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EOL-Matrix: parameters which leads to learning environments where modern languages flourish

ACTION PLAN FOR PARTNER SCHOOLS
Download in English
The matrix gives an overview over different fields and areas which might support schools developing learning environments where modern languages flourish. By matching 4 “environmental levels” with 5 dimensions of language learning, the matrix should help schools identifying new opportunities for and through languages.  The goal is modelling your school towards a language friendly learning environment. The matrix is a dynamic tool and will be tested and improved all the way through the 4 years of the EOL project. The matrix will be connected to a glossary and different tools and resources.

Download the Matrix in Greek - Spanish

 
  NANO : learner MICRO : class MESO : schools MACRO : system
1. Language and languages
operational dimension
1.1. Supporting language skills
1.2. Strengthening communicative skills
1.3. Setting up school communication policy based on languages
1.4. Fostering global language awareness
 
FOR - Language control (standards, variations, registers)
- Metalinguistics
- Flexible plurilingualism (dealing with a plurilingual repertoire)		 THROUGH - Discursive, reflexive skills
- Learning with others
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can help other students to develop language awareness 
Independent Can develop language awareness 
Elementary Can recognize similarities and differences between languages
Beginner Can find out how each language works
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Written and oral receptive strategies
- Writing and speaking strategies
- Crosslinguistic skills (intercomprehension)
- Pluriliteracy		 THROUGH - Multimodal, digital skills
- Sense and motivation
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can foster training sessions about intercultural communication for all
Independent Can stimulate communication in all subjects through foreign languages when culturally  relevant
Elementary Can value communication in all subjects
Beginner Can understand how communication impacts on content and knowledge
Guidelines   Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Language(s) of schooling and academic languages
- School code and home languages		 THROUGH - Friendly school climate
- Self fulfilment, self esteem
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can contribute to guidelines in language matter for school communication
Independent Can use multilingualism in school communication in order to create a positive school climate 
Elementary Can use home/heritage languages in school communication to be inclusive
Beginner Can find out that the language used in school communication might not reach every student/parent
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Managing one’s plurilingual and multicultural repertoire as a global language system THROUGH - Plurilingual skills
- Feeling of language safety
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can develop a global language school plan 
Independent Can develop language sensitive class in all subjects
Elementary Can support multilingual and intercultural classrooms
Beginner Can open spaces for multilingual and intercultural communication
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
2. Valuing languages
ethical dimension
2.1. Sensitizing learners towards languages
2.2. Evaluating and assessing
2.3. Setting up whole-school language policy
2.4. Ensuring and widening language diversity
 
FOR - Towards minority languages and L1
- Towards modern languages and language of schooling		 THROUGH - Language awareness /awakening and interest in learning languages
- Responsibility, sense of belonging, taking initiative
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can help others to value their multilingual repertoire
Independent Can show interest in further languages and cultures: regional, foreign or migration languages and cultures
Elementary Can respect the language repertoire of others
Beginner Can tell about my favorite language(s)
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Assessing language profiles
- Recognizing plurilingual repertoires		 THROUGH - Proficiency and evaluation : evaluation goals, evaluation to learn, to understand, to measure learning
- Self-esteem and feeling of fairness
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can assess intercultural and multilingual skills of others
Independent Can assess skills in order to establish a language profile of each student
Elementary Can give every student the opportunity to assess his language repertoire
Beginner Can value skills in all languages and understand hierarchy between languages
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Bringing together individual aims and collective goals
- High standing of school projects and structures		 THROUGH - Safe language environment
- Respect and trust towards adults
- Equal opportunities
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can share a global school language policy with all stakeholders
Independent Can engage all stakeholders to provide a positive learning environment for language
Elementary Can develop staff proficiency in language matters
Beginner Can communicate about projects, partnerships and networks
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Against hierarchy between languages
- Combining language offer and demand
- Guaranteeing high quality training		 THROUGH - Training diversity
- Responsibility
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can convince others that languages and cultures are essential for life diversity 
Independent Can develop a global  language education based on two foreign languages classes and other languages projects
Elementary Can set two foreign languages throughout the curriculum
Beginner Can bring all stakeholders in touch with various languages through language awakening training sessions
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
3. Interculturality
experience dimension
3.1. Learning with others
3.2. Implementing a sensitive approach to languages and cultures
3.3. Developing international networks
3.4. Enhancing interconnections for inclusion
 
FOR - Tandem with school partners
- Immersive, intercultural use of language ; language learning through mobility, immersion and intercultural mediation		 THROUGH - Intercultural competencies
- Democratic culture, sense of alterity
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can act as an expert of intercultural communication
Independent Can develop a project with  partners in order to support democratic life in school 
Elementary Can work on an intercultural project with partners
Beginner Can reach out to partners
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Language learning through arts: music, literature, paintings, photography, etc. THROUGH - Artistic and cultural education
- Transcendence,going beyond one’s limits
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can integrate language education and art education in a curricular perspective
Independent Can teach foreign languages through all arts and senses
Elementary Can combine multilingual and intercultural education
Beginner Can combine language and cultural education in order to make language teaching meaningfull
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Partnership and cooperation
- Individual and collective mobility programs
- Incoming and outgoing mobility		 THROUGH - Democratic Education
- Empathy and sense of alterity
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can develop school as a matrix for networks in education and research matter 
Independent Can develop a strategy responding to the needs of the school community
Elementary Can develop school partnerships for as many languages as possible
Beginner Can let the school open a window to the world through international contacts
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Widening the offer for professional development through partnerships  THROUGH - European integration
- Singularity and Solidarity
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Inclusion: can develop common intercultural language curricula in an international network
Independent Integration: can enrich language education through a multilingual partnership
Elementary Transfer: can learn languages  through an intercultural project with partners
Beginner Alterity: can find about the language and educational culture of a partner.
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
4. Enriching curricula
curricula based dimension
4.1. Valorizing language biographies and repertoires
4.2. Teaching languages for learning – interdisciplinarity
4.3. Ensuring cross curricular continuity
4.4. Promoting collective intelligence
 
FOR - One’s plurilingualism
- Other people’s plurilingualism		 THROUGH - Reflexive skills
- Self fulfilment
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can help others to develop and use their language proficiency
Independent Can develop a global language proficiency and self-assessment
Elementary Can use my language repertoire to learn further languages
Beginner Can explain and discuss my language biography
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Interdisciplinary projects / team-teaching
- Integrated (CLIL) or bilingual teaching
- Immersive or language sensitive learning		 THROUGH - Working / training on projects
- Initiatives and entrepreneurship
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can help others to develop integrated content and language teaching for learning
Independent Can develop integrated content and language  teaching for learning
Elementary Can integrate other subjects in language classes or can develop language sensitive learning and teaching
Beginner Can demonstrate interest in other subjects
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Learners’ progression
- Language bridges
- Lifelong learning		 THROUGH - Accepting school rules
- Trust through transparency
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can help others to develop multilingual classes through intercultural curricula
Independent Can develop integrated language curricula with CLIL, international mobility, work experience etc. 
Elementary Can combine foreign language classes and CLIL classes or projects in a curricular perspective
Beginner Can combine language awareness and foreign language classes
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Teamwork and network
- Linking practice, training and research
- Transferring experience knowledge, expert knowledge and practical knowledge		 THROUGH - Social et collaborative skills
- Sense of belonging
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can define common innovative language curricula through integrated international school networks
Independent Can find in international school networks common answers to similar aims or challenges (for example dropouts)
Elementary Can exploit the language  heterogeneity of each school through collective intercultural challenges 
Beginner Can foster collaborative skills for all stakeholders (learners, teachers, parents, principals)
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
5. Everyday languages
existential dimension
5.1. Enriching language repertoires according to personal and vocational purposes
5.2. Using all learning fields
5.3. Exploring linguistic landscape
5.4. Building multilingual environment
 
FOR - Personal work experience abroad or in an international company or association or equivalent THROUGH - Training and career advising
- Individual fulfilment
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can share an experience abroad with other learners and motivate them to mobility
Independent Can study or have a personal work experience abroad or in an international company or association or equivalent
Elementary Can be part of an intercultural experience 
Beginner Can communicate with new partners
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Combining formal, non-formal and informal language learning
- Flipped Classroom, mobile tools (tablets, smartphones, etc.), BYOD approach		 THROUGH - Media skills
- Autonomy, independent
- Ownership, responsibility
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can support others to use all learning experiences to raise motivation about language learning
Independent Can cross formal, non-formal and informal language education with digital tools
Elementary Can combine formal language education and informal linguistic projects
Beginner Can base language education on formal education
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Languages in town, around the school area
- Languages of school partners: parents, local networks, associations, etc.
- Languages in different learning spaces		 THROUGH - Democratic education
- Learner as mediator, ambassador
- Including parents
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can actively contribute to enhance the multilingual landscape through projects with the local community
Independent Can develop walk & talk projects in which students guide tourists through their city
Elementary Can integrate the linguistic landscape of the community into the school profile
Beginner Can find about my linguistic landscape
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme
FOR - Supporting language diversity
- Linking languages and cultures		 THROUGH - Environmental consciousness
- Eco-systemic commitment
- Global citizenship
SCALE  Here you will find a scale of progression for this matrix field
Expert Can develop a multilingual school community plan including all partners
Independent Can train teachers and students in intercultural and linguistic mediation
Elementary Can enrich the school year with multilingual and intercultural events
Beginner Can translate the school signs, messages and announcements into different languages
Guidelines  Here you will find some questions to support collective thinking on this theme

 

Developing learning environments where modern languages flourish should support the learning of modern languages by combining pluralistic approaches :

  • Intercomprehension between related languages: Intercomprehension contributes to reflect on linguistic and proximity between languages. It fosters awareness on language repertoires and communication strategies. Learning how to use the seven sieves for example leads quickly to metalinguistic and cross linguistic skills and to the capacity of using several language in the same situation.
  • Awakening to languages: Language awakening and awareness generates Interest on language learning and language diversity. It helps learners to go over some bias and to reject language scaling.  The aim is to develop a positive attitude towards language learning and language diversity.

 

  • Intercultural approach: Experiencing intercultural encounters and collaborating with partners, who speak others languages, implies appropriate attitudes which might ease communication problems based to linguistic or cultural misunderstanding. These mediation skills foster reflexive approaches towards other and own language and culture.
  • Integrated didactic approach to different languages studied learning: Integrated language learning is about how general subjects can be integrated in language use and how every learning space can be part of language learning. It contributes to develop a global didactic, common to all languages.