Local organiser: Ingrida Strazdaitė, Lithuanian National Agency for Education    

ECML experts: Karine Dekeukelaere, Belgium; Gábor Szabó, Hungary;

Participants: 27 (item writers, curriculum developers, language testers and examiners, policy-makers and teachers)

“In March 2023, a RELANG workshop was organised at the National Agency for Education in Vilnius for item writers, curriculum developers, exam raters, policymakers, and teachers with a view to discussing principles of valid and reliable language testing based on the CEFR and its Companion Volume. Module 5 was selected in relation to the updated curriculum of foreign languages in Lithuania, which involves both a new language proficiency level (B2+) and new test items in the school-leaving exam, namely, audio-visual comprehension, mediation, and a few new written production items. Thus it is important to ensure that future tests are in line with the CEFR.

During the three-day workshop, 27 participants received in-depth training in the CEFR level descriptors, they were introduced to a number of issues to be addressed in order to ensure valid and reliable item development and accurate assessment, discussed the importance of designing and use of reliable assessment criteria, and had an opportunity to develop specific exam items based on the principles learned. The workshop was also an excellent opportunity to exchange professional knowledge and practices in the field of language teaching and testing among the colleagues as well as to receive expertise and valuable guidance from the ECML experts. Despite the sometimes heated discussion, which was always moderated by the experts in a most constructive and sensible manner, all participants had one common goal – to gain a thorough and uniform understanding of the underlying requirements for each test item in line with the CEFR and the Companion Volume as a must for quality assurance in the assessment of school-leavers under the updated curriculum.

All RELANG workshops in Lithuania - and we had quite a few of them so far - were very successful and have always had a very positive impact on the Lithuanian school-leaving exam system. The workshop in March 2023 was no exception. We are very grateful for the ECML experts’ insights, practical tips, competent advice, efficiency and patience.”

Ingrida Strazdaitė, local organiser, 21 March 2023

ECML project website: RELANG – EU-ECML cooperation agreement 2023 "Innovative methodologies and assessment in language learning"