European Languages Virtual Network
Start date: Dec 1, 2009,
Language learning requires opportunities for effective and motivating practice of the target language. Frequently, especially in workplace and university contexts, the lack of availability of fully relevant and up-to-date content, and of other learners with similar needs and different L1 with whom to practice makes the activity demotivating and artificial. Agile access to appropriate niche content, and content in LWULT languages is needed, but this is not usually a focus of attention for large content providers. The project aims to address these issues by creating a multilingual online social community of language learners, based on existing social network software, which will be enhanced with tools developed by the project. These innovations will facilitate the request and rapid creation of relevant up-to-date content, and the adaptation of existing content to other linguistic and professional contexts, and the profiling of the learners according to their linguistic and content needs in order to facilitate matching of learner needs. The target groups are learners in the field of public administration (professionals already working and students preparing for a career in this field) in 6 different European countries. The use of these tools within this multilingual social network will have a substantial impact on the quality and relevance of language learning for these target groups, thus increasing motivation, and promote linguistic diversity by supporting development of content in LWULT languages by SME content providers, due to the agility of the content request protocol and authoring support tool. The community will also be supported by an online language learning content repository, and protocols for the facilitation of practice by tutors.Once the validity of the tools and approach has been demonstrated, the valorization approach will aim to extend the results to other sectors and linguistic contexts in Europe, with a focus on economic sustainability.
Get Access to the 1st Network for European Cooperation
Log In