Advantages and disadvantages of using the ELP (European Language Portfolio) with your groups

Advantages and disadvantages of using the ELP (European Language Portfolio) with your groups

First of all, let´s remember what ELP is: a personal document of a learner, whereby students of all ages can record their language learning and cultural experiences at school or outside school. Closely linked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe, 2001), ELP documents personal experiences of language learning and with other cultures, facilitates mobility within EU and aims for a student´s active participation in his own learning —promoting the self-assessment and reflection in a transparent and encouraging way—.

I think the advantages of using the ELP in my groups (which belong to the technical training course in forestry and nature conservation —referred to the Spanish vocational training—) could be 1/ the increasing of the learner´s autonomy and responsibility in all areas; 2/ to make the student think about the real reasons why he/she´s studying languages; 3/ to achieve the learner´s motivation; 4/ to set achievable short-term learning aims, in order to encourage the student; 5/ to overcome the fear of speaking in other language; 6/ to open the learner to the reality of a multilingual Europe; and, finally, 7/ to explore new and different ways of evaluating student´s progress.

On the other hand, the possible disadvantages could be 1// a certain risk that a number of competences which belong to teachers could pass automatically to students; 2// the assumption of a lot of motivational tasks by the teacher; 3// the mere implementation of the European legislation, really addressed to get the free movement of workers; 4// the existence of different linguistic levels inside the same classroom; and, at last, 5// the risk of a complete banishment of grammar.

Actually, I´m sceptic with the purposes ELP aims: many reforms have been attempted in language teaching, and few have been successful; sometimes, even, the previous situation has worsened. However, we must keep up our efforts: know languages is still very important in today's world.