Education and Languages, Language Policy

Documents formulating the position of the Council of Europe on language education policy  

Conventions:

Policy Recommendations and Resolutions:

Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

    Recommendation CM/Rec(2008)7E to member states on the use of the Council of Europe's “Common European Framework of Reference for Languages” (CEFR) and the promotion of plurilingualism (and Explanatory Memorandum
    Recommendation R (98) 6 based on the results of the CDCC Project ‘Language Learning for European Citizenship’ (1989 – 1996)
    Recommendation R (82)18 based on the results of the CDCC Project N° 4 (‘Modern Languages 1971-1981’)

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Standing Conference of European Ministers of Education

    Resolution on the European Language Portfolio adopted at the 20th Session of the Standing Conference (Cracow, Poland, October 2000)

Compilation of Council of Europe texts on the linguistic integration of adult migrants

MIGRANTS : Compilation (extracts) of official texts – Committee of Ministers, Parliamentary Assembly – Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Recommendation No. R (98) 6 encourages member states to promote widespread plurilingualism:

    · by encouraging all Europeans to achieve a degree of communicative ability in a number of languages;
    · by diversifying the languages on offer and setting objectives appropriate to each language;
    · by encouraging teaching programmes at all levels that use a flexible approach - including modular courses and those which aim to develop partial competences - and giving them appropriate recognition in national qualification systems, in particular public examinations;
    · by encouraging the use of foreign languages in the teaching of non-linguistic subjects (for example history, geography, mathematics) and creating favourable conditions for such teaching;
    · by supporting the application of communication and information technologies to disseminate teaching and learning materials for all European national or regional languages;
    · by supporting the development of links and exchanges with institutions and persons at all levels of education in other countries so as to offer to all the possibility of authentic experience of the language and culture of others;
    · by facilitating lifelong language learning through the provision of appropriate resources.