1. 18/11/2013
The EPG –
supporting professional development and
quality in language education
1

2. Overview
1. Teacher development – what is it?
2. What were the aims and outcomes of the
EPG Project?
3. How was the EPG validated?
4. What is the added value of the e-Grid?
5. What are the EPG’s underlying principles?
6. Who will use the EPG for what purposes?
7. Conclusions and questions

3. Teacher development
• is a bottom-up process - it can be contrasted with top-down ‘staff
development’
• values the ‘insider view’ rather than the ‘outsider view’
• is independent of the organisation - but functions more
successfully with its support and recognition
• is a continuing process of ‘becoming’ - can never be finished
• is a process of articulating inner conscious choices in response to
the outer world of the teaching context
• is wider than ‘professional development’ -includes personal,
moral and value dimensions
• can be encouraged & integrated in training and education.
3
(Mann 2005)

4. Teacher development – a sample view
Experience as
a mentor
New responsibilities
IN-SERVICE
COURSE
Reading group
Peer observation,
reflection…
PRE-SERVICE
TRAINING
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5. Rationale of the EPG project
The aim of the EPG project (2011-2013) was
to improve the quality of language education
By developing and validating an innovative instrument:
the European Profiling Grid,
designed for teachers working
in language centres and schools.
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6. Phases of the EPG Project
• Review of the EAQUALS Grid originally developed by
Brian North (Eurocentres) & Galya Mateva (Optima)
• Research and development of validation tools
• Field-testing the pilot Grid in five languages
• Producing final versions, and translating these into
nine languages
• Developing the e-Grid and a User Guide, and
translating these
• Running training courses in five countries
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7. Outcomes of the project
A validated Profiling Grid, with a glossary
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8. Basic layout of the Grid
DEVELOPMENT
PHASE 1
DEVELOPMENT
PHASE 2
DEVELOPMENT
PHASE 3
Qualifications
and experience
Key teaching
competences
Enabling
competences
Professionalism
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9. Main areas and subcategories
QUALIFICATIONS
& EXPERIENCE
KEY TEACHING
COMPETENCES
ENABLING
COMPETENCES
PROFESSIONALISM
LANGUAGE
PROFICIENCY
METHODOLOGY
INTERCULTURAL
COMPETENCE
PROFESSIONAL
CONDUCT
EDUCATION &
TRAINING
LESSON & COURSE
PLANNING
LANGUAGE
AWARENESS
ADMINISTRATION
ASSESSED TEACHING INTERACTION
MANAGEMENT &
MONITORING
TEACHING
EXPERIENCE
DIGITAL MEDIA
ASSESSMENT
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10. 10

11. Outcomes of the project
An electronic Profiling Grid – the e-Grid
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12. 12

13. Outcomes of the project
A User Guide
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14. 14

15. Who was involved the EPG project?
11 European institutions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Centre international d’études pédagogiques (CIEP), FR
EAQUALS) UK
The British Council, UK
Instituto Cervantes, ES
Bulgarian Association for Quality
Language Services (BAQLS OPTIMA), BG
Goethe-Institut e.V., DE
Center für berufsbezogene Sprachen (CEBS), AT
ELS-Bell Education Ltd (ELS Bell), PL
Università oer Stranieri di Siena (UNISTRASI), IT
Hogeschool van Amsterdam, NL
Sabanci Üniversitesi , TK
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16. VALIDATION OF THE GRID:
Teachers, trainers & managers
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17. Procedure
(emulating development of CEFR descriptors)
1. Scale the descriptors (bullet-points in boxes
on Grid) to help ensure that they are at the
correct stage.
2. Investigate stability of interpretation of
descriptors across languages, sectors, etc.
3. Set “cut-points” on the scales for the
different categories to help to divide them
into the 6 stages
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18. Data
Completed on-line questionnaires
EPG FIELD TESTING - TEACHERS' QUESTIONNAIRES - USABLE DATA 03.11.12
English
B
C
181 168
A
179
Total
Nb to reach
D
177
705
500
141%
OVERALL TOTAL
A
84
French
B
C
72 52
D
37
245
250
98%
A
98
German
B
C
184
75
D
A
128
44
485
250
194%
Italian
B
C
38
33
D
27
142
100
142%
A
65
Spanish
B
C
55
60
1817
18
D
61
241
250
96%

19. Conclusion
• 83.2% show fully stable interpretation across
contexts (CEFR descriptors were 87.5% stable)
• 10 descriptors (=7%) discarded because of
strange calibration (= strange interpretation)
• Fine-tuning of descriptors with feedback from
Trainers / Managers
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20. Numbers: managers & trainers
MANAGERS
Partners
TRAINERS
Partners
ENGLISH
24
British Council,
CEBS, EAQUALS,
OPTIMA,
U. of Amsterdam
39
EAQUALS,
ELS-BELL,
OPTIMA,
U. Amsterdam
FRENCH
5
CIEP
11
CIEP
GOETHE
30
GOETHE
GERMAN
15
ITALIAN
5
SPANISH
14
CERVANTES
Total:
63
(target: 55)
SIENA
6
14
100
SIENA
CERVANTES
(target: 55)
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21. What the testing involved for
trainers
• Putting in the right order descriptors for
• methodology, lesson & course planning and
intercultural competence
OR
• Interaction management, assessment & language
awareness
•
Commenting on problem wording, wrong order etc
• Commenting on the whole Grid
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22. Main changes resulting from testing
• Reorganisation of some categories of the Grid
• Improvement of consistency in terminology
• Tightening of follow-through and gradation of
descriptors across categories and across phases of
development
• Amendment of various descriptors
And:
• Noting of various points for the User Guide & glossary
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23. USING THE
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24. What is the relationship between the eGrid and the Grid?
•
•
•
•
Same categories, same descriptors, same uses
Easier visibility and focus
Easy use of the glossary
Different access for teachers, trainers and
managers
• Saved and/or printed profiles

25. Other key features
• Multiple languages
• Teacher certification option
• Team profiling option – by person & by
competence
• Downloads of PDF Grid and User Guide
• No data saved on the website

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27. 27

28. 28

29. 29

30. The underlying principles of the Grid
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31. THE CAN-DO PRINCIPLE
It reflects the CEFR action-oriented approach in
teaching and learning. Both learner and teacher
competences are viewed from a positive
perspective.
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32. THE CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLE, and THE
INCREMENTAL CHARACTER OF DESCRIPTORS
The progression of descriptors spans six phases of
development. The phases are incremental.
Competences at one phase build on those described at
earlier phases.
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33. THE SELF-ASSESSMENT/ASSESSMENT
AND REFLECTION PRINCIPLE
A new culture of self-assessment and
professional self-awareness is being
established in many language institutions. The
EPG is an additional tool for assessing
developmental needs.
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34. THE COMMON STANDARDS PRINCIPLE
The Grid sets out common standards related to
qualifications, teaching competences and
professionalism analogous to those for
language proficiency in the CEFR.
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35. THE MODULAR NATURE OF THE GRID
It comprises separate categories and as such is
a modular system. It can also be complemented
with new categories and descriptors, developed
to respond to emerging needs at local and
national level.
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36. THE EQUAL VALUE OF LANGUAGES
This is affirmed through the validation and
availability of the Grid in various languages
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37. Users and uses of the Grid
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38. Groups of users
INDIVIDUAL
INSTITUTIONAL
 Teachers (trainee, novice,
experienced)
 In-service/pre-service
trainers
 Academic
coordinators/managers
 School managers
 Language specialists
 Human resources specialists
 Private language schools
 Language departments of
universities
 State schools
 Teacher training institutions
 Language teacher
associations
 National networks of
language centres
 Ministries of education
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39. Areas of application of the EPG
 Self-assessment and dynamic mapping of a range of
language teaching competences
 Individual and group profiles of language teachers in an
institution according to a set of incremental descriptors
 Identifying specific development needs of teachers and
designing adequate training programmes
 An additional tool for staff selection and appraisal
 Intensifying communications between different
pedagodical systems and educational traditions in
Europe
 Facilitating processes of staff mobility across Europe
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40. Recommendations in the User Guide:
teachers - scenarios about:
How to use the EPG for:
 Self/peer -assessment
purpose
 Increased awareness
 Reflection and action
 Acquiring new skills
and moving to a
higher phase of
development
Using the EPG if you are:
•
•
•
•
A prospective teacher
A trainee teacher
A recently qualified teacher
An experienced teacher
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41. Recommendations in the User Guide:
trainers - scenarios on:
 How to use the EPG for assessing individual
teachers and groups of teachers
 How to use the EPG as a reference point for
designing training programmes (in-service and
pre-service)
 How to use the EPG as an aid for designing
mentoring programmes
 How to use the EPG for developing specific
competences and deciding on individual teachers’
responsibility for different teaching contexts
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42. Recommendations in the User Guide:
managers – scenarios on:
 How to use parts of the EPG for selecting/
employing teachers, coordinators and trainers
(own and other nationalities)
 How to use relevant parts of the EPG as an
additional aid in staff appraisal procedures
 How to balance the teaching team
 How to use relevant parts of the EPG for
encouraging staff development
 How to use the EPG for benchmarking against
other institutions
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43. Going beyond the Grid
Teachers’ profiles – potential add-ons:
– Their specialist competences
– Their ability to be creative and innovative
– Their multilingual and multicultural experience
– Their interpersonal skills
– Teaching learners how to learn
– Dealing with issues like: learner satisfaction,
learner autonomy, learning outcomes, learner
development
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44. In summary
‘profile’ of the EPG






A reference tool
A tool for reflection and development
A quality assurance tool
A management tool
A creative tool
A tool that can be further developed
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45. http://www.epg-project.eu/the-epg-project/
http://egrid.epg-project.eu/en
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