cohesion - European Centre for Modern Languages

There can be no doubt that this will also be the case with the projects involving training
in the use of the ELP. This tool, which, on the face of it, seems well-known among all
teachers, is struggling to make headway in most education systems (IMPEL and
ELP_TT projects).
The ECML’s second medium-term programme includes a number of projects involving
the establishment of a discussion framework concerning the presence of languages in
education systems (in various forms). These projects, which also identify best practices
for diversifying language teaching in schools (VALEUR project, ENSEMBLE project),
will undoubtedly generate great interest among French teachers.
Our Federation’s members will certainly be willing customers for all ECML
publications offering practical tools which they can use in their training (LEA, Train
Ed projects).
Teacher trainers will welcome with great enthusiasm the European Portfolio for
Student Teachers of Languages, which was based on the FTE project, especially since
teacher training (both in-service and initial) in innovative approaches is one of the
federation’s priority objectives.
The FIPF’s members include teachers from all categories. They will therefore be
interested both in more theoretical projects or research projects (such as ALC, the
project to establish a framework of competences to support plurilingual and
pluricultural approaches, and TEMOLAYOLE, for teaching modern languages to
young learners) and in projects aimed directly at teachers working in the classroom
(such as the Gulliver and BLOGS projects, which promote interactive learning of
intercultural competence through the use of educational ICT).
The need for materials to expand intercultural competence, whose importance is no
longer questioned by teacher trainers, is making itself felt in most countries. National
authorities will therefore be very pleased to be able to draw on the practical activities
offered in certain projects (ICCinTE, LEA and ICOPROMO).
In many of our Federation’s member countries, bilingual education, involving courses
of particularly high standards, is a source both of pride and also of many concerns.
Specialists in this area are undoubtedly eagerly awaiting the quality matrix proposed
under the CLILmatrix project. Teachers in this area, who often lack teaching materials
suited to their pupils’ levels and capable of capturing their attention, will be able to
draw upon projects involving innovative approaches to language teaching such as the
language case studies of the LCaS project.
The Federation, which has many communication tools, including websites (three FIPF
sites* consulted worldwide, sites of the committees and member associations) and
publications (publications of the FIPF** and associations), can play a large part in
helping to disseminate the results of projects conducted by the ECML.
The national and regional congresses and, above all, the World Congress to be held in
Quebec in 2008 offer excellent opportunities for promoting the ECML’s activities. The
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