Project

PROMOTER

ITI-IPIA Leonardo Da Vinci (Italy)

COORDINATOR

Pixel (Italy)

PARTNERS

1. Connectis (Italy)
2. SILabo (Italy)
3. Bildungswerk ver.di (Germany)
4. CREA (Spain)
5. National University of Ireland (Ireland)
6. Kaunas Technical University (Lithuania)
7. The College of Computer Science (Wyz.sza Szkola Informatyki) (Poland)
8. TRANSFER Slovensko (Slovak Republic)

CONTEXT

The objective of the 2004 – 2006 Action Plan “Promoting Language Learning and Linguistic Diversity” is to extend the advantages of life-long language learning to all citizens, to improve language teaching and to create an environment that promotes language learning. The active involvement of language teachers is fundamental in order to achieve this objective, so they can carry out an essential role in the construction of a multilingual Europe.

Effective language teaching requires the teachers and trainers to possess particular personal resources and skills. The teachers should therefore have regular re-training opportunities, particularly on topics relating to the great potential offered by the application of new technologies to language teaching.

The advent of new information communication technologies has created new teaching and learning methods putting the traditional role of the teacher and trainer up for discussion.

In the context described above, the LeTS project can be inserted, which is aimed at language teachers and trainers who are specialised in the teaching of foreign languages in a professional context. The project aims to give these individuals the skills and motivation for managing changes and for taking up new challenges, through the creation of innovative training opportunities, which take into account the emerging needs of teachers and trainers.

OBJECTIVES

The main objective of the LeTS project is to update the language teachers giving them the essential skills for offering quality language training, which is characterised by a high degree of flexibility and personalisation and that is delivered through the efficient application of ICT.

The LeTS project will therefore create three on-line training packages aimed at trainers and teachers who work in the professional training sector, equipping them with the skills for:

• identifying, evaluating and selecting the best e-learning products and methodologies for the teaching/learning of a foreign language in a professional context. This training package will enable the trainers to identify, for example, what is the most suitable product for a group with specific language learning needs.
• using e-learning products and methodologies efficiently for the teaching/learning of foreign languages in a professional context, both as an alternative and integration to traditional training methodologies. This training package will allow the trainers to understand the potential of e-learning products which can be re-modelled and adapted in order to respond to different needs.
• create their own e-learning courses for the teaching/learning in a “professional” context. This training package will concentrate on the practical methodologies to be adopted in the creation of an e-learning training package both from a methodological and technical point of view. Part of the module will also focus on the re-adapting of already existing material in order to re-use it to create new personalised teaching modules.

As an integration to the 3 training packages, the LeTS project foresees the creation of a selection of practical tools, a sort of “ready to use kit” which collects together the technical tools for the creation of e-learning courses: e.g. software; authoring management systems; platforms etc. which have been experimented with successfully by other teachers for the development of e-learning products in the field of language teaching.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

The main project activities are:

Activity1. Research, collection and analysis of e-learning products and existing practices in the language learning sector, in a professional context. The aim is to evaluate and identify the development methodologies and the strengths and weaknesses and to make the results of this research and evaluation available to all.
Results: On-line database of products and e-learning experiences/methodologies for the teaching and learning of languages in a professional context, selected and evaluated by language training experts. For each product and for each experience a detailed description and evaluation form will be completed which will allow for potential learners to select the most suitable products to meet their needs and to identify the best products for the target groups.

Activity 2: Development of 3 distance training packages on the theme of the evaluation, use and creation of e-learning material for the teaching of languages in a professional context.
Result: On-line availability of training packages on the following themes: “Evaluating the quality of e-learning products”; “The efficient use of e-learning products for language learning”, “Developing e-learning products for language learning”.

Activity 3: Development of material to integrate the training packages developed in Phase 3, aimed at giving the teachers simple technical tools which will enable them to put their new skills in to practice straight away.
Result: On-line availability of an Interactive form for the evaluation of e-learning products and technologies for language learning; a “ready to use kit” which contains a selection and review of technical tools and software for the production of e-learning material for language learning in a professional context.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The LeTS project will provide an integrated system of services which will allow teachers and trainers of languages in a professional context to:

• Competently access e-learning language training offers, recognising both their advantages and limitations, applying also a methodological-technological analysis.
• Acquire the skills to use these products efficiently both as an integration and an alternative to traditional classroom based training.
• Acquire the skills to create their own e-learning products for the language training of specific target groups.