The European Language Portfolio: A Frame for Learning 1

In 2004, after giving a presentation on the Eurpopean Language Portfolio (ELP) at the TESOL-Spain National Convention, I was invitied to write a series of articles for English Teaching professional (ETp) http://www.etprofessional.com.

Rather than describing the 3 parts of a Eurpoean Language Portfolio in the order in which they tend to be described in documents and on web sites - that is - first, the Passport, then the Biography, and finally the Dossier - I decided to start with the Biography, which lies at the heart of the ELP. Its main purpose is to help learners keep a record of their language, intercultural and learning experiences. By doing so, the learner is guided and supported in the process of language learning. You can read the first of the three articles below.