Improving English language teaching and learning in Portugal: an integrated approach UCETAM BICULTURAL-BILINGUAL CONGRESS University of Alcalá, 17 th April 2015 Helder Sousa

Overview An integrated approach: enhancing teaching and learning standards; social, economic and educational expected impacts Project background: why a Key for Schools (KfS) test at the end of the 9 th grade (2014)? Project funding: 2014 and future perspectives Main findings: Test results (2014) and other findings Conclusion: impact and future perspectives

Cambridge English for Schools PORTUGAL The project: an integrated approach − concept and main objectives Teaching and learning EFL improvement Placing Speaking in the centre of the learning process: replacing «perfection» for «communication» Students’ large scale certification with a strong international recognition (full cohort certification) Large scale training programmes for teachers English language proficiency certification as a tool for Portuguese global economic competitiveness

Why a KfS test at the end of the 9 th grade? A strong social, political and educational awareness of the importance of English learning in Portugal The need for an internationally acknowledged language proficiency certification accessible to all students The impact of portuguese students’ performance in Surveylang (2012) CEFR levels Below A1A1A2B2 Students (%)

The role of external assessment in the Portuguese educational system: major goals to achieve with a large scale external assessment in English 1. To have a diagnosis of the full cohort of students at the end of the 9 th grade (final year of ISCED 2) 2. To develop a comprehensive teacher training programme 3. To have an internationally acknowledged foreign language proficiency certification accessible to all students in Portugal, regardless of their social or economic background or place of living 4. To create an opportunity to include Speaking in a large external assessment context in Portugal for the first time in more than 40 years

Project funding: an innovative approach and future perspectives The impact of the economic crisis (2012/2013) and the sponsorship approach Parents’ commitment to enroll their children for the certificate The test is compulsory for 9 th grade students, but certification is optional The test is optional for non 9 th grade students, but certification is compulsory

Sponsors financial support Support educational programmes Scenario B Certificates fees Cambridge English fee ≥ < Certificates fees Cambridge English fee Sponsors financial support Scenario A The funding scheme 2014: the sponsors − 4 leading companies and 1 foundation Future perspectives − from private to public funding

Main findings: Test results (2014) and other findings 2014 KfS results: strengths and weaknesses The test was delivered in 1,325 schools (both public and private 106,705 students took the test: 9 th grade students − 92% (compulsory); 6 th, 7 th and 8 th grade students −3% (optional) 10 th to 12 th grade students − 5% (optional) 3,954 speaking sessions

Results for 9 th grade students by level of proficiency according to CEFR 2014 KfS results: strengths and weaknesses To reduce the percentage of students below A1 and A1 (almost 50%) is the most challenging task in the years to come

2014 KfS results: strengths and weaknesses Results for 9 th grade students by score class in English (bars) and normal score distribution of Portuguese and Maths exams (red line) The percentage of students with more than 80% (borderline to B1 level) gives us a positive perspective of a possible increase of B1 students in a near future and also sustain our option to move to a Preliminary English Test (PET) for Schools in 2015

Results by test component (skill) (9 th grade studen ts) 2014 KfS results: strengths and weaknesses As expected, globally, speaking is the weakest skill and listening is the strongest one, considering good or exceptional performances … … which might facilitate a rapid and sustainable increase in speaking standards, and therefore also a general upgrade of global scores

Students performance by region and Skill 2014 KfS results: strengths and weaknesses

Results according to certificate enrollment − 9 th grade students (19,5% of total 9 th grade students enrolled for the certificate) compared to years olds of the rest of the world

Heads, teachers, students and parents’ perspectives and attitudes towards English teaching, learning and certification (some data from the impact study report) Should schools prepare students to enter the labour market with the required level of English skills? (%) 2014 Impact Study: main findings

Perceived use of class time by teachers and students

Teachers’ responses to: 'Most students want to have an English certificate at B1 or higher.'

Aspirational level reported by pupils and parents A2 B1 B2 C1 C2

Strongest skill and skill most in need of improvement Receptive and productive skills, a large gap regarding self confidence, performance and need of improvement

1.Feasibility of a large scale external speaking assessment 2.Putting English learning on the top of the educational agenda 3.Increasing teaching opportunities and quality training programmes 4.Improving results regarding Surveylang … but still having Speaking as the weakest skill when it comes to students’ performance 5.Evidence of a breakthrough over a negative attitude on speaking teaching and learning in classroom context 6.Evidence of an increasing commitment to improve teaching: the positive impact of external assessment Conclusion: impact anf future perspectives

7.Future steps Moving forward from KfS to PET at the 9 th grade (2015) FCE at the end of upper secondary (ISCED 3) (11 th or 12 th grade) in a near future (2017 or 2018?) 8.Curricular changes: English became a compulsory subject since 3 rd grade (2016) – 7 years of compulsory schooling in English, from primary to the end of lower secondary (ISCED 2) Conclusion: impact anf future perspectives

Thank you!