Publications on Language Learning
Below is a collection of publications and reports in the field of language learning. Most of the publications and reports were published by the Multilingualism Unit of the European Commission. The collection includes publications on motivating learners, strategies to improve language skills, on language skills for the labour market, translations etc.
Commission Staff Working Document, Language competences for employability, mobility and growth
Language competences for employability, mobility and growth.pdf
Quantifying quality costs and the cost of poor quality in translation
This study takes the operations of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Translation as a basis to propose a methodology for a cost-based evaluation that may be of use for other public translation services. DGT's own experience, challenges and solutions might well prompt other organisations to use them and adapt them to their work environment.
Quantifying quality costs and the cost of poor quality in translation.pdf
European language label empowering people
This document offer a general overall about the activities carried out in the framework of the European Language Label with reference to: aims, objectives, priorities and results.
European Language Label Empowering People.pdf
Rethinking Education - Investing in skills for better socio-economic outcomes – Communication
Investment in education and training for skills development is essential to boost growth and competitiveness: skills determine Europe's capacity to increase productivity. In the long-term, skills can trigger innovation and growth, move production up the value chain, stimulate the concentration of higher level skills in the EU and shape the future labour market. The massive increase in the global supply of highly skilled people over the last decade puts Europe to the test. The quality of education and supply of skills has increased worldwide and Europe must respond. This communication attempts to focus on those skills.
Rethinking Education.pdf
Rethinking Education - Investing in skills for better socio-economic outcomes –Commission Staff Working Document
This Commission Staff Working Document draws on the new European Survey on Language Competences (ESLC), which assesses pupils' knowledge of the first and second foreign languages at the end of lower secondary education. It provides empirical evidence on the ability of young Europeans to communicate across borders, their attitudes, expectations and exposure to foreign languages, as well as teaching methods and approaches in this field.
http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/rethinking/sw372_en.pdf
Resolution of the European Parliament of September 2012 on Education, Training and Europe 2020
The European Parliament resolution approved on 11 September 2012 stresses, among other things, the importance of education and language skills for employability.
Resolution of the European Parliament of September 2012 on Education, Training and Europe 2020.pdf
Resolution of the European Parliament of September 2012 on Education, Training and Europe 2020
The Annex "Compact for growth and jobs" mentions several initiatives to facilitate labour mobility and employability, among which the promotion of language skills.
06_European Council Conclusions – June 2012.pdf
Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe, 2012 Report
The third edition of this report produced in 2012 by Eurydice in cooperation with EuroStat contains 61 indicators in five chapters entitled Context, Organisation, Participation, Teachers and Teaching Processes.
Key Data on Teaching Languages at School
Commission Staff Working Document
This Commission Staff Working Document draws on the new European Survey on Language Competences (ESLC), which assesses pupils' knowledge of the first and second foreign languages at the end of lower secondary education. It provides empirical evidence on the ability of young Europeans to communicate across borders, their attitudes, expectations and exposure to foreign languages, as well as teaching methods and approaches in this field.
Commission Staff Working Document
Languages and Translation
Published in March 2012, this document reports on multilingualism and translation as a policy.
Languages and translation
Languages for Jobs
This reports is related on the provision of multilingual communication skills for the labour market
Languages for Jobs
Early language Learning
The perspective of the Multilingualism Unit and best practices in the field
Early language Learning
European Policies in the field of language learning
Collection of European Language policies milestones and related key documents.
European Policies
European Survey on Language Competences (ESLC)
The European Survey on Language Competences (ESLC) is designed to collect information about the foreign language proficiency of students in the last year of lower secondary education (ISCED2) or the second year of upper secondary education (ISCED3) (UNESCO 1997) in participating countries.
European Survey on Language Competences
EU languages disc
Learn about EU languages in a different way! The front side of a double disc presents 23 different EU languages. By turning the smaller disc with a hole, you can move from language to language and learn its original name, where it is spoken and how to say welcome. The reverse side explains the use of languages in EU institutions, presents the origins and different branches of EU languages, and includes some statistical facts about them.
EU languages disc.pdf
The Language guide for European business
This guide is about solving your company’s language and communication problems. It offers your company advice on how to deal with the language and cultural issues that arise every day in international business. It will help you develop a strategy for dealing with communication problems in new or expanding markets in other countries.
The Language guide for European business.pdf
Erasmus for all
Erasmus for All is the new EU programme for education, training, youth and sport proposed by the European Commission on 23 November 2011. The proposal is now under discussion by the Council (27 Member States) and the European Parliament who will take the final decision.
Erasmus for all.pdf
Clear writing throughout Europe
Proceedings of the conference organised by the European Commission in Brussels, 26 November 2010
Clear writing throughout Europe.pdf
Interinstitutional style guide 2011
One of the European Union’s priorities and vital tasks is to disseminate information in all languages. People are not generally aware of the scale and complexity of this task, and the ever-increasing amount and multilingual character of the documentation to be distributed, and it is only through continual development of the techniques used and constant rationalisation that the task can be accomplished each day. The Interinstitutional style guide has been produced with these things in mind
Interinstitutional style guide 2011.pdf
Lingua Franca
The intensification of exchanges in our globalised world has dramatically increased the need for a common language. More and more often this common language is English, considered by many to be today's lingua franca and only secondarily the mother tongue of specific communities of speakers. The issue, however, is extremely controversial and raises as many questions as it tries to answer.
Lingua Franca.pdf
Glossary
The present glossary of terms on quality in education and training is meantto promote communication and understanding. It is intended for researchers, experts and all those involved in improving the quality of learning curricula, learning providers and education and training systems.
Glossary.pdf
Council conclusions on language competences to enhance mobility
The document presents the recommendations on how to promote language teaching and learning in all sectors of education and training.
Council conclusions on language competences
Community actions in the field of multilingualism - 2011 update
An update of the report mapping the actions that the different services of the Commission have already undertaken/are carrying out in this field
Community actions
Language learning at pre-primary school level: making it efficient and sustainable
The Policy Handbook 'Language learning at pre-primary school level: making it efficient and sustainable' offers a set of useful orientations for all people interested in developing language awareness and second/foreign language learning in pre-primary education
Language learning at pre-primary school level
Quality in Language Teaching for Adults
The guidelines, developed in 2011 in the framework of a Grundtvig Partnership project, focus on quality assurance in language teaching to adults
Quality in Language Teaching for Adults
How to write clearly
European Commission staff have to write many different types of documents. Whatever the type — legislation, a technical report, minutes, a press release or speech — a clear document will be more effective, and more easily and quickly understood. This guide will help you to write clearly whether you are using your own language or one of the other official languages, all of which are also working languages of the Commission according to Council Regulation No 1/1958
How to write clearly
Europe 2020
The Europe 2020 strategy sets out concrete targets to be achieved within the next decade in areas such as employment, education, and innovation in order to overcome the impact of the financial crisis and put Europe back on track for economic growth.
Europe 2020
Creativity and Innovation - European Success Stories – Languages
Today European society is changing at an unprecedented rate as a result of globalisation, technological advance and an ageing population. Europeans are also becoming increasingly mobile. There is more interaction among counterparts from different countries and a growing number of people live and work outside their home country.
Creativity and Innovation - European Success Stories – Languages.pdf
Ten ways for small companies to work better with languages
Language skills are crucial for growth and jobs. Each year, thousands of European companies lose business and miss out on contracts as a result of their lack of language skills and intercultural competence.
Ten ways for small companies to work better with languages.pdf
Council conclusions on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training ("ET 2020")
The EU Education Council recalled the importance of learning two foreign languages from an early age. The Ministers invited the Commission to pursue work to enable citizens to communicate in two foreign languages, to promote language teaching and to provide migrants with opportunities to learn the language of the host country.
Council conclusions
Multilingualism: an asset for Europe and a shared commitment
The report is a response to the Commission Communication on multilingualism.
Multilingualism
Languages, Creativity and Innovation, European Success Stories
This document, published in 2009, presents a selection of success stories in the field of language learning
Languages, Creativity and Innovation
Mobility creates opportunities
Multilingualism helps build bridges between peoples and cultures. It contributes to the legitimacy, transparency and democracy of the European integration process. It promotes labour mobility, enhances employability and competitiveness. It fosters tolerance and social inclusion.
Mobility creates opportunities.pdf
Report on Multilingualism
Report on the implementation of Council Resolution of 21 November 2008 on a European Strategy for multilingualism
Report on Multilingualism
Languages for Europe - 30 projects for promoting language learning
Language is an integral part of our identity and the most direct expression of culture. In Europe linguistic diversity is a fact of life. In a European Union founded on ‘unity in diversity’ the ability to communicate in several languages is a must for individuals, organisations and companies alike.
Languages for Europe - 30 projects for promoting language learning.pdf
50 Ways to Motivate Language Learners
This publication focuses on motivation that is at the heart of successful language learning
50 Ways to Motivate Language Learners
Languages and Cultures in Europe (LACE)
The Intercultural Competences Developed in Compulsory Foreign Language Education in the European Union
Languages and Cultures in Europe (LACE)
Languages for Europe
This document, published in 2007, presents thirty projects to promote language learning
Languages for Europe
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
CEFR
