Preparing teachers to use the European Language Portfolio – arguments, materials and resources (Book + CD-Rom)

Launched by the Council of Europe, the European Language Portfolio (ELP) has rapidly become one of the most influential instruments in the reform of language teaching and learning practice in Europe. This publication is aimed at language teacher educators and language teachers who are preparing to use the ELP with their learners. It is the result of an ECML project "Training teachers to use the European Language Portfolio" carried out in the Centre's 2004-2007 programme. The booklet: • provides a summary description of the ECML project; • introduces the ELP and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR); • explains the pedagogical potential of the ELP; • discusses the implications of the CEFR and the ELP for language teacher education, reporting on experience in Switzerland and Finland. The accompanying CD-Rom contains: • PowerPoint presentations, group work activities and discussion tasks to be used in training events for teachers; • additional materials and activities developed by members of the project team for particular national contexts; • reports on a series of training events that took place in ECML member states in the framework of the project; • key Council of Europe documents and a number of research studies related to the ELP.