for Languages. Descriptors and approaches to assessment (ProSign) carried out in the ECML’s 2012-2015 programme.
Click here to go to the publication website.


Network meeting videos


How are sign language teachers prepared? 
By Eveline Boers (Utrecht University of Applied Sciences/University of Amsterdam)


What is the impact on sign language teaching?
By Katja Tissi (HfH Switzerland)


What are the advantages of the CEFR and the ELP?
By Thomas Geissler (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

 
What is the impact of the CEFR and ELP on Sign Language Teaching in Europe?

By Luigi Lerose (University of Central Lancashire) and Radka Novakova (Charles University)

 
How is the CEFR running in your country?
By Delfina Aliaga Emeterio (Universitat Pompeu Farba)

 
What is the impact of the CEFR on Sign Language Planning and Sign Language Recognition?

By Gergely Tapolczai (Hungarian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing)

 
How is involvement in the PRO-Sign project of benefit to your institution

By Alina Guseva and Galina Skurlatova (both Moscow State Linguistic University)

 
What has been the impact of the CEFR on sign language teaching at your institution?

By Carmel Grehan (Trinity College Dublin)

 
What has been the impact of the CEFR on sign language teaching at your institution?

By Ingela Holmström (U Stockholm)

 
How has being involved in the PRO-Sign network been of benefit to you in your professional development?

By Hilde Haualand (Oslo Metropolitan University)

The ProSign testing cycle

ProSign test examples

Podcast with Christian Rathmann

3rd ProSign Conference 

The 3rd ProSign Conference will be held at the School of Philology, University of Belgrade (Serbia) on October 19 and 20, 2018. Fore information click here.

Latest articles

11.02.2021
ProSign – New resource website for professionals involved in sign language teaching and assessment

25.07.2019
"Promoting excellence in sign language instruction" (Pro-Sign2): latest project update

07.06.2019
Protecting and promoting sign languages in Europe - Council of Europe: reply of the Committee of Ministers to the recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly

16.05.2019
Finalisation of the Pro-Sign 2 products - Contribution to the 25th Anniversary of the ECML - Presentation on developing sign language tests - Inclusion of sign languages in the CEFR Companion Volume

10.04.2019
CEFR and sign languages: intense dialogue in Brazil and contribution to the CEFR Companion Volume

30.10.2018
Recognising sign languages as official languages: Council of Europe draft resolution unanimously adopted

24.10.2018
ECML project "Pro-Sign2 - Promoting excellence in sign language instruction": Newsflash from Belgrade (23-10-2018)

30.09.2018
ECML project "Pro-Sign II - Promoting excellence in sign language instruction": upcoming conference (Belgrade, Serbia) and CEFR workshop (Florianopolis, Brazil)

22.08.2018
ECML project "Pro-Sign 2 - Promoting excellence in sign language instruction": Register for the conference in Belgrade | Training programme in Greece | Dissemination activities in Poland and Iran

19.07.2018
ECML project "Pro-Sign II - Promoting excellence in sign language instruction": Piloting the European Language Portfolio in Ireland / Upcoming conference in Belgrade / PRO-Sign survey reports

06.06.2018
ECML project "Pro-Sign II - Promoting excellence in sign language instruction": update on events to be held in Serbia, Switzerland, Greece and the Netherlands

19.04.2018
ECML project ‘Pro-Sign II - Promoting excellence in sign language instruction’: developments towards a profile for sign language teachers’ competencies (April 2018)

13.03.2018
ECML project "Pro-Sign II - Promoting excellence in sign language instruction": developments in Switzerland, Ireland, Germany, Canada and Serbia

01.03.2018
Promoting excellence in sign language instruction (Pro-Sign): conference announcement

12.02.2018
Intense and fruitful exchange of ideas on future developments in language education

31.01.2018
"Promoting excellence in sign language instruction": December 2017 / January 2018 Update ECML PRO-Sign 2

23.11.2017
"Promoting excellence in sign language instruction": November update for ECML PRO-Sign 2 project

03.10.2017
"Promoting excellence in sign language instruction" (PRO-Sign2): ECML project update, September 2017

25.07.2017
Promoting excellence in sign language instruction (PRO-Sign 2): project update - July 2017

26.06.2017
Promoting excellence in sign language instruction (Pro-Sign 2): project update - June 2017

22.05.2017
Promoting excellence in sign language instruction (PRO-Sign 2): project update - April/May 2017

05.05.2017
Recently published: European Language Gazette no. 36 (January-April 2017)

03.03.2017
Cooperation partnership with MSLU

01.03.2017
ECML workshop “Promoting excellence in sign language instruction” (Graz, Austria, 1-2 March 2017)

06.02.2017
Call for participants: ECML Workshop 1/2017 "Promoting excellence in sign language instruction" (1-2 March 2017, ECML, Graz, Austria)

05.01.2017
Just published: European Language Gazette no. 35 (December 2016)

03.10.2016
Just published: Sign languages and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) – Descriptors and approaches to assessment

21.09.2016
Promoting Excellence in Sign Language Instruction