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A guide to teacher competences for languages in education

INTRODUCTION

CATALOGUE OF INSTRUMENTS

INSTRUMENTS
IN PRACTICE

EVOLVING INSTRUMENTS

COUNCIL OF EUROPE PRINCIPLES

TEACHER COMPETENCES - CONCLUSIONS

Catalogue of instruments

These pages contain one sentence descriptions of the various tools examined during the course of the project. Beside each description there is a visual representation relating the content of the tool to key dimensions. The aim of these spidergrams is to offer a visual profile of each instrument, e.g. for a quick initial comparison of different resources. The spidergram values are to be read from the centre of the visualisation.

Clicking on ‘view details’ enables the user to read more details about the purpose and contents of the tool, its origins and so on.

There are two ways of searching for relevant tools: you can use the matrix of topics/dimensions on the right to click on a specific area of interest, or/and you can narrow down your search using the filters listed below.

In the lower part of the main page a link can be found to brief descriptions of some important frameworks describing learner competences as well as various key Council of Europe and other background documents relevant to the issue of teacher competences. Last but not least, there are links to more detailed descriptions of the piloting and further development of a few existing resources in the context of this project.

40 items found

Eaquals Framework for Language Teacher Training & Development
The Eaquals Framework is a compendium of descriptors of the knowledge and skills needed by foreign language teachers, covering aspects of planning, teaching, assessment competences, language, culture and professionalism.

foreign language teaching primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English Teaching and learning Language and cultural competences and awareness Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Language and cultural competence Language and cultural awareness Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL)
EPOSTL is a portfolio for the self-assessment of didactic competences of student foreign language teachers.

foreign language teaching primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education Language schools English French German Spanish Greek Hungarian Italian Lithuanian Romanian Russian Arabic Japanese content and language integrated learning Teaching and learning Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Orientation: languages Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Link	www.ecml.at/Portals/1/documents/ECML-resources/EPOSTL-EN.pdf
Focus / content	EPOSTL is a portfolio for the self-assessment of didactic competences of student foreign language teachers.
Objective / structure	EPOSTL is a self-reflection tool containing ‘can-do’ descriptors of didactic competences. These consist essentially of didactic skills related to the development of language skills (speaking, writing, listening, reading, vocabulary, grammar etc.), the assessment of language proficiency, classroom management etc., as well as competences related to values (intercultural awareness etc.); knowledge - of national curriculum etc.; educational aspects – fostering learner autonomy etc. The main part is complemented by further opportunities for reflection, including questions to the user and a dossier.
Target group	Foreign language teachers
Institution / authorship	ECML
Date	2005
Languages	Arabic, Croatian, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese (3 separate publications – J-POSTL for student teachers; J-POTL for practising teachers, plus a version including both of these)
Further information and comments	EPOSTL was originally conceived for initial teacher education, but has been used in other contexts, such as in-service teacher development A joint project of the ECML and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), ACTOSTL, has led to an observation sheet for classroom observation. EPOSTL can be complemented with instruments including further aspects of portfolio work, e.g. on language biographies, and with instruments that feature more emphasis on areas such as plurilingual and intercultural competences
Further reading	Newby, D. (ed.) (2012), Insights into the European Portfolio for student teachers of languages, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Examples of use in practice	The instrument is intensively used in and beyond Austria. Instances of using EPOSTL were documented in a follow-up project at the ECML: www.ecml.at/Resources/ECMLPublications/tabid/277/ID/24/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

European Profile for Language Teacher Education
A framework for evaluating and enhancing the quality of initial teacher education courses for foreign language teachers in Europe that focuses on knowledge and understanding (8 areas), strategies and skills (13 areas), and values (6 areas).

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English Teaching and learning Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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The European Profiling Grid (EPG)
The EPG is a competence framework covering the main language teaching competences, enabling competencies (language proficiency, intercultural competence and language awareness), and professionalism.

foreign language teaching pre-primary primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English French German Greek Italian Bulgarian Georgian Dutch Portuguese Turkish Ukrainian Chinese Teaching and learning Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Language and cultural awareness Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Cambridge English Teaching Framework
The Framework is provided as a tool to enable teachers of English as a foreign language to assess and plan their own professional development, and relate this to Cambridge English’s qualifications for teachers of English and for English as a foreign language.

foreign language teaching primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English Teaching and learning Language and cultural competences and awareness Professional development Orientation: languages Language and cultural competence Language and cultural awareness Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Teaching competences – Common Framework
A general framework of competences aimed at improving the training offered to teachers in Europe

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary Language schools English German Lithuanian Portuguese Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Professional development Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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The Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument
A generic instrument for teacher evaluation based on Danielson’s original Framework for Teaching, and primarily designed for use in the United States.

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary English Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Professional development Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Kerncurriculum für die Ausbildung im Vorbereitungsdienst für Lehrämter
A detailed ‘spiral’ core curriculum for teacher education in North Rhine Westphalia (Germany), based around 6 key areas of competence

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary German Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Professional development Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework for Teachers
The framework spans 12 professional practices relevant to all teachers, offering a way of conceptualizing professional development as an incremental process.

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject bilingual teaching primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs A holistic plurilingual & pluricultural perspective Professional development Orientation: other subjects Plurilingual/pluricultural development Capitalising on linguistic & cultural resources Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Passepartout - Katalog von Kompetenzbeschreibungen für die Grundausbildung von Lehrpersonen, die an der obligatorischen Schule Fremdsprachen unterrichten
The framework describes the teacher competences and resources for the teaching of two foreign languages (French and English) in obligatory school (primary and lower secondary).

foreign language teaching primary lower secondary German Teaching and learning Orientation: languages Plurilingual/pluricultural development Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Link	Passepartout
Focus / content	The framework describes the teacher competences and resources for foreign language teaching in obligatory schooling (primary and lower secondary).
Objective / structure	The resource is a competence framework for foreign language teachers in obligatory schooling. It was designed for teaching of French as a first foreign language (starting at 9 years) and English as a second foreign language (starting at 11 years). The catalogue’s aim is to coordinate teacher education to prepare primary and lower secondary teachers for a number of curricular aims, including the introduction of two foreign languages in primary school, a common methodology for French and English, and curricular coherence on different levels for a variety of plurilingual and intercultural aims.
Target group	Foreign language teachers in primary and secondary school
Institution / authorship	Author team of teacher educators, for the Swiss intercantonal Passepartout project group (German-speaking cantons close to the French-speaking area)
Date	2006
Languages	German
Further information and comments	The framework emphasises and displays the coherence between the student teacher’s own learning biography, and the corresponding competences and resources directed towards their learners. The framework is an example for how a national/regional adaptation of key European instruments is explicitly derived from key European reference documents, including the CEFR, CARAP/REPA, EPOSTL, and the European Profile for Language Teacher Education. A main focus of the instrument is to create horizontal coherence in the curriculum through harmonizing the educational pathways of teachers of the first and second foreign language.
Further reading	See www.fremdsprachenunterricht.ch/ for information on the Passepartout project
Examples of use in practice	The framework has been used as a planning reference for teacher education curricula in parts of German-speaking Switzerland.

Las competencias clave del profesorado de lenguas segundas y extranjeras
A common and coherent framework of reference describing the professional competences of teachers of Spanish as a second or foreign language in Cervantes Institutes all over the world, for the professional training / development of the teaching staff.

foreign language teaching primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools Spanish Teaching and learning Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Language and cultural awareness Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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National Framework for Languages (NFfL)
The framework contains language-related teacher competences for initial education in Scotland.

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary English Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Professional development Orientation: languages Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Teacher Effectiveness for Language Learning (TELL)

The TELL framework describes the behavior of foreign language teachers, in obligatory schooling and beyond.

foreign language teaching English Teaching and learning Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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World Languages Standards for teachers of students aged 3-18
An official set of standards covering 9 areas of competence including knowledge of students, the language, the culture, language acquisition, the learning environment, curriculum and planning, assessment, reflection and professionalism, which are designed to guide teachers working in the US national school education system.

foreign language teaching pre-primary primary lower secondary upper secondary English Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Language and cultural competences and awareness Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Language and cultural competence Language and cultural awareness Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Alfarådet - Description of Teachers’ Competence in initial and functional literacy for adults with non-Nordic mother tongues
This framework describes the competence of a professional teacher of initial and functional literacy (reading and writing as social practices) to adults whose mother tongue is not a Nordic language.

foreign language teaching bilingual teaching adult education English Swedish Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs A holistic plurilingual & pluricultural perspective Professional development Orientation: languages Orientation: other subjects Plurilingual/pluricultural development Capitalising on linguistic & cultural resources Democracy Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Cadre commun d’objectifs : Evaluation du stage croisé à l’étranger = Common reference framework (CRF)
A competence framework for foreign language teachers in primary school to accompany a four-week course/placement.

language of schooling as a subject primary lower secondary upper secondary Language schools English French Teaching and learning Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Orientation: languages Language and cultural competence Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Canadian Language Portfolio for Teachers
The portfolio is a self-assessment tool for language teachers’ target language and intercultural competences.

pre-primary primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education Language schools English French Language and cultural competences and awareness Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Orientation: languages Plurilingual/pluricultural development Language and cultural awareness Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Competence Map for Workplace Instructors
Key competences needed by instructors working in workplace environments.

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum adult education English Russian Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: other subjects Finnish Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Competency Framework for Teachers of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and Teaching English for Academic Purposes – CPD Accreditation Scheme Handbook
The documents provide a description of competences needed by teachers of EAP, especially those working in the UK, as well as a scheme for enabling such teachers to gain a specialized qualification in EAP.

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject higher education English language sensitive subject teaching Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Professional development Orientation: languages Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Developing and assessing intercultural communicative competence: A guide for language teachers and teacher educators (ICCinTE)
The ICCinTE focuses on the development of intercultural communicative competence in teacher training and development.

foreign language teaching bilingual teaching pre-primary primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English French plurilingual and intercultural education Teaching and learning Language and cultural competences and awareness Plurilingual/pluricultural development Language and cultural competence Language and cultural awareness Democracy Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education
The European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education is focused on the competences necessary to teach content subjects and an additional language in an integrated manner.

bilingual teaching primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English French German Serbian Teaching and learning Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Handbook – Language in Content Instruction
This is a general guide to teaching CLIL, covering areas such as learning language in content instruction, vocabulary learning and teaching, the role of grammar, teaching language skills, thinking skills, learning strategies, task-based instruction, and assessment in CLIL.

bilingual teaching primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English French German Teaching and learning Orientation: languages Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Language sensitive teaching of so-called non-language subjects: A checklist
An aid for personal reflection by teachers of all subjects about the language demands implicit in the different subjects and the extent to which these are taken into account in their teaching

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English French German language sensitive subject teaching Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Language and cultural competences and awareness Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Orientation: other subjects Language and cultural competence Language and cultural awareness Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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European portfolio for pre-primary educators (PEPELINO)
A tool for personal reflection on professional competences for students who are embarking on initial training to become pre-primary educators, focusing on the plurilingual and intercultural dimension of work with pre-primary children.

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum pre-primary English French German plurilingual and intercultural education Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs A holistic plurilingual & pluricultural perspective Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Orientation: other subjects Plurilingual/pluricultural development Capitalising on linguistic & cultural resources Language and cultural awareness Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Profession-related language competence profiles for foreign language teachers ('Swiss Profiles')
The Profiles describe the language competences needed for foreign language teaching.

foreign language teaching bilingual teaching primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English French German Italian Language and cultural competences and awareness Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Orientation: languages Language and cultural competence Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Référentiel de compétences des enseignants de Disciplines Non Linguistiques et de français des sections bilingues en Pologne
The instrument describes teacher competences for bilingual education, distinguishing between different teacher roles (language vs. subject teachers).

foreign language teaching bilingual teaching teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum lower secondary upper secondary French content and language integrated learning language sensitive subject teaching Teaching and learning A holistic plurilingual & pluricultural perspective Professional development Orientation: languages Language and cultural awareness Democracy Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Framework of Teaching Competences for Intercomprehension (REFDIC)
REFDIC is a guide for designing, implementing and assessing teaching that focuses on intercomprehension as part of plurilingual education.

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum pre-primary primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English French Spanish Romanian plurilingual and intercultural education Teaching and learning A holistic plurilingual & pluricultural perspective Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Plurilingual/pluricultural development Capitalising on linguistic & cultural resources Language and cultural awareness Democracy Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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The CLIL Teacher’s Competences Grid
The instrument describes competences for introducing and conducting content and language-integrated learning (CLIL).

foreign language teaching bilingual teaching lower secondary upper secondary English content and language integrated learning language sensitive subject teaching Teaching and learning Professional development Orientation: languages Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
The “Australian Professional Standards for Teachers” is a generic national standard for school teachers’ initial training, professional development and career progression.

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary English Teaching and learning Professional development Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards

The InTASC (Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium) standards are an American competence framework for the initial education and lifelong development of teachers of all subjects in obligatory school.

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum English Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Professional development Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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New overarching professional standards for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector
A set of interrelated descriptors of values, professional knowledge and understanding, and ‘professional practice’. The standards are designed to aid the development of a qualification system for teachers and trainers working in adult lifelong learning.

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum adult education higher education Language schools English Teaching and learning Professional development Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Perfil Geral de Desempenho Profissional do Educador de Infância e dos Professores dos Ensinos Básico e Secundário – Sistema Educativo Português
The General Profile of Professional Competences, the general framework for Portuguese teachers, gives a global overview about teacher competences.

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject bilingual teaching teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary Portuguese Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Capitalising on linguistic & cultural resources Democracy Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Specification of Professional Competences for all Teaching and other Posts in Education (France)
A set of standards listing the attitudes, knowledge and skills needed for the teaching of all subject and for the roles of other personnel in education and training in France.

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject bilingual teaching teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum pre-primary primary lower secondary upper secondary French Teaching and learning Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: other subjects Democracy Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Teachers’ Standards – UK
A list of general standards required of teachers of all subjects in the UK divided into two main sections: ‘teaching’ and ‘personal and professional conduct’.

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary English content and language integrated learning Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Professional development Democracy Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Teaching: the Reflective Profession
A detailed list of competences including values, attitudes, knowledge and skills designed to encourage reflection in initial training and professional practice.

6mtp TaC CLIL teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum pre-primary primary lower secondary upper secondary English content and language integrated learning Teaching and learning Language and cultural competences and awareness Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: other subjects Language and cultural competence Language and cultural awareness Democracy Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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The Standards for Registration: mandatory requirements for Registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland
Two of the standards from the General Teaching Council for Scotland’s Professional Standards, namely ‘Standard for Provisional Registration’ and ‘Standard for Full Registration’ (legal requirement for any teacher teaching in a Scottish state school).

teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary English content and language integrated learning Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: other subjects Scottish Gaelic Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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The UK Professional Standards Framework for teaching and supporting learning in higher education
A framework to support the initial and continuing professional development of teachers in higher education.

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum higher education English Teaching and learning Attention to learners’ individual needs Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher Professional development Orientation: languages Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Basiskompetenzen Sprachliche Bildung für alle Lehrenden
The framework describes language-related competences relevant for the initial education of teachers of all subjects.

foreign language teaching language of schooling as a subject bilingual teaching teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum pre-primary primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools German A holistic plurilingual & pluricultural perspective Orientation: other subjects Plurilingual/pluricultural development Capitalising on linguistic & cultural resources Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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EUCIM-TE = European Core Curriculum for Mainstreamed Second Language Teacher Education
The EUCIM-TE curriculum describes teacher competences of the inclusive learning of academic language, with a focus on immigrant pupils learning the language of schooling as a second language.

language of schooling as a subject bilingual teaching teaching of other subjects / teaching across the curriculum primary lower secondary upper secondary adult education higher education Language schools English German language sensitive subject teaching Attention to learners’ individual needs Orientation: other subjects Guide-to-teacher-competences/Resources

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Speaking for Excellence
The framework describes language competences of teachers for certification in Canada, with a focus on the teachers’ different roles and the corresponding language functions.

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Find resources according to orientation for teacher education and development

Orientation: other subjects = aimed at teachers concerned with the use of languages of schooling, including CLIL and the teaching of other subjects.
Orientation: languages = aimed at teachers teaching foreign languages (e.g. French or Chinese in the UK) or the language of schooling.
Teaching and learning = covers didactic skills, including those related to planning, materials development, testing, and knowledge of, for example, language acquisition and learning psychology.
Professional development = covers collegial and individual actions taken for professional, personal & institutional development, and any experiences and activities that are intended to, or do actually, contribute to the development of competences.
Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher = self-assessment by teachers of their own competence, attitudes, and reflection on their recent, future and long term development.
Plurilingual and pluricultural development
One can distinguish two aspects regarding plurilingual and pluricultural development:
A holistic plurilingual & pluricultural perspective covers competences related to setting aims and managing learning activities that develop learners’ - as well as the teacher’s - pluricultural and plurilingual competences.
Capitalising on linguistic & cultural resources of the learner in the context covers competences needed for drawing on the diversity that students bring into the learning arena through their linguistic and cultural repertoires, and potentially the linguistic and cultural resources available in the location.
The teacher’s language and cultural competence and awareness
One can distinguish two aspects regarding the teacher’s language and cultural competence and awareness: The teacher’s language and cultural competence covers the teacher’s own ability to use the language(s) which, or in which, they are teaching, i.e. the target language(s) and/or the language(s) of schooling, and to work effectively as a teacher in the relevant cultural context(s).
The teacher’s language and cultural awareness covers the teacher’s understanding of how language and communication work, enabling them to plan lessons, analyse language difficulties, deal with learners’ errors and questions etc. This also includes their general linguistic and cultural knowledge and awareness.
Attention to learners’ individual needs = covers competences relevant to taking account of and responding to individual learning needs of different kinds (to do with a language of origin, literacy, disability, learning style, pace of progress etc.).

Click below to find out more about these orientations, and to search for resources where they feature prominently.

FOCUS ON LEARNERS

FOCUS ON TEACHERS

FOCUS ON TEACHING

Teaching and learning

The teacher’s language and cultural competence and awareness

Orientation: languages

Covers didactic skills, including those related to planning, materials development, testing, and knowledge of, for example, language acquisition and learning psychology. View these resources

One can distinguish two aspects regarding the teacher’s language and cultural competence and awareness:
The teacher’s language and cultural competence covers the teacher’s own ability to use the language(s) which, or in which, they are teaching, i.e. the target language(s) and/or the language(s) of schooling, and to work effectively as a teacher in the relevant cultural context(s).
The teacher’s language and cultural awareness covers the teacher’s understanding of how language and communication work, enabling them to plan lessons, analyse language difficulties, deal with learners’ errors and questions etc. This also includes their general linguistic and cultural knowledge and awareness.

View resources for "Language and cultural competence"
View resources for "language and cultural awareness"

The development of the teachers‘ language and cultural competence and awareness can be accompanied by more general educational aims: Development of a culture of democracy (human rights, social inclusion, democratic engagement) in teachers’ and students’ views, attitudes and educational pathways.

View these resources

Aimed at teachers teaching foreign languages (e.g. French or Chinese in the UK) or the language of schooling.

View these resources

For a specific contribution of language teaching to education in general: Development of a culture of democracy (human rights, social inclusion, democratic engagement) in teachers’ and students’ views, attitudes and educational pathways.

View these resources

Plurilingual and pluricultural development

Reflection & self-assessment by the teacher

Orientation: other subjects

One can distinguish two aspects regarding plurilingual and pluricultural development:
A holistic plurilingual & pluricultural perspective covers competences related to setting aims and managing learning activities that develop learners’ - as well as the teacher’s - pluricultural and plurilingual competences.
Capitalising on linguistic & cultural resources of the learner in the context covers competences needed for drawing on the diversity that students bring into the learning arena through their linguistic and cultural repertoires, and potentially the linguistic and cultural resources available in the location.

View resources for "A holistic plurilingual & pluricultural perspective"
View resources for "Capitalising on linguistic & cultural resources"

Plurilingual and pluricultural development can be accompanied by more general educational aims: Development of a culture of democracy (human rights, social inclusion, democratic engagement) in teachers’ and students’ views, attitudes and educational pathways.

View these resources

Self-assessment by teachers of their own competence, attitudes, and reflection on their recent, future and long term development. View these resources

Aimed at teachers concerned with the use of languages of schooling, including CLIL and the teaching of other subjects. View these resources

Attention to learners’ individual needs

Professional development

Covers competences relevant to taking account of and responding to individual learning needs of different kinds (to do with a language of origin, literacy, disability, learning style, pace of progress etc.). View these resources

Covers collegial and individual actions taken for professional, personal & institutional development, and any experiences and activities that are intended to, or do actually, contribute to the development of competences.

View these resources

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Learner frameworks and key background documents

Here you find brief descriptions of important resources that that outline (language) learners’ competences, and key background documents.

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Frameworks, standards and documents included in the online guide

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A guide to teacher competences for languages in education

Find resources according to orientation for teacher education and development

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Learner frameworks and key background documents

Frameworks, standards and documents included in the online guide

Link	www.eaquals.org/our-expertise/teacher-development/the-eaquals-framework-for-teacher-training-and-development/
Focus / content	The Eaquals Framework is a compendium of descriptors of the knowledge and skills needed by foreign language teachers, covering aspects of planning, teaching, assessment competences, language, culture and professionalism.
Objective / structure	Framework of descriptors of knowledge and skills designed for the purposes of self-assessment and ongoing professional development. It is organized over three successive ‘phases of development’.
Target group	Serving teachers of foreign or additional languages, teacher trainers, and academic managers
Institution / authorship	Eaquals
Date	2013
Languages	English
Further information and comments	The Framework is context-independent (any type of institution & additional language). It is a more analytical alternative to the EPG with considerably more detailed sets of descriptors but organized over three main phases of development (instead of six).
Examples of use in practice	It has been used both by practising teachers for self-assessment and by training course designers for mapping/checking the content of course.

Link	www.lang.soton.ac.uk/profile/report/MainReport.pdf (restricted access) and www.lang.soton.ac.uk/profile/report/Appendices.rtf (restricted access) (Quality Assurance & Enhancement Guidelines – Appendix II, page 80)
Focus / content	A framework for evaluating and enhancing the quality of initial teacher education courses for foreign language teachers in Europe that focuses on knowledge and understanding (8 areas), strategies and skills (13 areas) and values (6 areas)
Objective / structure	A frame of reference for teacher education courses in universities and teachers’ colleges which links up knowledge & understanding, strategies & skills and values to course structure and the learning experiences offered to student teachers.
Target group	Language education policy makers and language teacher educators in Europe
Institution / authorship	Michael Kelly and Michael Grenfell (University of Southampton) - Report written with Rebecca Allan, Christine Kriza and William McEvoy (University of Southampton). Case studies contributed by 11 institutions across Europe.
Date	2004 (final report)
Languages	English
Further information and comments	- A valuable tool for carrying out a systematic review of language teacher education courses (especially pre-service) - A thought provoking way of linking up the learning experiences of (student) teachers on such courses and the ways in which these experiences can contribute to the development of competences and values.
Further reading	Appendix II (see link above) offers quality checklists relating to each of the 40 areas covered in the Profile

Link	www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/cambridge-english-teaching-framework
Focus / content	The Framework is provided as a tool to enable teachers of English as a foreign language to assess and plan their own professional development, and relate this to Cambridge English’s qualifications for teachers of English and for English as a foreign language.
Objective / structure	The framework provides descriptors relating to five areas of competence relevant to language teachers: Learning and the learner; Teaching, learning and assessment; Language ability; Language knowledge & awareness; Professional development & values. The descriptors for each area are organised over four stages of development: foundation > development > proficient > expert.
Target group	Teachers of English as a foreign/second language
Institution / authorship	Cambridge English (Cambridge Assessment & Cambridge University Press)
Date	2015
Languages	English
Further information and comments	A useful framework for teachers of English, especially those whose first language is not English and/or who are interested in career progression and are thinking of taking Cambridge language exams or teachers’ qualifications.

Link	www.edu.xunta.gal/centros/erasmusplusmccpd/en/node/47
Focus / content	A general framework of competences aimed at improving the training offered to teachers in Europe
Objective / structure	This framework encompasses 9 categories of teacher competence: 1. (Inter) personal skills 2. Collaborative 3. Communicative 4. Communication technologies for learning 5. Promoting health and well-being 6. Promoting social justice, diversity and global citizenship 7. Professional knowledge and understanding 8. Continuing personal and professional development 9. Assessment. Each of these is divided into sub-areas providing brief general descriptors for 3 successive levels of competence: ‘beginning’, ‘competent’ and ‘advanced’.
Target group	Those responsible for teacher education in the partner countries and across Europe (teachers of all subjects)
Institution / authorship	Developed by a group of 6 diverse partner institutions in Austria, Lithuania, Portugal, Scotland and Spain as part of an Erasmus + project
Date	2018
Languages	English, Galician, German, Lithuanian, Portuguese
Further information and comments	The Framework is linked to a ‘needs assessment’ instrument organised in a series of self-assessment ‘can-do’ questions for each competence area.
Further reading	European Commission, Education and Training (2013), ‘Supporting teacher competence development for better learning outcomes’.

Link	https://www.danielsongroup.org/download/?download=448
Focus / content	A generic instrument for teacher evaluation based on Danielson’s original Framework for Teaching, and primarily designed for use in the United States. “The Framework for Teaching identifies those aspects of a teacher’s responsibilities that have been documented through empirical studies and theoretical research as promoting improved student learning. […] These responsibilities seek to define what teachers should know and be able to do in the exercise of their profession.”
Objective / structure	The Framework is divided into 4 main ‘domains’: planning and preparation (subdivided in 6 component areas), the classroom environment (5 components), instruction (5 components), and ‘professional responsibilities’ (6&nbps;components). Each component contains a brief description, a list of ‘elements’ and a list of indicators. The evaluation checklists for each component (22 in total) contain ‘critical attributes’ and ‘possible examples’ of teacher behaviours for 4 levels of teacher competence from ‘unsatisfactory’, ‘basic’, satisfactory’ and ‘distinguished’.
Target group	Teacher educators, teachers, evaluators of teachers
Institution / authorship	Charlotte Danielson, Danielson Associates
Date	2013
Languages	English
Further information and comments	The Framework was originally published in 1995 and has been updated most recently in 2013. It claims to be based on extensive research and is primarily aimed at authorities in US state responsible for evaluating teachers working in public schools from kindergarten to grade 12.
Further reading	Danielson C. (2016), The Framework for teaching: Six clusters supporting high level learning.

Link	www.schulministerium.nrw.de/docs/bp/Lehrer/Lehrkraft-werden/Vorbereitungsdienst/Kerncurriculum.pdf
Focus / content	A detailed ‘spiral’ core curriculum for teacher education in North Rhine Westphalia (Germany), based around 6 key areas of competence
Objective / structure	This core curriculum is applicable for teacher education across the state. It has a transversal dimension, ‘accepting diversity as a challenge and an opportunity’, with 5 other competence areas: teaching heterogeneous classes, taking account of the educational task during teaching, stimulating, documenting & assessing learning and achievement, advising pupils and parents, and taking a cooperative developmental approach to the system and the school.
Target group	Teacher educators and student teachers in North Rhine Westphalia
Institution / authorship	Ministry for Schools and Further Training, North Rhine Westphalia
Date	September 2016
Languages	German
Further information and comments	For each main area there are ‘operative situations’ (examples of activities), key developmental questions, and content guidelines. These are followed by a list of competences expressed as standards.
Further reading	KMK-Standards für die Lehrerbildung: Bildungswissenschaften für die theoretischen Ausbildungsabschnitte (KMK 2004 - 2014)

Link	www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/CPD%20framework%20for%20teachers_WEB.PDF
Focus / content	The framework spans 12 ‘professional practices’ relevant to all teachers, offering a way of conceptualizing professional development as an incremental process.
Objective / structure	To provide a framework that enables teachers (of all subjects) to plan their CPD. The ‘professional practices’ are: planning lessons and courses, understanding learners, managing the lesson, knowing the subject, managing resources, assessing learning, integrating ICT, taking responsibility for professional development, using inclusive practices, using multilingual approaches, promoting 21st-century skills, and understanding educational policies and practice. They are organized in a wheel of concentric circles. The concept is that, for each professional practice, the teacher develops through four successive stages, awareness > understanding > engagement > integration, gradually moving towards the ability to deliver high quality teaching.
Target group	Teachers of all subjects (especially those working in English)
Institution / authorship	The British Council
Date	2015
Languages	English
Further information and comments	This is an imaginative and broad framework which offers detailed indicators for each professional practice in a way which is quite accessible to teachers.

Link	http://cvc.cervantes.es/ensenanza/biblioteca_ele/competencias/competencias_profesorado.pdf
Focus / content	A common and coherent framework of reference describing the professional competences of teachers of Spanish as a second or foreign language in Cervantes Institutes all over the world, for the professional training / development of the teaching staff.
Objective / structure	Providing quality education for the Cervantes Institutes through professional training of its teaching staff. The document describes 8 key competences of teachers’ professional profile: 3 specific competences for second or foreign language teachers; 5 common competences for teacher of other disciplines. Each key competence includes 4 specific competences or sub-competences.
Target group	Teachers of Spanish as a Second or Foreign Language in Cervantes Institutes. Teachers of other disciplines.
Institution / authorship	Instituto Cervantes - Dirección Académica A team of authors under the direction of Francisco Moreno Fernández
Date	2012
Languages	Spanish
Further information and comments	The document is clear in its objectives and user-friendly, the descriptors are accompanied by explanations and examples of application. The intercultural competences of the learner and the teacher are mentioned in several parts, however the plurilingual dimension is not taken into account.

Link	www.nffl.education.ed.ac.uk/
Focus / content	The framework contains language-related teacher competences for initial education in Scotland.
Objective / structure	The National Framework for Languages (NFfL) aims to support all students and teachers throughout initial teacher education (ITE) and career-long professional learning (CLPL) to develop an understanding of the role of languages in and for education. The framework is built on three pillars: Professional Values & Personal Commitment; Professional Knowledge and Understanding; Professional Skills and Abilities. These pillars are overarched by a set of principles and context: Plurilingualism, Diversity, Policy & Legislation, and Transformative practices.
Target group	Teacher educators designing programmes for initial teacher education, student teachers, teachers
Institution / authorship	Scottish Council of Deans of Education (SCDE) Languages Group
Date	2018
Languages	English
Further information and comments	The framework is complemented by two resources: The LENS (Languages Education Network Scotland) is a resource bank of studies and research findings from (inter)national contexts, organized according to themes relating to language teaching and learning. The LEAP (Languages Education Academic Portfolio) is a reflective tool to support the implementation of the framework. It combines aspects of two earlier ECML publications, EPOSTL and PEPELINO.

Link	www.tellproject.org/
Focus / content	The TELL framework describes the behavior of foreign language teachers, in obligatory schooling and beyond.
Objective / structure	The framework contains descriptors of teacher behaviour (performance) in seven areas. The two areas Planning and Environment are subsumed under the heading ‘Preparing for student learning’. Three areas belong to ‘Advancing student learning’: The Learning Experience, Performance & Feedback, and Learning Tools. Finally, the areas Collaboration and Professionalism are assigned to Supporting Student Learning.
Target group	Foreign language (“world language”) teachers in the US
Institution / authorship	TELL Project Advisory Board / AdvancedLearning
Date	2010
Languages	English
Further information and comments	Unlike many other frameworks, the descriptors focus on the teachers’ observable behaviour (e.g. their actions) rather than the competences, including (occasionally) the behaviour of the target language learners (e.g. in the classroom). The website also contains a number of additional documents, including forms for self-assessment, feedback to teachers, further reading, and correlations to other frameworks.

Link	http://boardcertifiedteachers.org/sites/default/files/ECYA-WL.pdf
Focus / content	An official set of standards covering 9 areas of competence including knowledge of students, the language, the culture, language acquisition, the learning environment, curriculum and planning, assessment, reflection and professionalism, which are designed to guide teachers working in the US national school education system.
Objective / structure	The standards are designed to underpin the voluntary national certification system for teachers with at least 3 years’ experience. Each standard is summarized in a brief statement ‘expressed in terms of observable teacher actions that have an impact on students’ and accompanied by a much longer ‘explanation of ‘what teachers need to know, value, and do if they are to fulfil the standard’.
Target group	Teachers of world languages, especially those seeking certification, and assessors of these teachers
Institution / authorship	The US National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Date	2010
Languages	English
Further information and comments	The standards cover an important range of competences relevant to language teachers, with an emphasis on knowledge and attitudes.

Link	www.nordvux.net/Portals/0/_dokumenter/2013/english_brochure_for_copying.pdf
Focus / content	This framework describes the competence of a professional teacher of initial and functional literacy (reading and writing as social practices) to adults whose mother tongue is not a Nordic language.
Objective / structure	Focus on literacy, languages across the curriculum, teaching methodology, language acquisition, learning psychology and sociology, teachers’ development and professionalism, reflection and self-assessment by the teacher, capitalising on linguistic and (socio)cultural resources of the learner, attention to learners’ individual needs, education for democratic values, social inclusion. The framework is divided in six competence areas which are concretized by several descriptors organised in two categories: knowledge; and skills and actions.
Target group	Teachers and teacher educators, textbook authors and publishers, curriculum developers
Institution / authorship	Alfarädet (Nordic Adult Literacy Network), https://nvl.org/Portals/0/_dokumenter/2013/english_brochure_for_copying.pdf Authors from several institutions: Norwegian Agency for Lifelong Learning; Ministry of Children and Education, Denmark; VoksenUddannelsescenter Fredriksberg, Denmark; Institute for Swedish as a Second Language, University of Gothenburg; National Centre for Swedish as a Second Language, University of Stockholm; National Board of Education, Finland; University of Iceland, Reykjavik; University of the Faroe Islands.
Date	2013
Languages	English
Further information and comments	Each descriptor is linked to specific parts of the curriculum. The formulation is clear and understandable. The instrument can serve as a tool for reflection and includes descriptors for teacher education programs and research.

Link	www.ecml.at/Portals/1/CCO-CRF_2007.pdf
Focus / content	A competence framework for foreign language teachers in primary school to accompany a four-week course/placement.
Objective / structure	To promote target setting, self-assessment and formative assessment during the placement of primary teachers on four-week exchange courses. Four areas of competence are dealt with: professional values, pedagogy and practice, linguistic competence, and intercultural understanding. These are set in three progressive stages: observation, implementation and evaluation in a spiral format indicating steps that involve review and reflection.
Target group	Organisers of exchange courses for foreign language teachers, foreign language teachers participating in exchange courses.
Institution / authorship	Ministères de l’Éducation nationale et de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, France; Department for Children, Schools and Families, England & Wales; IUFM (former denomination of pre-service teacher education college, now ESPE), France; Training and Development Agency for Schools and Higher Education Institutions, UK.
Date	2007
Languages	French and English (one bilingual document)
Further information and comments	A simple but innovative example of a competence framework that is restricted to a specific context. The use of the spirals covering the four areas of competence progressively through observation, implementation and evaluation is innovative and insightful. The link between these spirals and the lists of competences in the appendices enables the Framework to be used as a source for course design.

Link	www.caslt.org/en/boutique-en/portfolio-for-teachers-en
Focus / content	The portfolio is a self-assessment tool for language teachers’ target language and intercultural competences.
Objective / structure	Based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and the European Language Portfolio (ELP), the Canadian Language Portfolio for Teachers is an instrument for foreign language teachers’ self-assessment of their (target) language and intercultural competences, as well as strategies for language use and language learning. Like the ELP, the portfolio contains a ‘passport’ and an ‘autobiography’ section for an overview of the owner’s linguistic biography, detailed checklists for the auto-evaluation of different competences, and a dossier to file further documents.
Target group	Foreign language teachers
Institution / authorship	Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers
Date	2011
Languages	English, French
Further information and comments	Unlike most related instruments, the Canadian portfolio allows users to self-assess linguistic aspects of their competences, such as their range of vocabulary or the grammatical accuracy of their speech and writing. For language competences, the portfolio reproduces generic language competence descriptors from the CEFR at different levels, and then complements them with a task-specific descriptor that is related to language teaching. For level C1 and above, these descriptors typically describe activities in (continuing) education rather than classroom language.
Further reading
Examples of use in practice	For this instrument, the project team has collected one or more examples of use in practice.

Focus / content	Key competences needed by instructors working in workplace environments.
Objective / structure	A visual map divided into four main areas showing the relevant competences: Planning training; Instruction and assessing learning; Assessing students’ competences; Personal professional development. Intended for use as a self-assessment tool and to facilitate the identification of additional professional training needs.
Target group	Adult education trainers providing training on workplace environments
Institution / authorship	Heljä Hätönen (Educa-Instituutti Oy) Published by the Finnish National Board of Education Funded by the Finnish National Board of Education
Date	2014
Languages	English, Finnish, Russian
Further information and comments	Attractive design and very flexible adaptation of the descriptors to the diverse working environments of trainers. However, intended for use only by trainers providing training in workplaces. The appendix contains useful self-assessment forms and maps.
Further reading
Examples of use in practice

Link	www.baleap.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/teap-competency-framework.pdf www.baleap.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/TEAP-Scheme-Handbook-2014.pdf
Focus / content	The documents provide a description of competences needed by teachers of EAP, especially those working in the UK, as well as a scheme for enabling such teachers to gain a specialized qualification in EAP.
Objective / structure	The Competency Framework is descriptive summary of the main competences needed by teachers of EAP. It covers competences related to: Academic practice – contexts, disciplinary differences, academic discourse, personal learning; EAP students – their needs, critical thinking, student autonomy; Curriculum development – syllabus and programme development, text processing and production; Programme implementation – teaching practices, assessment practices. It provides summary statements for each area and detailed descriptors divided between ‘knowledge’ and ‘ability’, accompanied by indicators, i.e. means of identifying the competences described. The Handbook (developed later) provides a formal scheme for voluntary qualification and formalizes the competence requirements of EAP teachers using the BALEAP scheme to ‘qualify’ as ‘Associate Fellows’, ‘Fellows’ or ‘Senior Fellows’ of the Association.
Target group	EAP teachers with different levels of experience
Institution / authorship	The British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes (BALEAP)
Date	2008 (Framework), 2014 (Handbook)
Languages	English
Further information and comments	A specialized but limited scheme that has been carefully thought through and is designed to enable teachers of English to develop their competences in EAP.

Link	http://archive.ecml.at/mtp2/Iccinte/html/ICC_E_pdesc.htm
Focus / content	Training teacher educators to incorporate the theory and practice of intercultural communication and to develop teaching materials that promote intercultural learning.
Objective / structure	The booklet is divided in two sections: Teaching ICC (Theoretical background, Planning workshops, Materials); Assessing ICC (Conceptual framework, Assessing the three dimensions of ICC (Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills), Methods, Steps, Levels of performance for final assessment. It is accompanied by a CD-Rom including a theoretical background and research articles, course planning guidelines; teaching materials; tasks for assessment and descriptors of competences.
Target group	Teachers and teacher educators or mentors (school-based supervisors / trainers of trainee teachers)
Institution / authorship	ECML project Editors: Ildikó Lázár with Martina Huber-Kriegler, Denise Lussier, Gabriela Matei, Christiane Peck
Date	2007
Languages	English, French
Further information and comments	A valuable attempt to define levels of ICC for curricula and assessment, both in teacher education/development and for the target learners. Clarity and simplicity of approach.

Link	http://clil-cd.ecml.at/Portals/24/flashfiles/index3.html
Focus / content	The European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education is focused on the competences necessary to teach content subjects and an additional language in an integrated manner.
Objective / structure	This macro-framework identifies the target professional competences: CLIL fundamentals, content and language awareness, methodology and assessment, classroom management, learning resources and environments, research and evaluation. It is divided into eight thematic domains which are concretized by several descriptors. Each descriptor is linked to parts of professional development modules.
Target group	Teachers and teacher educators, curriculum developers, national/regional education administrators, textbook authors and publishers, certification authorities
Institution / authorship	European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe David Marsh, University of Jyväskylä, Finland María Jesús Frigols Martín, Conselleria de Cultura, Educación y Deporte de la Generalitat Valenciana, Spain Peeter Mehisto, Expert, Estonia Dieter Wolff, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Germany
Date	2011
Languages	German, English, French
Further information and comments	This framework gives a global overview about CLIL-teacher competences and can be adapted to different contexts. Each descriptor is linked to specific parts of the curriculum. The formulation is clear and understandable. The instrument can serve as a tool for reflection and includes descriptors for research (action research and evaluation).

Link	www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/17817415/language-in-content-instruction-lici-project
Focus / content	This is a general guide to teaching CLIL, covering areas such as learning language in content instruction, vocabulary learning and teaching, the role of grammar, teaching language skills, thinking skills, learning strategies, task-based instruction, and assessment in CLIL.
Objective / structure	A teacher’s handbook (rather than a framework) that offers practical support for language teachers involved in the teaching of other subjects.
Target group	Teachers working in CLIL at primary secondary and tertiary level, as well as teacher trainers, and trainees
Institution / authorship	EU project involving eight institutions, coordinated by the University of Turku, Finland
Date	2009
Languages	English, French, and German
Further information and comments	The Handbook does not list learner competences but offers guidance to teachers on how to develop these competences, including suggested learning activities and resources. A DVD containing support materials and videos of teaching was produced as part of the project.

Link	https://rm.coe.int/a-handbook-for-curriculum-development-and-teacher-training-the-languag/16806af387 (appendix 3)
Focus / content	An aid for personal reflection by teachers of all subjects about the language demands implicit in the different subjects and the extent to which these are taken into account in their teaching.
Objective / structure	Lists of descriptors divided into six areas 1. Transparency of language requirements in setting up attainment targets and tasks for subject-specific learning; 2. Use of language by the subject teacher; 3. Classroom interaction and opportunities for the students to speak; 4. Scaffolding academic discourse skills, strategies and genres; 5. Linguistic appropriateness of materials (texts, different media, teaching/learning materials); 6. Linguistic aspects of evaluating academic language and content achievement
Target group	Policy-makers, teacher educators and teachers of all subjects
Institution / authorship	Jean-Claude Beacco, Mike Fleming, Francis Goullier, Eike Thürmann, Helmut Vollmer, with contributions by Joseph Sheils
Date	2016
Languages	English, French (German)
Further information and comments	The six lists of descriptors, expressed as first person behaviours, include many examples of language use and references to the language competences related to subject teaching that invite teachers to reflect on the ways in which they help learners to develop the language-related competences they need.
Further reading	An extended version of this checklist has been published in German: Thürmann E. and Vollmer H.J. (2012),“Schulsprache und Sprachsensibler Fachunterricht: Eine Checkliste mit Erläuterungen”, in Röhner C. and Hövelbrinks B. (eds.), Fachbezogene Sprachförderung in Deutsch als Zweitsprache, Juventa, Weinheim, pp. 212-233.

Link	www.ecml.at/pepelino
Focus / content	A tool for personal reflection on professional competences for students who are embarking on initial training to become pre-primary educators, focusing on the plurilingual and intercultural dimension of work with pre-primary children.
Objective / structure	This is a portfolio for individual reflection about professional development and competences for people working with or preparing to work with pre-primary children.
Target group	Pre-primary student teachers undergoing initial teacher education and practicing teachers
Institution / authorship	European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) of the Council of Europe
Date	2015
Languages	English, French, German
Further information and comments	This Portfolio encourages reflection on the degree to which language-related and intercultural teaching competences are being acquired. It promotes reflection as a key means of furthering one’s own professional learning. It underlines the complementarity of attitudes, knowledge and skills
Further reading	Frequently asked questions about Pepelino (www.ecml.at/pepelino)

Link	https://profils-langues.ch/en
Focus / content	The Profiles describe the language competences needed for foreign language teaching.
Objective / structure	The Profiles contain profession-related target language competences of foreign language teachers in five domains: preparation, teaching, feedback and assessment, extracurricular learning (e.g. mobility and exchange projects), and teacher education / development. It exists in two largely overlapping versions for foreign language teaching at primary and secondary level.
Target group	Foreign language teachers
Institution / authorship	Working group of Swiss teacher educators from three language regions, funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture
Date	2013
Languages	French, German, Italian, English
Further information and comments	Some additional instruments include pedagogical scenarios, recommendations for the implementation in different contexts, and instruments for self-assessment and evaluation The resource has a clear focus on language competences, and lends itself for combination with other instruments, e.g. frameworks for didactic competences.
Examples of use in practice	The Swiss Profiles have been piloted and developed further in the context of this ECML project.

Link	www.ciep.fr/sources/bibil/2006/novembre/regards.htm#elaboration
Focus / content	The instrument describes teacher competences for bilingual education, distinguishing between different teacher roles (language vs. subject teachers).
Objective / structure	The competence framework was written in the context of French-Polish bilingual schools in Poland. It distinguishes between common competences for all teachers, and specific competences for French as a subject, and non-linguistic subjects taught in French. It uses a distinction between teacher’s savoirs, savoir-faire, and savoir-être that correspond to different missions, such as classroom teaching, cooperation with stakeholders, and the teacher’s lifelong development. The notion of collaboration between different teachers for projects of bilingual learning is highlighted in a separate section of the document (Partie IV).
Target group	Teachers of French as foreign language, and French-language subjects
Institution / authorship	Frédérique Moreau, Centre de linguistique appliquée de Besançon, Université de Franche-Comté
Date	2006
Languages	French
Further information and comments	The instrument can serve as a valuable model for contexts of bilingual education / CLIL both in the area of the teachers’ necessary language competences, and further domains.

Link	www.miriadi.net/en/refdic
Focus / content	REFDIC is a list of teaching competences related to intercomprehension across five Latin languages which has three main dimensions: policy and ethics; communication and language; and education and teaching.
Objective / structure	The list contains descriptors of the competences in question introduced by explanatory texts concerning the aims, the rationale and materials available.
Target group	Teacher educators, teachers, and authors of teaching programmes and teaching materials
Institution / authorship	Institutions participating in the EU MIRIADI project (www.miriadi.net/): Ana Isabel Andrade, Filomena Martins and Ana Sofia Pinho (University of Aveiro), in collaboration with Maddalena De Carlo (Università di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale), and Mathilde Anquetil (University of Macerata). ICT aspects: Maria José Loureiro (University of Aveiro).
Date	2015
Languages	English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish
Further information and comments	A useful Instrument covering various important competence areas relevant to pluralistic approaches. It demonstrates the usefulness of relating teacher competences to learner competences in the same domain, i.e. REFIC, the framework of communicative competences in intercomprehension. Accompanied by suggested teaching and assessment activities in various related
Further reading	De Carlo M. (2015), Miriadi, Prestazione 4.4 – Expérimentation des réalisations – rapport. (www.miriadi.net/sites/default/files/prestation_4.4.pdf)
Examples of use in practice	Miriadi, Prestazione 4.4 – Expérimentation des réalisations – rapport. (www.miriadi.net/sites/default/files/prestation_4.4.pdf)

Link	http://tplusm.net/CLIL_Competences_Grid_31.12.09.pdf
Focus / content	The instrument describes competences for introducing and conducting content and language-integrated learning (CLIL).
Objective / structure	The teacher competences are divided into two main sections: “Underpinning CLIL” and “Setting CLIL in motion”. The sections are subdivided into “areas of competence” (for example Second Language Acquisition), the respective competences (for example applying second language acquisition knowledge in the classroom), and “indicators of competence” (for example “can support students in navigating and learning new words, terms, idioms and discourse structures”).
Target group	CLIL educators and teachers
Institution / authorship	Pat Bertaux, Carmel Mary Coonan, María Jesús Frigols-Martín, Peeter Mehisto / CLIL Cascade Network (CCN)
Date	2010
Languages	EN
Further information and comments	The framework describes a broad and useful variety of pedagogic competences, but also organizational competences, for example for the implementation of new curricula informed by CLIL.

Link	www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards
Focus / content	The “Australian Professional Standards for Teachers” is a generic national standard for school teachers’ initial training, professional development and career progression.
Objective / structure	Addresses the competences of all teachers, not only those concerned with languages. Covers professional knowledge, professional practice and professional engagement. Descriptors are organised in subsections of the above three categories and are structured across four professional career stages: ‘graduate’, ‘proficient’, ‘highly accomplished’ and ‘lead’. They are linked to 325 ‘illustrations of practice’ on video.
Target group	Teachers, school leaders, teacher educators, teacher organisations, professional associations and the public
Institution / authorship	The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL)
Date	2011
Languages	English
Further information and comments	Much of its content is relevant to language teaching. It is an outstanding example of a framework that is part of a whole programme for teachers. It is linked to professional development and certification as well as to ‘illustrations of practice’ on video. It includes familiarisation activities, a self-assessment tool, and app.
Further reading	Resources: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/unpacking-and-implementing-the-australian -professional-standards-for-teachers

Link	https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/2013_INTASC_Learning_Progressions_for_Teachers.pdf
Focus / content	The InTASC (Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium) standards are an American competence framework for the initial education and lifelong development of teachers of all subjects in obligatory school.
Objective / structure	The standards are organized in ten dimensions, which are assigned to four categories: the learner, learning environments, instructional practice, and professional responsibility. Within each dimension, a distinction is made between the teacher’s performances, the underlying essential knowledge, and the related critical dispositions.
Target group	Teachers in obligatory schooling (‘K-12’) in the United States
Institution / authorship	Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) of the Council of Chief State School Officers (USA)
Date	2011 (original publication)
Languages	English
Further information and comments	The 2013 version of the instrument contains progressions, i.e. three levels of increasing competence in the different standards. The progressions are accompanied by a description of typical professional learning opportunities for teachers to advance in these areas.

Link	www.et-foundation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/new-overarching-standards-for-ttt-in-lifelong-learning-sector.pdf
Focus / content	A set of interrelated descriptors of values, professional knowledge and understanding, and ‘professional practice’. The standards are designed to aid the development of a qualification system for teachers and trainers working in adult lifelong learning.
Objective / structure	The above sets of descriptors are divided into six ‘domains’: Professional values and practice; Learning and teaching; Specialist learning and teaching; Planning for learning; Assessment for learning; Access and progression.
Target group	Organisations involved in providing courses for lifelong learning in the UK
Institution / authorship	Lifelong Learning UK
Date	2006
Languages	English
Further information and comments	A rich list of descriptors aimed to provide a basis for qualification unrelated to means of acquiring the competences specified. The clear layout indicates how the values, knowledge and professional skills specified relate to one another.

Link	www.spm-ram.org/conteudo/ficheiros/legislacao/ecd/DL204-2001_30Ago.pdf
Focus / content	The General Profile of Professional Competences, the general framework for Portuguese teachers, gives a global overview about teacher competences.
Objective / structure	The objectives concern mainly following aims: teacher’s development and professionalism, teaching and learning, methodology and assessment, learning resources and environments, attention to learners’ needs, research and evaluation, education for democratic values. The Profile is subdivided into four main dimensions: The professional, social and ethic dimension; Development of teaching and learning; Participation in school activities and links to the community; Long life professional development.
Target group	Teachers and teacher educators, national/regional education administrators and evaluators, certification authorities
Institution / authorship	INAFOP (National Institute of Teacher Education and Accreditation), under the responsibility of the Portuguese Ministry of Education
Date	2001
Languages	Portuguese
Further information and comments	This framework has a special focus on inclusive teaching in different contexts, and taking the learners’ repertoires in to account. The instrument can serve as a tool for reflection. It includes descriptors for education in general and research in education. The formulation is clear and understandable. The framework can be adapted to different contexts.

Link	www.education.gouv.fr/cid73215/le-referentiel-de-competences-des-enseignants-au-bo-du-25-juillet 2013.html
Focus / content	A set of standards listing the attitudes, knowledge and skills needed for the teaching of all subject and for the roles of other personnel in education and training in France.
Objective / structure	The list is divided into sections covering: Competences required by all teachers and other staff in the education system; Competences required by all teachers; Competences required specifically by teachers working in roles related to educational and library resources; Competences required specifically by those working in advisory and counselling roles in schools.
Target group	Teachers and educators in the educational system, teacher education institutions and those in charge of validating the provision of teacher education
Institution / authorship	French Ministry of Education
Date	July 2013
Languages	French
Further information and comments	The focus is on ethical and pedagogic principles common to all members of the education professions irrespective of subject area. The standards include competence in the language of schooling (French) and the ability to use another language as required by the job. The standards are followed by an interview with the then Director General of School Education on the training and development of the teachers of tomorrow.
Further reading
Examples of use in practice