ECEP - Encouraging the culture of evaluation among professionals (the case of language teachers)‏ For reinforcing the professionalism and the self-confidence of teachers (in evaluation/assessment, teaching…) Marie BERCHOUD‏

At the outset… ►►►is particularly spotted in evaluation / assessment… The ECML program 2008-2011, and… Our awareness of difficulties to teach now in the social, political, technological and human changes... ►►►is particularly spotted in evaluation / assessment… and in the use of European Common Framework (2001)

The project: context/aims Exploring new practices between contextualization and standardization : “Ne pas contextualiser revient toujours à accepter tel quel un instrument extérieur sans que pour autant rien d’autre ne change ” (Daniel Coste, Dialogues et cultures, 2007, p. 25)

The project: issue/aims (2) ‏ How to develop the professional pratices by and with the teachers in the different European countries (collecting the “good practices”) ? How to respect the diversity of cultural contexts and to harmonize the evaluation in Europe ?

Interesting questions! not only in Europe,but around the world For exemple... Presentation (27-28 may 2009 ) of our project ECEP and the ECML in the international Conference on languages in UITM Penang (Malaysia): participants very interested. ►►► they visited our CELV website !

European Framework/aims(3) Main aim : developing an initial and continual support in the culture of evaluation / in the evaluation itself for language teachers Keys-concepts (►glossary) : Reflective practice and self-efficacy Task-based approachs Positive evaluation

Specific objectives Collecting and considering the practical knowledge and contributions of the teachers on their practice in evaluation / assessment and the underlying culture Creating a theoretical and practical reference tool: Guide + Kit (cf. project website / workshop)

First results: what teachers think 1 - questionnaire and interviews with teachers in 4 countries (2008): = unity by the practices in the class; diversity in the institutions = increasing oral activities in the class = importance of the motivation for learning and teaching, and... = difficulties to link exams and duration of language learning

And what about teachers in training? preoccupations : how to explain well? How to communicate well with learners? experiential knowledge: importance to conceive the task well; importance of problematic situations.

In the « Focus groups » interest / distrust (or fear?) of the CEFR awareness of a common activity among language teachers: e.g. for formulation of instructions, grammatical terminology, and learning process Problem of the disciplinary division (teaching German, English, French...)

Now... The Guide + the kit To know the classroom practices better To respect and empower teachers To better link assessment and classroom practice To link better the CEFR and concrete practices Thanks for your attention!