1. Annual report of the Dutch Association
of
Teachers in Living Languages.
Vereniging van Leraren in Levende Talen
(Levende Talen)
2006
December 2006

2. 1 Introduction
Levende Talen is a federation of 12 associations or sections of teachers in modern
languages: Arabic, Dutch, Dutch as a second language, Dutch Sign Language, English,
French, Frisian, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. Principal aim is to
stimulate language education in the Netherlands in the broadest sense, by providing
- a platform for teachers in modern languages,
- information about (language) education to language teachers;
- (legal) support concerning conditions of employment to language teachers.
This report covers a period of 12 months, from January 1 2007 till December 31 2006
during which Levende Talen has continued to play a very active role in the field of
language education. Levende Talen has realised a number of projects and actions in
language education in cooperation with partners like the Dutch Ministry of Education,
Culture and Science, the National Bureau on Modern Languages (NaB-MVT), The
Foreign Language Studio (Werkplaats Talen), ICLON, (Faculty of teacher training at
Leiden University), the Association for the Professional Qualities of Teachers (SBL) and
the Platform of teacher associations in secondary education (Platform VVVO).
Levende Talen has contributed to the promotion of language education and
intensified contact with teachers and stakeholders in this field by organising
workshops and conferences, representing Levende Talen at workshops and
conferences, by means of its two magazines (‘Levende Talen Magazine’ (LTM) and
the more scientific ‘Levende Talen Tijdschrift’ (LTT)) and the website
www.levendetalen.nl,
In 2006 Levende Talen celebrated its 95th
anniversary, culminating in a very successful
yearly conference on November 3 2006.
Members of the executive committee 2006
Drs. Marianne Bodde-Alderlieste, president
Drs. Els Mulder-Franeker, secretary
Drs. Helmut Rauschenberg, treasurer
Mrs. Annelien Haitink, project coordinator
Mrs. Regina de Vries, union representative
Vacancy: vice-president
Members of the executive board 2006
The members of the executive committee and the presidents of the twelve sections of
Levende Talen:
Arabic, Mr Ali Liazid
Dutch, Drs. Margot de Wit
Dutch as a second language, Mrs. Monica van der Haagen
Dutch Sign Language, Mrs. Eva Westerhoff
English, Drs, Bram de Bruin, (Drs. Janneke Geursen, substitute)
French, Dr. Noortje Jacobs
Frisian, Mrs. Babs Gezelle Meerburg
German, Drs. Erwin de Vries
Italian, Dr. Maria Urban
Spanish, Mrs. Danielle Siems
Russian, Drs. Sandra van Blitterswijk
Turkish, Mrs. Yasemin Yurtseven BE
Each section has an executive board.
Mrs. Joke Stoelinga is in charge of the office at Naarden.
Binnenhof 62 1412 LC NAARDEN 035-6783254 bureau@levendetalen.nl www.levendetalen.nl 2

3. 2 Summary of activities and projects 2006
- Meetings of committee and board;
- Initial stage of the BiT project to develop professional standards, registration and
in-service-training for language teachers;
- General Meeting and presentation of the Levende Talen Award to Dr. Erik
Kwakernaak;
- Organisational innovation (e.g. 3 platforms of teacher trainers);
- Inauguration of new extraordinary professor for Levende Talen Dr. Huub van den
Berg at Utrecht University;
- Yearly conference of Levende Talen;
- Workshops by different sections on various topics;
- Special board meeting ‘how to find and bind members’, resulting in a scheme for
canvassing;
- Participation in various external committees, workgroups and juries;
- Representation in FIPLV;
- Several projects for language education.
- Presentation of additional promotional materials e.g. banners, guidelines for the
presentation of Levende Talen;
- Development of starter kit to promote Levende Talen to language graduates.
3 Organisation
A Formation of three new sections
On February 8 2006 the General Meeting agreed with the proposal to form a new Section
of Dutch Sign Language. On May 27 2006 the inaugural meeting was held; the board
consists of Eva Westerhoff, president, Selena Waas, secretary, Marjan Jonk, treasurer.
The General Meeting agreed with the proposal to divide the section Arabic/Turkish into
two seperate sections Arabic and Turkish.
B Board meetings
Ten meetings of the executive committee were realised.
Three executive board meetings were held in 2006; a fourth meeting was scheduled in
December 2006 but held in January 2007. In between meetings the board was further
informed and invited to react on information and questions by e-mails sent by the
general secretary and by the news letter that preceded each board meeting.
On April 8 a special board meeting was held, also open to active members of Levende
Talen, on the topic ‘How to find and bind members’.
C The search for active members
Apart from the members of the executive boards of the sections, Levende Talen hosts a
number of active members and networks. There is a constant flow of and need for
representatives in the section boards, in working groups, in networks, in projects, in the
two editorial boards, in the group of content managers and also in working and project
groups outside Levende Talen.
4 Actions by Levende Talen
1 Agreement Levende Talen/ICLON
On May 30 2006 Levende Talen and ICLON signed an agreement for cooperation between
the two partners, with the aim to cooperate in a national expertise centre for foreign
languages. In September 2006 the cooperation resulted in a successful pilot for French
and German in the second stage in secondary education, to be continued in 2007.
Binnenhof 62 1412 LC NAARDEN 035-6783254 bureau@levendetalen.nl www.levendetalen.nl 3

4. 2 Reactions
Several developments in education policy asked for actions or reactions from Levende
Talen and/or from certain sections of Levende Talen, e.g. proposals concerning the new
spelling of Dutch, proposals for the abolishment of Dutch as a school subject from
secondary vocational education, the position of English at primary college and the
introduction of a language test for first year students at primary college.
Policy decisions that effected the position of the second and third foreign language in all
segments of education asked for several reactions from Levende Talen through letters to
the Ministry or to special advisory committees, information in LTM and publication at the
website.
5 Federatie Onderwijsbonden MHP/CMHF
For 2006 the following aims have been formulated:
1 professionalize the advisory office;
2 professionalize the union in Levende Talen;
3 promote Levende Talen as a union to starting language teachers;
4 improve information about the union in LTM and at the website.
5 strengthen the position of Levende Talen within the Federation CMHF/MHP.
6 Media
The selling of advertising space in LTM has been professionalized by contracting a
canvassing agency in October 2006. This immediately led to a rise in revenues.
On May 1 2006 the new website of Levende Talen was launched, consisting of an open
site and a site for members only. The website also provides different sites for the
sections and a digital space for the platforms of teacher trainers, the network for
language teachers in adult education, the professor, the boards and various other groups
to inform members and non-members. A growing number of visitors has found its way to
the new website.
7 Membership records
Levende Talens entry into the Federation brought along the need to professionalize
membership records. With the launch of the website a large step was made into the
computerization of the membership file. At the end of 2005 Levende Talen had 2477
registered members. The year 2006 closed with 2805 members, an increase of 10%.
8 Yearly conference
The yearly conference took place on Friday November 3 2006. Theme: ‘language
teaching is craftsmanship’. In a video message the Minister of Education addressed the
audience to congratulate the president of the association on the 95th anniversary of
Levende Talen and on the presentation of the projects of Werkplaats Talen. In three
rounds 55 workshops and presentations were presented. The special festive lunch, the
music, the two eminent speakers and the large number of prize winners and awards next
to the publishers’ market and the exhibition of projects by Werkplaats Talen, made this
conference into a very special and successful event.
Binnenhof 62 1412 LC NAARDEN 035-6783254 bureau@levendetalen.nl www.levendetalen.nl 4

5. Awards
- Levende Talen presented the award for the best colleague to Gerrie Hermsen, teacher
of German at the Ludgercollege, Doetinchem.
- The FIPLV International Award was presented to Dr. Alex Riemersma by Cecilia
Odé, editor of publications, FIPLV.
- Werkplaats Talen presented awards for speaking skills and fluency to
1st prize Astrid Eelkema, teacher of French at the Pascal College, Zaandam,
2nd prize Jean Luc Cibert, teacher of French at Zwijsen College, Veghel.
- European label:
The jury of the European Language Label for innovative language education 2006
presented awards to three projects:
1st prize ROC Nijmegen
2nd prize Visser ‘t Hooft Lyceum, Leiden
3rd prize ROC Zadkine/Bestuur Openbaar Onderwijs Rotterdam/Hogeschool
Rotterdam
Katie Hoogerheide, teacher of English at SG Jacobus Fruytier, Apeldoorn: language
teacher of the year 2006.
9 Projects
Werkplaats Talen has granted the following projects, applied for in 2005 and carried out
in 2006:
1 English musical for group 8 in primary school (Section English and Vedocep);
2 Conference 20 years primary English (Section English and Vedocep);
3 Task based language education in VMBO, the first stage of secondary
education (Section French);
4 Speaking and listening skills with Skype (John Daniels: Section French);
5 Language portfolio adult education (Network for adult education);
6 Photo project (Section French);
7 Web-based video and audio sources.
SLO (The Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development) has granted the following
projects, applied for in 2005 and carried out in 2006:
1 a didactical research into the relation between the school subject Dutch and
other school subjects in VMBO, the first stage of secondary education (Section
Dutch);
2 Linking aims and objectives for English and levels for French and German in
the first stage of secondary education to the Common European Framework
(CEF) (Sections English, French and German);
3 Guidelines for the development of school exams for the new school languages
according to the CEF (Levende Talen en CPS);
4 The results of the project ‘Grammar lines’ were published in 2006 (download
www.levendetalen.nl).
10 Conclusion
2006 was a very busy and active year. The strategic policy plan was translated into
concrete plans and actions: the canvassing for new members was priority. Central aims
were to continue a strong dialogue with official policy makers and to combine experience
and expertise within Levende Talen in cooperation with professionals outside Levende
Talen in order to improve the position and quality of language teaching.
Drs. Marianne Bodde-Alderlieste, president
Drs. Els Mulder-van Franeker, secretary
Binnenhof 62 1412 LC NAARDEN 035-6783254 bureau@levendetalen.nl www.levendetalen.nl 5

6. Awards
- Levende Talen presented the award for the best colleague to Gerrie Hermsen, teacher
of German at the Ludgercollege, Doetinchem.
- The FIPLV International Award was presented to Dr. Alex Riemersma by Cecilia
Odé, editor of publications, FIPLV.
- Werkplaats Talen presented awards for speaking skills and fluency to
1st prize Astrid Eelkema, teacher of French at the Pascal College, Zaandam,
2nd prize Jean Luc Cibert, teacher of French at Zwijsen College, Veghel.
- European label:
The jury of the European Language Label for innovative language education 2006
presented awards to three projects:
1st prize ROC Nijmegen
2nd prize Visser ‘t Hooft Lyceum, Leiden
3rd prize ROC Zadkine/Bestuur Openbaar Onderwijs Rotterdam/Hogeschool
Rotterdam
Katie Hoogerheide, teacher of English at SG Jacobus Fruytier, Apeldoorn: language
teacher of the year 2006.
9 Projects
Werkplaats Talen has granted the following projects, applied for in 2005 and carried out
in 2006:
1 English musical for group 8 in primary school (Section English and Vedocep);
2 Conference 20 years primary English (Section English and Vedocep);
3 Task based language education in VMBO, the first stage of secondary
education (Section French);
4 Speaking and listening skills with Skype (John Daniels: Section French);
5 Language portfolio adult education (Network for adult education);
6 Photo project (Section French);
7 Web-based video and audio sources.
SLO (The Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development) has granted the following
projects, applied for in 2005 and carried out in 2006:
1 a didactical research into the relation between the school subject Dutch and
other school subjects in VMBO, the first stage of secondary education (Section
Dutch);
2 Linking aims and objectives for English and levels for French and German in
the first stage of secondary education to the Common European Framework
(CEF) (Sections English, French and German);
3 Guidelines for the development of school exams for the new school languages
according to the CEF (Levende Talen en CPS);
4 The results of the project ‘Grammar lines’ were published in 2006 (download
www.levendetalen.nl).
10 Conclusion
2006 was a very busy and active year. The strategic policy plan was translated into
concrete plans and actions: the canvassing for new members was priority. Central aims
were to continue a strong dialogue with official policy makers and to combine experience
and expertise within Levende Talen in cooperation with professionals outside Levende
Talen in order to improve the position and quality of language teaching.
Drs. Marianne Bodde-Alderlieste, president
Drs. Els Mulder-van Franeker, secretary
Binnenhof 62 1412 LC NAARDEN 035-6783254 bureau@levendetalen.nl www.levendetalen.nl 5