QualiRom

Introduction

This Training and Consultancy activity responds to ECML member states’ needs in the following areas:

equality of access to education within a human rights perspective
raising awareness of QualiRom
the lack of adequate teaching materials, trained teachers and supportive structures in Romani teaching across different European states

The Curriculum Framework for Romani (CFR) was developed by the Language Policy Unit of the Council of Europe as part of a comprehensive response by the Council of Europe to Roma and Traveller issues. The need for such support measures has been expressed in numerous international resolutions including Recommendation No R(2000)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the education of Roma/Gypsy children in Europe, the Warsaw Declaration of Heads of State and Government of the member states of the Council of Europe (May 2005), the action plan attached to the Warsaw Declaration and the Committee of Ministers Recommendation CM/Rec(2009)4 on the education of Roma and Travellers in Europe. Moreover, the Secretary General has recently made a commitment to develop a Council of Europe thematic Action Plan on Roma issues.

The (2011-13) QualiRom initiative, carried out under the European Commission’s Key Actions 2 programme, made extensive use of the Curriculum Framework for Romani (CFR) and two European Language Portfolio models. It focused on raising literacy levels in Romani and on training teachers of Romani. QualiRom set out to promote the inclusion of Romani in education systems and to contribute to the integration of speakers of the language by improving the educational situation of Roma children, raising the self-esteem of Romani speakers, contributing to the emancipation of people with a Roma background, and promoting equality of opportunity as a basic human right. The project has published an extensive databank of teaching and learning materials for teachers of Romani (http://qualirom.uni-graz.at). The materials developed in six Romani varieties range from proficiency levels A1 to B2 for learners at primary, secondary and tertiary levels and constitute the largest resource of its kind for the teaching and learning of the Romani language based on European standards.

Target groups

policy makers, decision takers and curriculum developers
text writers and materials developers
teacher trainers and teachers
institutions and agencies involved in training teachers of Romani and Romani teaching

Results and benefits

The immediate results/benefits will be to:

raise awareness of the ethos and pedagogical implications of the CFR and accompanying ELPs
inform curriculum developments designed to provide for the teaching and learning of Romani
develop classroom skills in the use of the CFR, ELPs and QualiRom materials
inform the development of local initiatives to provide qualifications/accreditation for teachers of Romani

The impact and long-term benefit will be to:

contribute at all levels of education systems to the integration of Roma pupils

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Related ECML theme

Plurilingual Education

QualiRom Training and Consultancy

This offer seeks to build upon the foundation already provided by QualiRom (materials, training CFR) to offer member states 2–day consultancies / workshops in accordance with local needs:

consultancy on the Curriculum Framework for Romani for curriculum development
consultancy and training on the Curriculum Framework for Romani and corresponding European Language Portfolios for textbook writing and materials development
training on the use of QualiRom materials (and the possible localisation of these materials)
consultancy and training based on the QualiRom teacher training module

Provision of member state

nomination of appropriate institutions and individuals to participate in the project
one or more interlocutors at senior level to discuss needs and objectives as seen by the member state
information about current approaches and specific needs at local level
establishing contacts to the relevant target groups
co-organisation and co-financing of local conferences and workshops
appropriate mediation arrangements when (some) participants do not have access to the working language.

Request this ECML Training and Consultancy activity

Requests for a training and consultancy activity must be submitted via the national ECML representative in the Governing Board. Educational professionals interested in a particular activity should therefore contact their national representative.

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Latest articles

23.05.2018
Quality education in Romani for Europe: QualiRom training for practitioners in Slovakia (Bratislava, 10-11 April 2018)

Slovakia participated in the development of the QualiRom materials (2010–2013), and for several years a small number of Slovak schools have been using the Curriculum Framework for Romani (CFR), the accompanying European Language Portfolios (ELP) and the QualiRom materials. Currently five schools are piloting a framework programme developed by the State Pedagogical Institute on the basis of the CFR, and the teachers are using the ELPs to promote reflective learning on the basis of learner self-assessment.
The QualiRom workshop in April was designed to bring these practitioners together and discuss their experience in the light of Council of Europe principles and a reconsideration of the CFR and ELPs.
(David Little, Helena Sadílková, ECML project QualiRom)

The ECML training and consultancy workshop fulfilled its mission for all participants: language teachers at primary and secondary schools, their directors, textbook authors, representatives of the National Curricular Institution and of two universities that carry out activities in cooperation with the Ministry of Education to offer students programmes aimed at preparing Roma teachers in combination with other school subjects.
Participants agreed that the Curriculum Framework for Romani (CFR) is an important systemic tool for increasing the quality of Romani language teaching in Slovakia and so far compensates the lack of a language institution for the development of the Roma language.
Participants were inspired to create an Association of Romani teachers and by the end of the workshop had formulated the mission of this emerging platform. On the basis of the CFR the State Pedagogical Institute will develop annual plans for teachers teaching Romani language at primary schools and secondary schools for different language levels and pupil age. Participants expressed the need for a follow-up meeting with the ECML experts for consultation during the process of creating the aforementioned pedagogical documents.
(Silvia Galyasová, Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports in the Slovak Republic, local organiser of the training workshop)