EPOSTL/PSSLM an Instrument of Dynamic Self- · PDF filea cutting edge approach between training ... being a teacher is a complex job; 30 . EPOSTL 31 CONCLUSIONS ... cultural competencies

EPOSTL

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EPOSTL/PSSLM – an Instrument of Dynamic Self-

Assessment for Initial Teacher Education and

Practicing Teachers

dr. Anca-Mariana PEGULESCU

Bucharest University of Economic Studies

EPOSTL

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The Common European Framework of

Reference for Languages publication

favoured the appearance of:

several portofolios that have been meant

to become reliable working instruments;

different analysis studies, surveyes,

debate documents;

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What is the Common European Framework

of Reference for Languages needed for?

it refers to different languages, in different

countries, with different age ranges of

learners;

it makes easier to talk about language

levels and has imposed the notion of

communicative proficiency

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The CEFR is used for:

developing syllabuses;

creating tests for exams;

marking exams;

evaluating language learning needs;

designing courses;

developing learning materials;

describing language policies;

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It addresses itself to:

teachers;

examiners/assessors;

textbooks writers;

trainers;

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The European Portfolio for Student Teachers

of Languages is:

a reflection tool;

an assessment tool for in-service teacher

development;

a means to an end and not an end in itself;

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It has:

an informing function (the image of the

specific linguistic competence level);

a pedagogic function(the image of the

individual teaching competence progress

and self-evaluation);

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EPOSTL

An overview of English teaching areas in

Romania targets:

the primary level (6-10 olds);

the lower-secondary level ( 11-14 olds);

the upper/high-secondary level(15-18

olds);

the higher education (18-23 olds);

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EPOSTL

The quality of teachers’ education should

still imply:

support for autonomous professional

development;

continuous teaching competences

improvement;

team work in a multicultural setting;

digital literacy and use if ICT during

classes;

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EPOSTL

The student teacher should be viewed as the

sum of:

language knowledge and pedagogical

skills;

new conceptual ways of classroom

management;

action plans and experiments;

self-evaluation and reflection;

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EPOSTL

Language student teachers’ education in

Europe looks for:

common understanding and principles;

common challenges;

a cutting edge approach between training

and professional development;

new attitudes towards teaching skills:

teachers can decide which elements

should be incorporated into their teaching

and how;

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EPOSTL

EPOSTL in Romania has been used as a

‘pre’ and ‘while’ language training instrument

which presents:

a set of necessary teaching competences;

a number of practical guidelines;

the validation of a theoretical model;

maximizing the potential for the best

practice in ELT;

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EPOSTL

University methodologists as well as

Romanian mentors admitted that EPOSTL

focused on:

a quality assurance of the evaluation

practice;

a language teacher’s continuous

professional development;

a student teacher as an ELT research

practitioner;

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EPOSTL

EPOSTL is still viewed as a change and an

implementation instrument, taking into

account: a network of interrelated factors

(universities, school inspectorates,

schools);

the role of evaluation in English language

teaching;

student teachers’ interests;

social and cultural contexts of learning;

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EPOSTL

The innovative nature of the document

meant:

a change in both pre-service and in-

service teacher training design;

a joined-up thinking regarding the

teaching competences;

appropriate evaluation procedures;

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EPOSTL

In the 2012-2013 university/school year in

Romania, EPOSTL/PSSLM was used in:

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pre-service teacher education by the

University of Bucharest, the University

“Dimitrie Cantemir” in Bucharest, the

University “Vasile Alecsandri”, in Bacău,

the “ Transilvania University” in Brașov;

school teaching practice (120 schools);

in-service teacher education (by 210

mentors);

EPOSTL

Dissemination activities took place mainly:

at a national level (mentors’ conference,

RATE conference, workshops);

at an institutional level (universities and

Teaching Staff Houses as well as schools)

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EPOSTL

Further EPOSTL-related materials and

activities relevant to EPOSTL

teaching practice documents (lesson

plans, teaching competences descriptors);

masters’ dissertations;

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EPOSTL

Using EPOSTLE/PSSLM a double aim can

be attained:

make student teachers more independent

in their learning and less dependent on the

mentor;

give student teachers a sense of self-worth

and achievement;

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EPOSTL

Making EPOSTL/PSSLM better known will:

lead to the creation of a university supply

network which will shape independent

(future) teachers;

create a distance education training

course support;

re-build a theory of change and a frame

as a starting point for continuing

professional development;

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EPOSTL

How do student teachers

understand EPOSTL/PSSLM?

(from a Romanian mentor point of view)

as a useful guide and a self-evaluation

instrument at the beginning of their

teaching career;

a didactic handbook, displaying a

glossary of the most necessary terms in

language teaching and learning;

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the self –

evaluation is

facilitated;

student

teachers’

teaching

competences

are measured

according to

clearer criteria

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EPOSTL/

PSSLM

bridges the

dialogue

between

student

teachers, their

tutors and

mentors;

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I can create a

supportive

atmosphere that

invites learners to

take part in the

speaking activities/

Pot să creez o

atmosferă

încurajatoare care să-i

invite pe elevi să

participe …..

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I can understand

the requirements

set in national and

local curricula./ Pot

să înteleg cerințele

curriculum-ului

național și local

I can understand and

integrate the content of

European

documents(ex: CECR,

PEL) as appropriate in

my teaching/ Pot să

înțeleg și să integrez

conținutul……

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EPOSTL

Having translated the EPOSTL into

PSSLM, I could:

understand better the context (the

teaching process) the way drivers act and

what the end-users do;

work more constructively with partners

and colleagues (university methodologists,

language inspectors and mentors);

encourage learning and training

opportunities as well as collaborative

efforts; 29

EPOSTL

EPOSTL/PSSLM is not promoting a particular

methodology, it demonstrates how:

teaching can support learning;

a student teacher can become an effective

language teacher;

being a teacher is a complex job;

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CONCLUSIONS

EPOSTL

allows a student teacher time for planning,

design & implementation;

teaches student teachers how to be

transparent in their evaluation and build

consensus, trust and engagement;

makes evaluation itself a learning process;

monitor progress on a regular basis;

favours harmonising personal planning with

curricular objectives, according to the teaching

needs.

EPOSTL

EPOSTL made possible

ACTOSTL

ACTFL = American Council on the Teaching of Foreign

Languages

• NCATE = National Foreign Language Standards

Collaborative

• CAEP = Council for the Accreditation of Educator

Preparation

• ECML = European Centre for Modern Languages

• EPOSTL = European Portfolio for Student Teachers of

Languages

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EPOSTL

ACTOSTL has aimed to:

to highlight good practice for purposes of determining

high-leverage teaching practices;

to focus on effective development of communicative and

cultural competencies and assessment identified in both

frameworks;

to develop student and initial teachers’ ability to observe

and evaluate language teaching practices;

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EPOSTL

http://epostl2.ecml.at/

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References:

Newby, D. (ed.) (2012) Insights into the

European Portfolio for Student Teachers of

Languages. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars

Publishing.

Tagliante, Christine, L’évaluation et le Cadre

européen commun, nouvelle édition, CLE

International, coll. Techniques et pratiques de

classe, Paris, 2005

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Thank you!