1. ECML October 2017
Ireland

2. Context: Junior Cycle reform

3. Context: Ireland’s strategy for foreign languages in education 2017-2016
Supports for teaching and learning
1.C.10 Collaborate and facilitate dissemination of work carried out by the Council of Europe and the European Centre for Modern Languages to promote excellence in language education
1.C.16 Consult on the indicative table for CEFR levels so that agreement can be reached with the different partners in aligning achievement in Junior Cycle, Senior Cycle, and Higher Education with CEFR

4. Past experience
Hosted 3 RELANG workshops: June 2015, May 2017, December 2017,
Stakeholders: State exam commission, Junior Cycle for teachers team,
Inspectors, teachers educators across education levels.
Feedback
Relevant
Local
Expertise
Opportunities for discussion

5. Feedback
All presentations and workshops was very relevant to the new specifications that are coming on stream for the new Junior Cycle.
The materials are very useful and discussions gave lots of scope for further investigations in my language areas as part of the development of test items for changed courses
Very informative and relevant to my work and to the current changes in the curriculum for MFL at junior cycle. All aspects of languages proficiency were covered in detail.

6. Feedback
I appreciate the chance to engage in discussion with the ECML experts and with language colleagues from so many areas. It’s very rare for us to have the chance to be together to talk about language education over a couple of days, and the discussions and the experts’ input were most valuable
It helped us to engage with the CEFR on a different level. When you have to work with a document for a purpose, it brings a greater understanding. In the past, I have only read and looked at it, but not deployed it for a specific purpose. It was really interesting to use it to inform assessment thinking and planning.

7. Really insightful workshop
Really insightful workshop. The presenters did a great job in explaining and clarifying the CEFR to participants for the creation of tasks. Many thanks!
It was very informative; all teachers should receive this training.

8. Follow up
A follow up seminar to discuss implications of training for our context
Presentations at teacher conferences to familiarise teachers with the CEFR
Relating the Junior Cycle learning outcomes and assessment to CEFR descriptors
Preparing for Senior Cycle reform and aligning the new specification to the CEFR

9. 2019 Seminar objective For teachers
Acquire confidence that they understand how the broad alignment of the new Junior Cycle curriculum with the CEFR can be reflected in assessment
Acquire competence to create items that test students with proficiency on the A1/A2 bands of the CEFR
Acquire knowledge on the new ‘plus levels’ and the new ‘Pre-A1’ level and how they relate to teaching and learning
For other stakeholders
To explore the implications of the publication of the new Companion Volumen and how these relate to assessment.