Dutch approach

2. Dutch approach The Dutch approach to implement the ELP Dick Meijer

3. Summary Dutch ELP-project • Since start very enthusiastic • Introducing and implementing looked to be 'a piece of cake' • Because of the aims and intentions of ELP • Almost all institutes were involved (exception: teacher trainers !!!) • Tried to develop 7 different portfolios (implementation strategy: all sectors should be involved)

4. Piloting ELPs • Different projects (e.g. border ELP in German) • Regulare meetings with teachers • Developing new descriptors • Developing learning activities

5. Conclusions after three years of piloting • So many different portfolios were not necessary • For the learners it was difficult to understand the descriptors (not used to look at foreign language learning that way) • Focussing on reporting function is not enough to implement ELP • Teachers need also to be 'owner' of the portfolio (involving them in new developments) • The ELP should be embedded in the curriculum

6. Dutch portfolios Validated portfolios: • 9+ pupils (primary schools) • 12+ pupils (lower secondary education) • 15+ pupils (upper secondary education) • Vocational education • Migrants Language portfolio for language teachers English in primary and lower secondary education

7. Accessibility for (young) learners • One conclusion was: descriptors are difficult to understand especially for (young) learners. • they did not always recognize communicative situations 'behind the descriptors' • they had difficulties to imagine foreign language situations if they are not used to go abroad

8. Consequences • If you want to implement the ELP, the problem of accessibility should be solved • The pedagogical role of the portfolio became more and more important • So: • we tried to find ways to make the portfolio more accessible to the 'users' • We developed series of language learning activities, linked to the descriptors (activities are concrete, realistic, imaginable, have an addressee)

9. Checklist • Checklist exists of descriptors and situations and explanations • It links to learning activities

10. Dutch portfolio is a 'complex' project • No stand alone activities: developing a common Dutch language portfolio website • Student/pupils: Portfolio - efficient learning activities • Textbook authors (a.o.): Portfolio - language profiles (series of concrete interpretations of descriptors in terms of can do-statements) • Schools: Portfolio and help for implementation (Focus on matching secondary and vocational education) • Implementation strategy: ad hoc by trying to solve problems

11. Implementation strategies • ELP for ‘everybody’ (now website) • Strong focus on pedagogical part • Involving teachers in school projects (at least two teachers) • Developing learning materials • Organizing workshops, seminars etc. • Articles written by professionals • Involvement of all pedagogical institutes • Maim aim: learning a language becomes interesting and effective • Focus on ongoing learning

12. Almost no quantitative targets • Research projects on two ELP projects • Budget pro year

13. Situation now

14. 20.000 users • 2.000 teachers • 18.000 learners • Implementing activities (bottom up): • Networks of schools • Publishers • Teacher training institutes • ELPs for all learners (primary till adult education) • Curriculum activities – ongoing learning, closing gap between schools and between upper and lower secondary

15. Workshop activity • Working in pairs to identify elements of relevance to your own practice (15 minutes) • Exchange information on implementation activities in a larger group (excluding teacher training activities) and identify the potentially most effective ones (30 minutes) • Coffee break (15.30) • First draft of an action plan related to own project (30 minutes) • Collect activities related to stakeholders and questions to the panel put them on posters (30 minutes)