Council of Europe

Language Policy Division
Division des Politiques linguistiques

Tuesday 6 February 2007

8.00 – 9.45

Registration: Main entrance of the Palais de l’Europe

10.00

Plenary – Assembly Chamber
Official opening: Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Mady Delvaux-Stehres, Minister of National Education and of Vocational Training, Luxembourg
Marc Foucault, Director of European and International Relations and Co-operation, Representative of the Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research, France
Gabriele Mazza, Director of School, Out-of-School and Higher Education, DGIV, Council of Europe
The multilingualism policy of the EU: new perspectives : H. Hartung, Head of Unit ‘Multilingualism Policy’ of the European Commission
Introduction to the aims and objectives of the Forum: : J. Sheils, Head of the Language Policy Division and J. Panthier, Administrator, Council of Europe

11.15

Break (Refreshments offered by the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research, France)

Chair : M. Byram
12.00
12.15

Plenary - Assembly Chamber
Council of Europe Language Education Policy and the CEFR: J.C. Beacco
Using the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

The CEFR in the Netherlands: E. Van Hest (Powerpoint) + document)
The CEFR in Catalonia in adult language teaching: adaptation of curricula and certification: N. Figueras
From the CEFR to the European Language Portfolio : D. Little (Powerpoint) + (document)

13.30

Lunch

Tuesday 6 February (afternoon)

Chair: W. Martyniuk
15.30

15.50

Plenary - Assembly Chamber
The CEFR and the common reference levels: validated reference points and local strategies: B. North

Document: The CEFR Common Reference Levels: validated reference points and local strategies(B. North)
Document: Relating Language Examinations to the CEFR: Introduction and feedback from the pilot phase

Results of a survey on the use and impact of the CEFR: J. Noijons and W. Martyniuk
Introduction to Group Work

Questions for Working Groups on Evaluation 
Questions for Working Groups on Curricula and Teacher training

16.20

Break (Refreshments offered by CITO, the Netherlands)

16.50

Group Work - Session 1 on needs in using the CEFR – introduced by case studies

Group 1 and 2 : Evaluation  Room 6

o Links between tests and diplomas in French as a foreign language and the CEFR: C. Tagliante
o Mapping the Dutch foreign-language examinations onto the CEFR: H. Kuijper and J. Noijons 
o Using the CEFR for assessing language competences in Finland: S. Takala
[Presentation of case studies to both groups together in Room 6; the groups then separate: Group 1 : Room 6
Group 2 : Room 7]
Groups 3 and 4 : Curricula and Teacher Training  Room 3
The scenario: a tool for language education policies – Aosta Valley, Italy: M. Cavalli (Powerpoint) (document)
o Revision of modern languages programmes in the light of the CEFR in France : G. Gaillard
o Use of the CEFR in teacher training in the Netherlands: D. Meijer
o Use of the CEFR in teacher training in Poland: H. Komorowska

[Presentation of case studies to both groups together in Room 3; the groups then separate: Group 3 : Room 3
Group 4 : Room 2]

19.00

RECEPTION hosted by the Permanent Representation of France to the Council of Europe – Salon bleu

Wednesday 7 February 2007– Assembly Chamber

Chair : J. Sheils
10.00
10.45
11.00
11.20

Plenary - Assembly Chamber
Reports on Group Work
Discussion
The European Indicator of Language Competence: O. Bjerkestrand, European Commission
The promotion of the CEFR in the activities of the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML), Graz (Austria): S. Slivensky
Language Policies for Democratic Citizenship and Social Inclusion: J. Sheils

11.30

Break (Refreshments offered by CITO, the Netherlands)

Chair : J. Noijons
12.00

12.20

Plenary - Assembly Chamber
The impact of the CEFR and the work of the Council of Europe on the new European education area: F. Goullier
Reactions and Discussion 

Introduction to Group Work: F. Goullier

Questions for Working Groups

13.15

Lunch

15.15

Group Work – Session 2 on mutual responsibilities in defining and implementing language policies based on the CEFR
Group 1 and 2 : Evaluation  Group 1: Room 6
Group 2: Room 7
Groups 3 and 4 : Curricula and Teacher Training Group 3: Room 3
Group 4: Room 2

16.45

Break (Refreshments offered by CITO, the Netherlands)

Chair: J. Panthier
17.15

The CEFR in a national context: D. Charbonnier (France)
The CEFR in a global context: : K. Kakazu (Japan), J. Bott Van Houten (United States of America) and L. Vandergrift / J. MacDonald (Canada)

18.00 – 18.45

Plenary - Assembly Chamber
Panel : Language Education Policy Profiles: the CEFR and related Council of Europe instruments applied to the analysis of language policies

Ch. Berg (Luxembourg [document]), ), S. Skapiene (Lithuania), G. Langé (Lombardy)
J. Berntzen (Norway), D. Coste (Council of Europe Rapporteur for Profiles)

Moderator: M. Byram

Thursday 8 February 2007

Chair : J.C. Beacco
9.00

9.45
10.15

Plenary – Assembly Chamber
Reports on Group Work
Discussion
Contextualising the use of the CEFR: D. Coste
The CEFR in relation to the policy objectives of the Council of Europe: J.L.M. Trim

10.30

Break

Chair : J. Panthier
11.00

12.00
12.45
13.00

Plenary – Assembly Chamber
Panel : Beyond levels towards plurilingual education
N. Figueras, L. King, H.J. Krumm, D. Little, H. Mulder, H. Vollmer
Moderator: J.C. Beacco
Conclusions du Forum: F. Goullier, Rapporteur
Closing: G. Battaini-Dragoni, Director General of DG IV - Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport
Departure of participants