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This text is one of a series of six studies which present the work carried out at the European Centre for Modern Languages. The aim of the series is to highlight the results already achieved and provide a point of departure for the future work of the ECML.

The aim of this publication is to assist teacher educators and language teachers in shifting the focus from linguistic competence to intercultural communicative competence. The printed booklet of the present guide contains the introductions to: definitions of key terms in intercultural communication; planning and designing intercultural communication courses and workshops; teaching/training methods and materials; and assessing intercultural communicative competence. The materials on the accompanying CD-ROM include: the theoretical background to teaching language and culture; detailed workshop and course planning guidelines; teaching materials and activities based on literature, films and songs; guidelines and tasks for assessment and descriptors of competences; intercultural communication workshop reports; and our research articles about the intercultural dimension of foreign language teaching (FIT).--Publisher's description.

The ECML's Languages for social cohesion programme (2004-2007) involved approximately 4500 language professionals from Europe and beyond. This publication focuses on key developments in language education promoted through the work of the European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe (ECML). It serves three main functions. Firstly, it summarises the ECML's contributions to fostering linguistic and cultural diversity in European societies. Secondly, it contains the proceedings of the ECML Conference, held in September 2007 at the University of Graz, to communicate the results of this programme to the wider public. Thirdly, it provides a preview of the projects which comprise the next programme of the ECML (2008-2011): 'Empowering language professionals: competences - networks - impact - quality'. In this way the publication both provides an overview of current issues and trends in European language teaching and indicates perspectives for the future.

The Council of Europe stresses the importance of multilingualism in society and of individual plurilingual competence as means to social cohesion. Ultimately, it is within the school that the necessary innovations need to take place. The case studies presented in this publication are an authentic illustration of how this is being realised in different contexts and what successes and challenges it presents. By bringing these innovative language education programmes and school profiles to the fore, its participating in the creation of a new paradigm of school leadership whereby pupils, parents and the local community, instead of being excluded, controlled and forgotten become actively involved in language endeavours. Similarly, teachers can move on from being simply the executors of education programmes to becoming participants in drawing up, implementing and evaluating school policies.

This book is targeted at modern languages teachers of primary school children and focuses on curricula and syllabi, as well as on teaching materials and methodology. The papers look into issues related to both pre- and in-service teacher education, innovative curriculum and syllabus design in tertiary education and lower primary schools, and how new ideas can be implemented at national and classroom levels. The first six papers focus on teacher education curricula and teacher development in pre-service and in-service programs, whereas the last four papers examine curricula, teaching materials and projects in primary schools.--Publisher's description.

Report of a workshop held in Graz, Austria on September 11, 2001

A directory of United Kingdom (UK) organizations and centers that provide services of interest to language teachers and researchers is presented. The organizations are associations and societies that are concerned with language, linguistics, language teaching and research, and the most important groups concerned with educational technology and reading skills in general. The organizations and centers are concerned specifically with the teaching of the five principal foreign languages taught in UK schools (French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish), as well as the most important groups concerned with the teaching of English as a second or foreign language). Also included are embassies, cultural institutes, and tourist offices in the UK that provide information and/or materials suitable for cultural and background studies related to the five main languages. Finally, the directory includes the most important European and international associations and centers abroad concerned with language teaching and research in general and, in particular, with the teaching of the five main languages. Excluded are national language teacher associations in individual countries abroad. The first of the two main sections of the directory, an alphabetical list of organizations, provides a description of each organization including address and telephone number, a list of publications and ordering information, and a contact persons. The second main section, a bibliography, includes other published directories and sources of reference. Also provided are an organization index, index of abbreviations and acronyms, index of publications, and a subject index. (SW)