ENLU Task Groups
In the first of three stages (- November 2004), the ENLU project seeks to gain an overview of the current situation in the participating countries in the field of "language for all". To this end, four task groups were convened at the Brussels launch conference, charged with collecting pertinent data and information through desk research, direct contacts and various types of surveys. The groups' findings are expected to demonstrate the need for action as well as to provide examples of successful policies, strategies, and methods; they will inform the document to be prepared for the Europe-wide consultation envisaged for the first half of 2005.
Task Group 1: Institution-wide language policies
Task Group 1 is to provide an overview of existing "languages-for-all" policies - documents and initiatives - and of the lack of such policies. It is expected that the group's activities will eventually lead to the production of guidelines for the development and implementation of university language policies.
Task Group 2: Undergraduates and languages
Task Group 2 will provide ENLU with focused quantitative data. The overall aim is to learn about the number of undergraduates learning languages and the range of languages being learnt.
Task Group 3: The use of distance education
and
e-learning for language learning among undergraduates
In a multilingual Europe open to the world, creating and making available appropriate language teaching and learning resources is a major issue. Task Group 3 is to establish to what extent new technologies have been successfully used for providing additional language learning and teaching opportunities, particularly in regard to less widely used and less learnt languages.
Task Group 4: Teaching through the medium of a foreign language
Task Group 4 explores the issue of medium of instruction where it is a second language for the students involved with a view to showing under what circumstances this method is likely to lead to enhanced proficiency amongst undergraduate students and what additional benefits may be gained from this method.
In addition, the project will convene a data management working group responsible, among other things, for the web-based delivery of the consultation questionnaire and for data collection and analysis.
| Task Group | Partner Institution | Task Group Leader |
|---|---|---|
| Institution-wide language policies | Université Libre de Bruxelles | Ian Tudor itudor@ulb.ac.be |
| Undergraduates and Languages | London School of Economics and Political Science | Nick Byrne n.byrne@lse.ac.uk |
| E-learning and distance education | Open University | Anne Stevens A.Stevens@open.ac.uk |
| Teaching through the medium of a foreign language | Jyväskylän Yliopisto | David Marsh david.marsh@cec.jyu.fi |
| Data Management working group | Pôle Universitaire Européen de Lorraine | Marc Durando m.durando@europole.u-nancy.fr |
