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    Plurilingual education - 2015

Plurilingual and intercultural approaches
A didactic tool for integrated plurilingual and intercultural education

This offer proposes diversified, reflective and practical actions for the development of plurilingual and intercultural education. It is based on a transversal, cross-curricular vision of language learning, the importance of which is underlined by the publication of the CEFR's Companion Volume.

Introduction
Events
Team
Forum 1
Forum 2
Management

Introduction

This programme supports Member states that are planning to integrate a plurilingual and intercultural dimension into their education system, at all levels and for all learners, in or outside the school system according to the principles that have been developed by the “Guide for the development and implementation of curricula for plurilingual and intercultural education” (Council of Europe 2016).

Recently, the "Companion Volume" of the CEFR ("Companion Volume", Council of Europe, 2018) has introduced descriptors that also refer to these dimensions and, therefore, many questions arise: 

How can the objectives of plurilingual and intercultural education - especially those mentioned in the "Companion Volume" - be achieved? How to define the required competencies by introducing all their dimensions (educational, cognitive, linguistic, cultural dimensions; contribution to the development of learning competence...)? How can they be taken into account in the curriculum? What are the school subjects concerned? How can teachers be trained in this perspective?

The range of instruments developed by the FREPA team over the past several years provides answers for learners of all ages, from the youngest to adults, for all types of educational institutions and concerning both the languages frequently taught and minority languages.

Plurilingual and intercultural education does not replace existing language learning. It completes and facilitates language learning by helping learners to establish links with what they already know or can already do, giving them confidence and motivation to learn..

Target groups

  • teachers of languages and other subjects;
  • teacher trainers;
  • curriculum developers;
  • textbook writers;
  • policy makers, decision takers.

Results and benefits

The immediate result/benefit will be that the participating education professionals are supported in their effort to review existing practice in (language) teaching and to identify areas where materials and approaches presented by the team will be of use.

The impact/long term-benefit will be that

  • the need for coherent development of plurilingual and intercultural education is understood and widely accepted by relevant stakeholders;
  • priorities are set for areas of development and
  • practical instruments are made available to implement the new approaches.

FREPA training and consultancy offer

Trainings can be conducted in English, French or German.

This offer is targeted at teachers of languages and other subjects, teacher trainers, curriculum developers, textbook writers, policy makers and decision takers. It provides individual workshops adapted to local/national needs.

  • list of competences
  • didactic materials
  • tools for teacher trainings
  • national networks for plurilingual approaches

Possible topics :

  • discovering pluralistic approaches and FREPA;
  • pluralistic approaches and FREPA as tools for achieving the principles of the „Guide for the development and implementation of curricula for plurilingual and intercultural education” (Council of Europe 2016);
  • integrating pluralistic approaches into the curriculum;
  • using the FREPA descriptors and the online database of materials;
  • teacher training for a plurilingual and intercultural education;
  • pluralistic approaches and FREPA at different educational levels;
  • pluralistic approaches and the language of schooling (including language sensitive subject teaching);
  • pluralistic approaches and language policies; 
  • developing classroom projects with FREPA;
  • pluralistic approaches and CLIL/bilingual education;
  • producing and adapting teaching materials.

Content and form of training will be determined in direct collaboration with the local contact person.

For a better understanding of the FREPA training and consultancy activities please check the following PowerPoint presented at the ECML in December 2015:

Ways of dissemination of multidimensional projects - the case of FREPA

PowerPoint (in French)
PowerPoint text (in French)
Vidéo (in French)

Training in the use of FREPA online: Visit the FREPA website

Provision of member state

Other than the location and the usual room equipment, we attach great importance to:

  • precise information on local educational culture, school programmes, teaching material used and the situation regarding plural approaches in the respective country / region (including existing expertise);
  • the commitment of the local team of organisers in drafting of the programme of activities together;
  • the recruitment of participants whose profile corresponds to the defined target group, in particular when the training is set up to promote interdisciplinarity;
  • the presence of participants over the full period of the training session;
  • the determination of the local team of organisers to ensure concrete follow-up to the event: news in social media, establishment of working groups, networking with colleagues in other parts of the country.

see also: Practical information

Latest articles

02.12.2019
ECML academic seminar "Awakening to languages" (Reims, France, 7-8 October 2019)

07.10.2019
"Plurilingual and intercultural competences: descriptors and teaching materials" focusing on curricula: turning intended learning outcomes into achievable targets

15.11.2018
ECML national training event in Armenia: "Plurilingual and intercultural competences: Descriptors and teaching materials (FREPA)" (Yerevan, 25-26 October 2018)

13.11.2018
ECML training in Greece on “Plurilingual and intercultural competences: descriptors and teaching materials (FREPA)” (6-7 September 2018, Corfu)

18.10.2018
ECML training in Norway: Plurilingualism and plurilingual education: The Framework of Reference for Pluralistic Approaches to Languages and Cultures (FREPA) (Bergen, 27-28 September 2018)