ECML/CELV > Training & Consultancy

Introduction

Work-related language skills are crucial to the integration and participation of adult migrants. New approaches are emerging across Europe to help them develop those skills. This offer brings together a team of experts familiar with these approaches to offer practical guidance to teachers, policymakers and others working in this field.

The activities are based on the project results presented on the ECML resource website "Language for work"

Target groups

Teacher trainers;
Language teachers, vocational teachers;
Learning providers;
Civil servants responsible for integration programmes;
Linguistic researchers;
Employer organisations and trade unions;
Human resources;
Policymakers.

The team is open to consultation with national agencies regarding target group(s), according to needs and priorities of member statesstakeholders who are concerned with teacher education across languages and different subjects.

Results and benefits

This training and consultancy activity will enable participants to

increase their knowledge and skills regarding practical ways to support work-related L2 learning;
enhance local resources to support work-related L2 learning.

Expected cooperation from local organisers requesting this offer

One or more interlocutors at senior level to discuss needs and objectives identified by the member state
Information about current approaches and specific needs at local level
Access to the relevant target groups ;
Co-organisation of local Training and consultancy event (i.e. workshop, seminar, consultation).

Training and consultancy offer
"Language for work"

Trainings can be conducted in English, French, German, Swedish, Dutch, Italian.

This offer is targeted at teacher trainers, language teachers, vocational teachers, learning providers, civil servants responsible for integration programmes, linguistic researchers, employer organisations and trade unions, human resources, policymakers.

Format of activity

Consultancy (face-to-face, or via e.g. Skype, email, telephone) to support member states develop/review:

strategic initiatives, including policy initiatives;
specific local initiatives;
resources.

Training for groups to help develop knowledge and skills in member states regarding practical ways to support work-related L2 learning, including:

awareness-raising to stimulate engagement with the issue;
analysis of learning needs;
different types of interventions to support formal, non-formal and informal learning;
resource development;
evaluation of interventions.

Formats of training

face-to-face training;
webinar.

Face-to-face training can include seminars and workshops, with a range of durations (according to the preferences of the specific member state). All members of the proposed team are experienced trainers and consultants, committed to participative, interactive, experiential, practice-oriented, and reflexive methodologies. Training includes a variety of interactive methods and media (e.g. individual and group work, inputs and discussions, project work).

Suggested formats for e.g. teacher development

Two sessions, three months apart - allowing participants time to prepare a piece of practical work, present its results and reflect on experience, e.g. enablers and barriers;
Sessions to take workshop format, i.e. interactive group work, supported by input and feedback from the team, enabling participants to take action.

Content will be tailored to the actual context and needs to be identified by the individual member state for the target group.

Possible examples:

L2 teachers in adult education, vocational teachers, educational providers: Investigating language requirements of (future) workplaces and needs of the parties involved. Implementation of the needs analysis’ findings into a realistic curriculum; exploiting the L2 resources of the working environment, use of information technology, promoting the issue with labour market actors, employers, etc. marketing provision, etc.
Employers, HR managers other labour market actors: awareness for L2 issues in the context of work, enablers of and barriers to work-related L2 learning, creating learning opportunities at work, etc.
Teachers, volunteers, co-workers, employers interested in non-formal and informal learning arrangements on the jobs: exploring different types of support, mentoring, coaching, non-directive coaching, requested skills and necessary structures: how to acquire skills and create structures
Decision-makers at different level: social partners; educational decision-makers and policy makers: “future-workshop”: how to develop a vision and break it down to a concrete action plan.

Further issues:

Outreach and work-related L2 development for isolated workers in so called free-lance and gig-economy employment;
Communication competences in bilingual work environments.

Latest articles

05.05.2020
Language for Work training and consultancy begins

In December 2019, the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) accepted requests from four ECML member states (Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden) for training and consultancy support by the Language for Work (LfW) team to take place in autumn 2020.

The LfW team then agreed to meet for two days in April 2020 at the headquarters of the ECML in Graz to initiate the LfW Training and Consultancy (T&C) offer. The first day (21 April) would be for the ECML secretariat to brief the LfW team. The second day (22 April) would be for the LfW team to meet the representatives from the four ECML member states who would act as local coordinators of the LfW T&C events in their own countries.

Little did we know then that COVID-19 lockdowns would completely upend our much-looked-forward-to plans for that springtime meeting in Graz… Instead we found ourselves, each in his or her own country, sitting at home in front of the computer for an internet-enabled virtual meeting. We are very happy to report that this ‘remote’ format still allowed for a very productive meeting.

The overall aim of both days was to create a common understanding of the LfW T&C offer: its structure and conditions, and the roles and tasks of the LfW team, its event moderators (i. e. the team members responsible for carrying out the different events), and the local coordinators (i.e. the point-of-contact coordinators and any relevant colleagues).

On the first day, as originally planned, the ECML secretariat briefed the LfW team. On the second day, the meeting focused more specifically on the agreed LfW T&C events in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The local coordinators explained the context in their various countries regarding work-related L2 provision and rationale for training and consultancy from the LfW team. The type of event to be organised and the expertise requested from the LfW T&C moderators were discussed and a number of issues clarified, in relation to dates, venues, participant numbers and profile, etc. Bilateral consultations between the LfW T&C team and the local coordinators were initiated to take further concrete steps for each event.

The discussions were extremely informative and stimulating, certainly since the local coordinators and other partners are all experienced and committed LfW professionals. They expressed the wish to contribute to the events with their expertise and share the results.

In spite of the structural differences in migration and labour market policies in the various countries, common issues for the T&C events emerged:

How to conceptualise the cooperation between different actors in education, for example second language teachers and VET teachers or between educationalists (language teachers and providers) and employers and/or labour market administrations.
How to create sustainable support for workplace learning.
How to support migrants with limited or no literacy.

Will the events take place as planned? Only time will tell, but we will be busy preparing for them over the next few months anyway and we’ll certainly keep you informed in the meantime.

Bleiben Sie gesund!

The LfW T&C team

ECML dedicated web pages on the Centre's training and consultancy offer "Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants"

Language for work: how to support work-related language learning for adult migrants