Ict e Teaching

PRactIcaL gUIde to desIgnIng, RUnnIng and ImpRoVIng sUppoRt WebsItes foR LangUage teacheRs
Produced by the Centre international dtudes pdagogiques (CIEP), the Associazione Nazionale Insegnanti di Francese (ANIF) and Europees Platform internationaliseren in onderwijs. Coordinated by Annick Bonnet (CIEP) With contributions from experts Elisabeth Brodin and Micheline Maurice And input from: Chirine Anvar, Pernelle Benoit, Sverine Blache, Fiorella Casciato, Concetta Cirocco, Catherine Clment, Stphanie Favre, Olivier Gisselbrecht, Jonathan Hooley, Hayde Maga, Marianne Mavel, Dominique Satg, Olivier Steffen and Nicole Thiery-Chastel.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
CONteNts
INTRODUCTiON Proficiency in modern languages: a strategic priority in a European context Far-reaching changes in language teaching New tools, new approaches Growing role of mobility and exchanges Developing ICT skills The need for a system of lifelong learning for language teachers Language teacher support websites The notion of support, a core issue in lifelong learning What is a language teacher support website? The SAEL Guide: a practical guide to language teacher support websites The guide Target audience How to use this guide
5 5 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 10 10 10 13 13 15 15 15 16 17 18 18 20 21 21 25
Why create a support website for language teachers?

Responding to changes in language teaching Supporting reform Structuring networks Promoting innovative practices A visible, accessible, flexible tool A communication tool to serve language teaching Helping build up a stock of online resources A tool to develop new skills and expand exchanges in Europe Developing language teachers skills
CHAPTER 1
Creating, managing and running a language teacher support website

Creating a support website: defining priorities Defining the websites objectives, target audience and content Budget Managing a support website Steering and editorial committees Legal and editorial responsibility Approval and quality Running a support website Profile and functions of the technical staff Website administration team (teaching team) Editorial management
CHAPTER 2
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Technology and ergonomics

What are the phases of a website or platform project? Ergonomics aspects Technological resources Setting up a support website based on a CMS Publishing and templates The main types of technical functionalities Choosing the right CMS: the questions to ask Functional requirements and the specifications Graphics Technical and contractual characteristics (hosting) Domain name
CHAPTER 3
37 37 37 38 41 41 42 44 44 44 44 45 47 47 47 49 49 50 51 52 56 61 61 62 63 65 66 69 71
What are the essential components of a support website?

A website that monitors and provides information open to innovative practices Monitoring system What teaching resources should be provided to support teachers? Authentic resources Useful resources Activity and exercise banks Learning track, scenario and unit Training and self-study resources A user-focused area for dialogue and questions An area for dialogue Encouraging teachers to share good practices Using user feedback to evaluate support measures CONCLUSiON LiST OF GOOD PRACTiCES TABLE OF iLLUSTRATiONS GLOSSARY
CHAPTER 4
INtrODUctiON
Proficiency in several modern languages and competences* linked to using information and communication technology in education are a strategic priority in Europe. Developing these competences necessarily implies optimising the quality of language teacher training. This guide examines how to design, run and improve support websites for language teachers. It is intended for decision makers and anyone wanting to create websites for this particular target audience.
Proficiency in modern languages: a strategic priority in a European context

Proficiency in modern languages is key to building a European community of knowledge and learning that encourages and respects diversity. In 2002, the Barcelona European Council (Education and Youth Affairs) called for action to improve the mastery of basic competences*, in particular by teaching at least two foreign languages from a very early age1 and throughout the period of compulsory schooling. Language learning plays an active part in building an intercultural Europe grounded on creativity and respect for diversity. Language learning goes hand in hand with the promotion of multilingualism. Language policies must strive to maintain linguistic diversity, as one of the fundamental elements of European identity. Learning a language must be seen as a stepping stone to learning other languages. Language learning and proficiency also contributes to building a knowledge economy and a distinct European area. Several studies have underscored the crucial role of modern language proficiency in the European Unions strategy of competitiveness.2
1. Presidency Conclusions, Barcelona European Council, p19. Document available at: www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/71025.pdf 2. The ELAN study commissioned by the European Commission, for example, measures the Effects on the European Economy of Shortages of Foreign Language Competences in Enterprise. According to that study, businesses that adopt a strategy of multilingual communication manage to boost their export sales to levels over 40% higher than that of competitors without such a policy.
PRactical guide tO designing, Running and impROVing suppORt websites fOR language teacheRs
The school system, which 65% of Europeans see as the prime context for language learning3, has a key role to play, notably by enabling pupils to acquire strong language skills. The reforms undertaken in many countries have been directed at improving the language teaching environment, in particular by using ICT and placing greater emphasis on teacher training. Teachers effectively play a key role in language learning and in building a European area that is open to mobility.
Far-reaching changes in language teaching

Over the last ten years, language teaching has been radically changed by the introduction of new assessment approaches and tools, the growing role of mobility and exchanges, and the development of ICT in education.
New tools, new approaches

Two tools developed by the Council of Europe, namely the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR*) and the European Language Portfolio (ELP*), have brought about far-reaching changes in language teaching and the whole question of assessment. The CEFR revolves around an action-oriented method. It is a practical instrument that offers a novel approach, aimed at rethinking the objectives and methods of language teaching. It is increasingly used to reform national curricula.4 It provides a basis for the mutual recognition of language qualifications and makes it easier to compare assessment results internationally, thereby promoting educational and professional mobility. A Council of Europe decision from November 2001 advocates using the CEFR to set up validation systems for language skills.* The European Language Portfolio (ELP) is a document in which those who are learning or have learned a language - whether at school or outside school - can record and reflect on their language learning and cultural experiences. Its main objectives are to motivate learners by recognising their efforts, with a view to extending and diversifying their linguistic abilities at every level, and to describe their linguistic and cultural skills: key factors in facilitating mobility. Lastly, the practice of using a foreign language to teach non-linguistic subjects (CLIL*) and the promotion of early language teaching, advocated by the EU and put into practice by many Member States, are changing teaching strategies. As a result, a growing number of teachers are now in need of both effective in-service training and teaching materials.5
Growing role of mobility and exchanges

Language teaching should also facilitate mobility in Europe, a key factor in assimilating and disseminating knowledge of all kinds. Within European society, mobility is increasingly a requirement: where language teachers are concerned, this means opening up their training path and career to international horizons.6 Preparing language teachers for mobility will entail
3. Special Eurobarometer 243, Europeans and their Languages, 2006 (available at http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/ archives/ebs/ebs_243_sum_en.pdf). 4. The Language Education Policy Profiles published by the Council of Europe can be found at: www.coe.int/t/dg4/ linguistic/profils_en.asp. 5. Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe - 2008 Edition, EACEA, Eurydice, Eurostat, Brussels, 2008. Key data on language teaching
6.Vincent Marie and Nicole Lucas, Regards sans frontires sur la formation des enseignants, Le manuscrit, Recherche et Universit, 2008.
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reforming the training they receive and developing transferable skills so that they may in turn equip their pupils - future citizens of Europe - for their own mobility.7 Working in partnership with other establishments in Europe and developing exchange projects between classes is not something that can be improvised: teachers need support to do this.
Developing ICT skills

The development of ICT in education has had a profound impact on the way languages are taught and learnt. It has changed the environment in which pupils learn languages and fostered a wide range of approaches. Helping teachers become proficient in ICT is one of the priorities of both European and national action plans. The aim is to develop transferable skills that teachers can use in a new approach to language teaching. These recent trends have prompted changes in initial and in-service teacher training, and measures to guide and support teachers through the reforms - a necessity that has become a priority at both European and national level.
The need for a system of lifelong learning for language teachers that is not dependent on the political, economic or social context
The European Commission, the Council of Europe and various Member States have examined the status and training of modern language teachers. Several studies and reports8 have provided insight into language teachers status, guidelines for their training, and an understanding of the importance of creating a core body of concepts, terms and analytical tools. The European Profile for Language Teacher Education - A Frame of Reference (EPLTE), for instance, proposes a common framework and stresses the need to harmonise curricula. The SemLang summer university, held at the CIEP in July 2009, showed how relevant the EPLTE is today and put forward practical strategies for its implementation. 9 Enhancing the quality of language teachers has been set as one of the priorities of the EUs Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) - a vision many countries share. The current economic context, however, means Member States have to make difficult financial choices and cannot invest as much in language teacher training as necessary to meet the identified needs. This admittedly forces teacher educators to rationalise training tools, but it also encourages an innovative use of hybrid training schemes that revitalises approaches to initial and in-service training. Supporting language teacher training is a prerequisite for achieving the Lisbon objectives. Support websites are a training tool* for language teachers that can be adapted to suit different European contexts.
7. Detecting and Removing Obstacles to the Mobility of Foreign Language Teachers: Final Report: A Report to the European Commission Directorate General for Education and Culture, European Commission, Brussels, available at http:// ec.europa.eu/education/policies/lang/doc/detect_en.pdf. 8. Peter Radai (dir.), The Status of Language Educators, Council of Europe, 2003, p. 149; Michael Kelly, Michael Grenfell, Rebecca Allan, et al, European Profile for Language Teacher Education A Frame of Reference: Final Report, European Commission, September 2004, p. 124, available at http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/pdf/doc477_en.pdf. 9. Summer university on training teachers of languages in Europe (www.semlang.eu)
Language teacher support websites

The notion of support, a core issue in lifelong learning
What do we mean by support? The notion of support is very much to the fore in institutional and research discourses alike. In French, the term for support (accompagner) has the same roots as the word for journeyman and companion, and, in the field of vocational training, all date back to the twelfth century. Their definitions contain the following keywords: to second, to go with, to be associated, to join somebody, and also colleague, fellow, peer* and master. The idea is that the learner is not left alone and unaccompanied to tackle a difficult task. The notion of support appears in official French texts in the mid-1990s, as part of a theoretical reflection on revitalising the teaching profession and redefining the teachers role in the age of multimedia.10 Research highlights the new challenges posed by support: The new issue facing teachers, trainers and researchers today is to find out how the short time periods of lessons, programmes and courses relate to the long time periods of development.11 Support, it is claimed, is a radical new idea because it questions the very premises of education by challenging the inalterable hierarchy based upon the ownership of knowledge. Because it seeks to develop critical capacities for the greatest number, by bringing each person into contact with what is universal and what is specific, it is probably an innovative instrument for combating social inequality. Support implies a dual dimension, i.e. a relationship (being present and attentive to the other person) and time, referring back to the idea of a passage, a project in time, or a transition. For Marie-Jos Barbot, support can be empowering if we take into account the institutional context, the contractual dimension, the question of evaluation and support seen as a process.12 How is support delivered? Teachers can receive support from a tutor (during initial training) or a mentor (during in-service training), or through distance learning. The use of ICT in education has resulted in a proliferation of means of providing support to teachers and learners, and broadened the scope of training strategies by opening up new environments and communication spaces. Support websites are not intended to replace classroom training. On the contrary, they are designed to reinforce training initiatives by extending their effect, increasing their outcomes and promoting teacher autonomy*. Support websites are also at the crossroads of online support tools: they can be used in conjunction with collaborative platforms*, e-learning platforms13 and distance learning modules. What sorts of websites are designed for language teachers? The websites designed for teachers are many and various. The terminology used to describe them is also very varied. It embraces a number of interconnected notions:
10. Marie-Jos Barbot, Rle de lenseignant-formateur : laccompagnement en question, Mlanges CRAPEL no. 28, p. 1-46, Nancy, 2006. 11. Monique Lafont, Laccompagnement, une grande aventure... , in Accompagner, une ide neuve en ducation, Cahiers pdagogiques No. 393, 2001. 12. Marie-Jos Barbot, op. cit.
13. www.institut.minefi.gouv.fr/sections/themes/e-formation/glossaire2/view
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The notion of portal*: The Franc-parler.org website for teachers of French as a foreign language describes itself variously as the portal site for the French-speaking community and an inter-language portal.14 Another English term is gateway site. The Primary Languages website, for instance, describes itself as the national gateway to advice, information and support15, while the British Council uses the term global gateway for its website dedicated to international partnerships.16 The notion of support and service: In English, the term support is used for websites developed for language teachers.17 The notion of service (and free service) can be found in the terminology used by the support website run by the government of Catalonia, El Servei de Llenges (i.e. the Language Service).18 The notion of virtual centre: The Cervantes Institute 19 and the Cames Institute add to this notion of service and combine it with the notion of a virtual centre. The notion of education server: In German, the closest term to support website is Bildungsserver. It sees its role as implementing education policy: [the server] sets out to enhance the quality of teaching, introduce new methods and develop new communication structures, and is intended to help enhance the competences* of teachers and pupils. The notion of server is correlated to the notions of networking and sharing.20 The French term site daccompagnement was adopted for the French websites PrimLangues and Emilangues. Language teacher support websites in Europe vary greatly with the commissioning body, the coordinators, the objectives, and the target audiences expectations.21 Language teacher support websites can be classified into different categories (see Appendix) using the following criteria: The plurilingual dimension (target language* - source language*) The commissioning body (institution, association) The reach (local, regional, national, transnational)
14. This is the term adopted by Frances regional education authorities to designate the pages devoted to language teaching. 15. National gateway to advice, information and support, www.primarylanguages.org.uk 16. The gateway to new international partnerships. 17. TeachingEnglish is produced by the British Council with content and editorial support from the British Broadcasting Corporation. Both organisations receive funding from the UK government for their work in promoting English, supporting English language teaching (ELT) and providing information and access to ELT products, services and expertise from the UK. All teaching material on the site is free to access. www.teachingenglish.org.uk/about-us [terms italicised by the author]. 18. http://phobos.xtec.cat/pluriling/index.html 19. El Centro Virtual Cervantes ofrece materiales y servicios para los profesores de espaol, los estudiantes, los traductores, los periodistas y otros profesionales que trabajan con la lengua, as como para los hispanistas de todo el mundo, y para cualquier persona interesada en la lengua espaola, su cultura y la situacin del espaol en la Red. Sobre nosotros: http://cvc.cervantes.es/sitio/default.htm 20. The Bildungsserver Hessen provides a definition of the term Bildungsserver. It can be found at: http://dms.bildung. hessen.de/wir_ueber_uns/intern/konzept.html. 21. The websites of associations or cultural institutes often make no distinction between the purpose of their Internet page and the global objective of their institutions.
The type of teaching (early teaching, CLIL*, special-purpose language, higher education, general purpose, educational ICT and languages, etc.) The target audience The variety of content (information, teaching resources*, self-study*) The availability of access (public / partially public / members only) The opportunity for exchange (discussion forum, shared resources, etc.) We have found that there is a great variety of websites, shaped by user expectations and specific contexts. This guide proposes a set of recommendations for setting up websites and shares a series of good practices, in a bid to provide effective tools for enhancing teacher training.
What is a language teacher support website?

A proposed definition A support website is a reference area for language teachers. Its reach extends across Europe and onto the international scene. It is at once an information site, a resource* centre and a forum for discussion and sharing resources. Regularly updated and accessible to everyone, its purpose is to support teachers in their professional practice by facilitating exchange, with a view to lifelong learning and promoting linguistic diversity. It should be a sort of backbone, running through the different training systems (initial and in-service) and linking up with other online support tools. It helps teachers develop new competences*, especially in the field of educational ICT and innovative practices, to support and enhance language teaching. It promotes the use of the CEFR* and the ELP*. Lastly, a support website helps language teachers acquire a clearer vision of their own practices, through discussions not only with their peers* but also with educational institutions and associations.
The SAEL Guide: a practical guide to language teacher support websites

The guide
This guide was produced with support from the European Commission, as part of the SAEL project on language teacher support websites. This project was conducted by the Centre international dtudes pdagogiques (France), the National French Teachers Association (Italy) and Europees Platform - internationaliseren in onderwijs (Netherlands), in liaison with experts Elisabeth Brodin (University Stendhal Grenoble 3) and Micheline Maurice (pedagogical expert for eTwinning France). The SAEL partnership: reflecting the diversity of stakeholders in language teacher training The Centre international dtudes pdagogiques (CIEP) France The CIEP (www.ciep.fr), pilot of the SAEL project, is a public body linked to the French Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. Its core missions are to promote French expertise internationally, help make France more attractive and internationalise its education system, and promote plurilingualism. Its activities revolve around two focus areas: education (general, professional and higher education; recognition of qualifications) and languages (foreign languages and mobility, assessment and certification, French
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language). Within the partnership, the CIEP is project leader and represents government structures designed to support the implementation of national policy. The National French Teachers Association (ANIF) Italy Formed in 2001, the ANIF (www.associazioneanif.it/) is an association of Italian teachers of French eager to meet the new national and European challenges concerning the role of modern language teaching and learning. The association sets out to promote the teaching of French in a plurilingual perspective, by promoting a quality approach based on comparison and exchange, the development of initial and in-service training, and the organisation of any event likely to disseminate the good practices that have emerged. This partnership was chosen primarily to involve language teacher associations. At local, national and European level, the latter play a decisive role in disseminating good practices and act as an interface between the grassroots level and education authorities.22 The institution can also give associations the task of training language teachers, in which case the associations play a role in implementing reforms.23 Europees Platform - internationaliseren in onderwijs Netherlands Europees Platform (www.europeesplatform.nl) is a foundation jointly commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education and the European Commission to implement a series of programmes aimed at reinforcing the European dimension, promoting internationalisation and enhancing the quality of teaching in the Netherlands. Europees Platform focuses its action on primary and secondary teaching, vocational training, and adult training and education. This partner* was chosen to represent foundations, which are another type of European structure sometimes called on to support multilingualism and language teacher training in Europe. Thanks to the varied composition of the partnership, the language teacher websites it manages are themselves varied and complementary. The French Ministry of Education, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and the Fdration internationale des professeurs de franais (FIPF) have appointed the CIEP official coordinator for creating and running language teacher support websites. Franc-parler (www.franc-parler.org), set up in 2000, is dedicated to the worldwide community of French teachers; PrimLangues (www.primlangues.education.fr), set up in 2002, is devoted to primary language teaching; Emilangues (www.emilangues.education.fr), set up in 2006, is devoted to CLIL* teaching in France. The CIEP was recently asked by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs to design and run a website for bilingual teaching in French-speaking programmes,Le fil du bilingue (www.lefildubilingue.org). True to its articles of association, the ANIF produced a website (www.anif.it) that is designed as a forum for discussion and the sharing of good practices, aimed at facilitating the sharing of experience. This bilingual website is intended for members of the association, as well as a
22. Final Report of the REAL Project 1. www.ciep.fr/expert_langues/etrangeres/real.php 23. In Italy, some language teacher associations (in particular multilingual ones) are officially authorised to dispense continuing education for teachers. The ANILS and the LEND, for example, are involved in research for the SAEL project.
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wider audience of language teachers and decision makers. Europees Platform manages some fifteen websites. Trial initiatives have been run on the e-changes website (www.e-changes.nl/), designed to support school exchanges in the Netherlands. Methodology This guide draws on the research and trials conducted under the SAEL project, which consists in action research on language teacher support websites. This research is based on: In-depth analysis of the partner websites, as well as other similar websites in Europe; The identification of good practices; Trials conducted by the partners*, who agreed to exchange concrete practices and implement at least one good practice on their website taken from the websites identified within the partnership. Analysis of the partnerships websites Initially, the project analysed the websites run by the partnership organisations, using data sheets on the websites concerned and surveys of both decision makers (questionnaire for decision makers) and the websites (questionnaire for administrators). Throughout the project, website users were asked to complete an online survey that analysed their perception of the website, their expectations and the impact of the trials (see below). Research on language teacher websites The scope of research was then extended to websites for language teachers in Europe, in order to identify websites with similar profiles and analyse their distinctive features and the type of support they provided. The selection of websites covered does not aim to be exhaustive; the decision as to which websites to analyse was linked to language skills* within the partnership, national contexts and the participating institutions. Several criteria were identified as being of particular importance, namely the regular updating of the website, the variedness of content, and the degree of interactivity. Identifying good practices In a subsequent phase, research focused on a broader range of websites (intended not only for teachers but also other target audiences) and identified good practices that could help enrich support websites already in existence or under construction. The good practices were selected on the basis of their transferability to other contexts, the needs identified by the administrators of the partner websites, and the expectations of teachers (as expressed in the surveys). The good practices will be presented in this guide in the form of examples and references. They will also be available on the www.eurosael.eu website (in the Guide section). The good practices identified set out to: Make what is often isolated experience known to a wider audience (change of scale); Highlight innovative experiments and trigger a change dynamic; Develop exchanges of experience (discussion among members of the educational community with a view to enhancing their own teaching practice); Promote good, transposable editorial and technical practices. Trials conducted on the partnerships websites
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Trials were conducted on partner websites: A new section was set up, dedicated to supporting online project pedagogy. It proposes trial schemes and works hand in hand with support and classroom training websites (ANIF and e-changes); The Franc-parler.org newsletter was completely redesigned, based on the good practice identified in the Deutsch-als-Fremdsprache website newsletter (www.daf.de); A section dedicated to sharing resources was completely redesigned, this had previously been identified as lacking on the Emilangues website (the section entitled Le coin des); Classroom practices were filmed and the clips posted on the PrimLangues website, drawing on the good practices identified on the Primary Languages websites; An exchange and correspond section looking at the methodology of online exchanges (PrimLangues) designed for primary school teachers. Not only did the project make it possible to write the guide, through its action-based research approach it also helped enhance the partnerships support websites by providing content that is richer, more open to European issues and content, with greater input from language teachers. Peer discussion at a European seminar for decision makers (CIEP, 5-6 November 2009) has further enriched the recommendations contained in this guide.
Target audience
This is a practical guide designed for those in charge of ICT in education and language teacher training. It sets out to provide recommendations and examples of websites and good practices that will help them design, improve and run support websites suited to their national, regional or institutional context. It is not a technical guide to building a website or drafting specifications*: these can be found in bookshops and often free of charge on the Internet (see the References section). Instead, this handbook provides guidance about how to connect language teacher training and language policy considerations that are core concerns for all EU Member States, such as multilingualism, implementing the CEFR*, using the ELP*, and mobility for teachers.
How to use this guide

This guide is available in two formats: a hard-copy version and an electronic version (www. eurosael.eu/guide). It consists of four chapters. The first chapter summarises the main objectives of support websites and explains why they are necessary (arguments intended for policy makers and funding organisations, if applicable). The second chapter reflects on creating, managing and running support websites. The third chapter is dedicated to the technical aspects of creating and running a support website. The fourth chapter looks at the resources* made available on the website (how they are produced, their validation, variety, etc.). The illustrations in the guide have been taken from existing websites and good practices identified during the trials conducted by the SAEL project. Not all of the good practices are discussed in this guide, but all are available on the projects website. References to good practices are highlighted by the following typographical sign 0 . A full list is provided in the guides appendix.
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FUrtHer iNfOrmatiON is aVailaBle frOm tHe weBsite This guide is designed to be read in conjunction with the projects website (www.eurosael.eu). Online users can read and download the projects research material (surveys, questionnaires, classification), the experts research articles and the good practices in the Guide section of the website at www.eurosael.eu/en/guide.
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CHapter 1
Why create a support website for language teachers?
This chapter sums up the reasons for creating a support website for language teachers.
Responding to changes in language teaching

Support websites are tools to further language policy: they can support reforms, structure a network and/or promote innovative practices.
Supporting reforms
Language teacher support websites can be used to respond to a number of major transformations in language teaching. These include: The introduction of the CEFR* and the ELP* Changes in teacher training curriculum* Technological advances (ICT in education) The introduction of language teaching in primary schools The development of the teaching of community languages The introduction of new disciplines A new direction in language policy Through the websites design it is possible to: Establish a strategy of communication and explanation Create a central reference area for language teachers Put forward examples of good practices Establish contacts between experts and language teachers by providing opportunities for exchange (forums, personalised advice, chat facilities, tutorials, etc.) Support websites must go beyond the role of a mere showcase or portal* so that they may create a dynamic encouraging members of the profession to reflect upon materials, tools and methods.
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PrimLangues, a website to support the introduction of language teaching in primary schools

Name of the website URL Target audience Type of teaching Context PrimLangues www.primlangues.education.fr Teachers and teaching assistants in primary schools Trainers Early language teaching Introduction of language teaching in French primary schools (ages 6-10) Target level: A1 Promotion of early language teaching in Europe to maintain linguistic diversity Need to train huge numbers of primary teachers 2002 France National French Ministry of Education Centre international dtudes pdagogiques (CIEP) A website was created for language teachers and teaching assistants. It provides resources* in 7 languages, self-study* tools, discussion forums and a section focusing on the pedagogy of online exchanges. The website runs training courses based on the resources for teachers and trainers. 35,000 monthly visits
EXample 1
Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Implementation
Links to classroom training Traffic
Support websites are an important lever for implementing reforms in the area of language policy. Creating support websites will help disseminate reforms and put them into practice at local, national and European level.
Structuring networks
A support website helps to bring together language teachers and structure the activities of their network. In particular, it is an easy means of publicising the networks or the associations events, it encourages virtual discussions, the sharing of information and/or documents, and helps create a community of practice*. This is a key dimension for association websites and communities. Language teachers are at home with using a website. The website links up the communitys different means of expression, such as forums, chat rooms and social networks.
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Why cReate a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs?
The DaF-Netzwerk, a network of teachers and experts in teaching German as a foreign language
Context The creation of a network of teachers and experts working in the area of German as a foreign language (Deutsch als Fremsprache - DaF), supported by the European Commission as part of the Comenius 3 project. www.daf-netzwerk.org/ 2003 European Transnational COMENIUS-C3 DAF-SDOST Network Institute for Communication and Culture (IKK) This website was built by IKK, one of the networks partners. IKK managed the project website for three years, using content supplied by the networks output and teachers. The website made it possible to form a community of teachers geographically dispersed across south-east Europe. The website continues to receive input from one of the members of the consortium. The network runs training sessions and shares the outcomes. Forum, specialised forums, mailing list, and members contributions to website content.
EXample 2
URL Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Implementation
Links to classroom training Interactive facilities
Support websites help structure the language teacher community into national and translational networks.
Promoting innovative practices

Support websites can have a specific focus on promoting innovative practices, in particular practices that address the dual issue of ICT in education and languages. These thematic websites present good practices in the field of promoting language teaching, community languages and the applications of ICT in education.
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FLENET, a research community promoting ICT in education

URL Target audience Type of teaching Context Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Implementation http://www3.unileon.es/dp/dfm/flenet/ Students, teachers, researchers in French as a foreign language All types of teaching Research project 1999 France National University of Lon, in liaison with the national knowledge-promotion programme Department of Modern Philology, University of Lon The FLENET project aims to give students, teachers and academics the resources, methods and tools they need to understand and use the applications of the Internet in language teaching. The website is built around three main sections: 1. A section presenting the work conducted in the research laboratory. 2. A collaborative section (FLENET, RedIRIS). Academics, teachers and students can use a collaborative platform* or a mailing list to discuss issues and offer information, documents and ideas on what the FLE (French as a foreign language) community can gain by using ICT in education. 3. The virtual campus. Two types of course are available here: modules in using the Internet and incorporating it into language lessons (for teachers and students), and language modules for students studying French. These courses, which are free and open to everyone, are aimed at encouraging the use of ICT, and especially the Internet, in language teaching. Virtual campus courses are always hands on and provide access to practical work. The University of Lon runs training courses
EXample 3
Links to classroom training
Support websites can be used to promote ICT in education and innovative projects, and assist language teachers with using them.
A visible, accessible, flexible tool

A communication tool to serve language teaching
Creating a support website for language teachers is an important political gesture of support for this community. It gives language teaching a foothold in the media landscape and provides a showcase for initiatives specifically designed for the community, such as training courses and exchange programmes. The creation of a website is part of the institutions strategy of communication with language teachers. A website is also a means of addressing decision makers, opinion leaders and civil society in a bid to promote language teaching. 55 For teachers and decision makers alike, the website can be a source of documentation and communication media. 18
Languages Work, a website promoting language learning
EXample 4
URL Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Target audience Implementation
www.languageswork.org.uk/ 2002 United Kingdom National UK Ministry of Education (the National Centre for Languages) Language students, language teachers, decision makers. The CILT is the contact point for organising the European Day of Languages. It has set up a website dedicated to promoting language teaching with a view to maintaining diversity. The programme is aimed at drawing attention to the value of languages at work, at home and at school. The CILT runs information and training sessions on professional skills development.
Links to training
Creating a website enables an association to: - Show how active and dynamic its network is - Present its objectives and the services it provides for its members - Showcase its action - Make language teachers needs and expectations known in the media sphere Support websites make is possible to link up all of the actions taken by the stakeholders and institutions in charge of language learning and language teacher education.
A diverse target audience

Websites are capable of addressing all those involved in language policy. The content can be tailored to suit different target audiences and reflect changes in language policy and advances in teaching theory. Content can be adapted to the target profile (teacher, trainer, school head, etc.). The many functionalities* available to users could also include the possibility of customising the different website zones for greater user autonomy*. 41
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Primary Languages: specific, targeted sections for the different stakeholders involved in language teaching
URL Target audience Type of teaching Context www.primarylanguages.org.uk/ Teachers, management staff, trainers. Early language teaching. The Primary Languages website was created to develop the use of ICT in education and assist with implementing language curricula (the KS2 Framework) in the UK. 2006 United Kingdom National Ministry of Education National Centre for Languages (CILT) The website offers three zones: The first zone, intended for teachers, provides good practices, assistance with implementing the new programmes and an example of how to use ICT in education, in the form of filmed lessons accompanied by a transcript in six languages. Users can reach the page in a number of ways, through the homepage or the customisable private zone: My Training Zone. The second zone is intended for school management staff and provides information on annual planning, needs analysis, training and assessment. The third zone, called the Training Zone, is a password-protected interactive training environment that puts the online user in direct contact with CILT tutors and strategic partners. This zone is designed as a virtual training centre for trainers and an e-forum to help ensure good-quality outcomes. The supplementary training materials and the video clips have been produced specifically for trainers. The CILT runs classroom training courses that complement its online offering.
EXample 5
Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Implementation
Support websites must address all those interested in or involved in language teaching (teachers, trainers, decision makers, parents) and provide content tailored to their specific needs.
Helping build up a stock of online resources

Creating support websites brings universal access to information a step closer and facilitates information dissemination. It is also a means of disseminating good-quality resources* and promoting linguistic diversity, by contributing to language teachers education and by adding to the number of language resources available online.1 4 16 54 61 The objective of support websites is to offer all language teachers support and help disseminate knowledge beyond national borders.
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1. UNESCOs Initiative B@bel http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001398/139844e.pdf
Franc-parler, a resource and discussion website

URL Target audience Type of teaching Context www.franc-parler.org Teachers, trainers and learners. French as a foreign or second language. Franc-parler is a website designed for the worldwide community of French teachers. Its objectives are to inform teachers of the latest developments in the French language and the teaching profession, provide regularly-updated teaching resources* and practices, and facilitate exchanges between teachers the world over. 2000 France (editorial team) Global Organisation internationale de la francophonie (OIF) Centre international dtudes pdagogiques (CIEP), Fdration internationale des professeurs de franais (FIPF) Resources The monthly special reports cover didactic or general-interest topics such as cinema, class projects, the CEFRL*, French-language comics, blogs, etc. Each special report contains a learning path* and teaching notes, along with interviews and original contributions from outside stakeholders. The learning paths present a selection of websites, along with comments and an assessment of each. The aim is to give teachers the technical resources and skills they need to quickly find useful websites. The teaching notes are original content produced by the Franc-parler team. The Classroom Activities are ready-to-use teaching resources. The different steps of the activities are described in detail, from the preparation phase to their use in the classroom. The self-study* section provides the pedagogical and technical keys to innovative activities such as creating a blog, podcasts, online webquests for pupils, etc. The Teaching Notes train teachers to use a variety of free online utilities, for example by explaining how to save online resources, edit images, create audio files, generate interactive exercises, etc. The editorial team runs training sessions on the themes covered by the website (teaching methodology, using ICT in education, setting up social networks, etc.).
EXample 6
Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Content
The bulk of the content of support websites is expected to remain accessible to everyone, even if some sections, content or functionalities* may be restricted to a smaller community and protected by a password. The restricted sections of association websites reserve the most popular services and resources* for their members. Support websites will need to encourage the production of copyright-free resources (Creative Commons licenses2), so that the content can be circulated more widely. 40 61 Support websites should be designed to last. Especially when websites are being overhauled, care should be taken to maintain gateways to the sections where older content may be found. Support websites for language teachers must provide a lasting means of sharing content and contributing to the linguistic diversity of online resources*.
2. www.creativecommons.org
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A tool to develop new skills and expand exchanges in Europe

Developing language teachers skills
Support websites should make it easier for language teachers to acquire and update their skills and know-how as part of a process of lifelong learning. This approach is one of the recommendations put forward by the European Profile for Language Teacher Education3 and the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages.4 Support websites help in-service training programmes hone methodologies by developing and fostering intercultural skills and proficient use of ICT in education. Emilangues: supporting CLIL teachers in their professional development
The Emilangues website was created to support the professional development of teachers who teach a non-linguistic subject in a foreign language. The additional certification created in 2004 attests to proficiency in the target language*, as well as a knowledge of the CLIL* teaching system and methods. EXample 7
Support websites aim to develop new skills in language teachers.
Developing mobility and exchanges in Europe

As Europe has expanded and opened up to the rest of the world, teacher and pupil mobility has become an important issue for any education system. Support websites are intended to promote exchanges and facilitate mobility for both teachers and pupils. 42 43 44 46 47 48 49 50 Support websites must inform teachers in order to facilitate: Pupil mobility Teacher mobility The sharing of good practices in this area The organisation of teachers into a network.
3. http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/pdf/doc477_en.pdf
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4. www.ecml.at/mtp2/publications/C3_Epostl_E_internet.pdf
Supporting online projects Training teachers in the pedagogy of online projects Goals Encourage use of the new technological tools for promoting exchanges Raise awareness among teachers of the exchange schemes already in existence at local, national and European level. Promote exchanges as a learning process for pupils. This includes all of the practices that enable pupils to learn languages with the help of ICT, by conducting projects with pupils in another country and with a different language and culture. The process is based on communication and the production of joint outcomes using a CEFR* approach. Introduce exchanges as a continuing education process for teachers. This means making exchange, cooperation and the sharing of practices part of teachers professional practice, with a view to developing their competences*, building new teaching tools and co-producing new resources*. 26 The link between exchange practices is something that has to be built within teachers professional environment. Its construction is a major issue - a sort of challenge for the years to come in the education field. Current situation Few language teachers are involved: According to information gathered during training initiatives conducted in this area in various European countries, new types of correspondence and exchange projects have emerged and gained ground as a result of European programmes and the introduction of ICT into education. There are still relatively few of them, however. Pedagogical exchanges are still a minority practice: The vast majority of teachers see exchanges not as a teaching activity in their own right, or as a way of teaching languages from an action-based angle, but rather as an activity designed to raise awareness of the foreign culture and provide contact with the country whose language they teach. Their requirements are therefore primarily of an organisational, logistic and financial nature. A small minority of experienced teachers: These are the ones who already conduct exchange and cooperation projects, often as part of European programmes (eTwinning, Comenius, Leonardo da Vinci) or international programmes. These teachers seek to enrich their practices and improve their projects. They require rich, diversified resources which they can use independently. To draw up support strategies that will effectively help develop teaching practices based on exchange and cooperation, it is essential to take into account the varying degrees of competence that language teachers have acquired in this area.
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CHapter 2
Creating, managing and running a support website for language teachers
The creation of a support website must lie within the general framework of a language policy, whether it emanates from an institution, an agency, an association or a community of practice*. Publication in the public sphere is a political act that commits the institution. This chapter will focus on three key aspects of language teacher websites: how they are created, managed and run.
Creating a support website: defining priorities

Defining the websites objectives, target audience and content
Creating a support website is a team effort Support websites are usually produced by a team belonging to one or more institutions. It is important to identify: The complementary competences within the teams The people or institutions interested or involved in teacher training, so that they can be involved in strategic decision making What will be outsourced The needs of the target audience A steering committee or a brainstorming group can be set up before the project gets under way to drive and monitor the project as it unfolds. It will help define the objectives and the target audience. Creating support websites is a team effort that must be underpinned by complementary competences* and know-how. Needs analysis The decision to create a support website is made when analysis reveals an unfulfilled need in the area of language training at the level in question (local, regional, national, European or global).
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The needs analysis will identify the reasons why the project should be undertaken and analyse the potential benefits. It should be conducted at several levels (institution, end-users, existing digital offering in the field, etc.). Analysis of the institutional context What reforms are under way or planned? How is language teaching organised (centralised or decentralised, etc.)? How is teacher training organised? What stakeholders or institutions are concerned? What are the specific expectations of the institutions in charge of training? Website end-user needs analysis Analysing the needs of the websites end-users ensures that the websites objectives match the target audiences expectations. In order to provide the solution best suited to their requirements, the needs analysis often takes the form of questionnaires on teachers expectations, the equipment (and especially computer equipment) at their disposal, their use of websites, their proficiency in using ICT, and their classroom practices. Analysis of the existing digital offering Before creating a support website, the project team has to identify similar websites and digital product offerings at both national and European level so as to: Demonstrate the benefits to be gained by creating the website Promote knowledge building Take inspiration from good practices applied by the other national websites or transnational networks Identify the websites future information sources The creation of support websites must be underpinned by an analysis of the institutional context and language teachers needs, so that the websites can offer the best possible match between the assigned goals and the actual needs. Prior analysis of the existing digital offering in Europe will help identify good practices and highlight the projects originality. Defining the websites general objectives and target audience What are the websites objectives? The objectives should be redefined in line with the results of the analysis of the languagepolicy context and the end-user needs analysis. Here is a number of suggested possibilities: Support reform in the language teaching field Provide information about the education system Promote multilingualism Promote language teaching Showcase an association Enhance teachers linguistic or teaching skills Introduce the CEFR* Facilitate the exchange of good practices Create a facility for exchanging documents Provide teaching materials Develop CLIL* or early language learning
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CReating, managing and Running a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs
Develop the use of ICT Implement evaluation tools Ranking these objectives will define the websites profile and content layout. By following the European Unions recommendations on language policy, it will be possible to make the website part of the language teaching dynamic. What is the websites target audience? Who will its end-users be? Websites can be aimed at teachers of a particular language or language teachers in general, trainee or experienced teachers, teaching assistants or language assistants. They can be aimed more specifically at trainers and didactics experts, or the other stakeholders involved in language policy (education managers, decision makers, headteachers, etc.). Parents and civil society can also form a target audience. The target audience will influence the nature of the website. What sort of content will be made available online? It is important to decide beforehand what type of documents the project team wishes to make available (news, resources*, software, etc.) and in what formats (video files, audio files, etc.). The architecture and the choice of technologies will depend on the types of documents to be placed online, as well as the language policy and the institutional priorities. What functionalities* will online users be offered? Careful thought should be given to the functionalities offered to end-users, considering the objectives and expectations of the website (forums, document exchange zones, customisable zones, blogs, etc.). The objectives and the target audience should be defined on the basis of the priorities established and the needs analysis. While the core target of these websites is language teachers, the other stakeholders involved in language teaching should not be overlooked. Specifications At this stage, a set of specifications* can be drawn up, setting out the objectives, the target audience, the financial and technical constraints, the types of content and the delivery date. The specifications are intended to be an exhaustive definition of the basic characteristics of the product or service to be supplied. In addition to the specifications, there may also be a set of functional specifications, which express the requirements in terms of functions, describing in detail the services rendered by the product and the constraints to which it is subject. The specifications set out: The underlying issues and a presentation of the context The general objectives to be achieved, including the main deliverable The terms and conditions of performance (in particular the projected costs, the delivery date, milestones, etc.), though without imposing any particular solutions The criteria for evaluating the deliverable and the achievement of the other objectives The main constraints (e.g. accessibility*) Any exclusions
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Why draw up specifications? The specifications formally set out the requirements and explain them to the different stakeholders, to make sure that everyone is in agreement. More specifically, the specifications define the tasks and responsibilities of all those involved, and in particular the project director (on the project owner side) and/or the project manager (on the project supervision side). The specifications are then used to select the service provider and organise the relationship between the commissioning body and the project manager. When an order is to be placed, it is absolutely essential to invite competitive bids and abide by the current rules for requests for proposals. The specifications* are a fundamental communication tool for the project director and/ or the project manager. It is a contractual document between the client and the service provider/vendor, but is not, in itself, the sales contract. The statement of requirements part of the specifications is then set out, if necessary, in a set of functional specifications.
Budget
Sources of funding Budgeting is an important step in the website creation process. Customising existing technical solutions and adding functionalities* can increase the budget. Government funding Ministry of Education The main institutional websites analysed by the SAEL project were financed by departments within the French Ministry of Education. Funding was provided through a framework agreement or a commission contract. Source of funding: French Ministry of Education
The French Ministry of Education helps run a varied network of websites for language teachers.
COmmissiON- DepartmeNt iNg BODY LeVel COOrDiNatOr WeBsite Name ApprOViNg aUtHOritY OBJectiVes
EXample 8
DGESCO
School Education
National
DREIC
International relations
National
DGESCO
School Education
National
SD-TICE Regional education authority
Educational ICT DepartNational ment Regional
Support introduction Steering comCIEP PrimLangues of primary language mittee teaching Develop Content & Language Integrated Steering comCIEP Emilangues Learning (CLIL*) mittee Give schools an international outlook Foster ties between the Cl des Steering comENS-LSH research community langues mittee and school education Promote ICT in educaSD-TICE Educnet SD-TICE tion/Section focusing on languages 31 regional Regional educaInspectors Publicise regional authority tion authority IA-IPR/ IEN initiatives websites
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Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs plays an important role in language support websites, as linguistic issues come under its outreach policy. .
Source of funding: The French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

ANIF received a received a grant from the Cultural Affairs Department of the French Embassy in Italy, without which it would not have been able to launch the associations website (www.anif.it). More recently, the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs contributed to the creation of Le Fil du bilingue (www.lefildubilingue.fr), a website designed to support bilingual teaching in French-speaking programmes.
EXample 9
Foundations Foundations can be asked to create websites as part of their roles. Their portal* then becomes a support website for teachers. Source of funding: Foundations
The Europees Platform (www.europeesplatform.nl) and Kennisnet (www.kennisnet.nl) foundations EXample 10
European funds Language support websites can be financed through European projects. The creation of websites is now a virtually indispensable tool in the communication strategy of LifeLang Learning Projects. From mere project showcases, they can become a hub for the networks activities. Source of funding: European funds
The DAF Netzwerk Sud-Ost network (www.daf-netzwerk.org/), which was co-financed by the European Union from 2003 to 2006, used its website to structure the network of teachers of German as a foreign language. The website plays a pivotal role in the strategies for communication, resource* creation and sharing, and the network dynamic. It continues to be updated and added to by one of the networks partners* and bears witness to the permanence of the outcomes. EXample 11
Co-financing Support websites and projects for online support can also be financed by public and privatesector stakeholders. Co-financed projects can be more ambitious and offer online users numerous functionalities* (online courses, personal zone, etc.). Websites can be financed by private-enterprise foundations. The network of Goethe Institutes and its website are financed under an agreement with the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with various commissioning bodies and donors. Co-financing and editorial cooperation Support websites may occasionally receive outside funding as part of projects or initiatives. Cooperation can also take the form of an assignment of copyright or teaching materials, in which case authentic documents can be added to the websites content. Budgeting for a support website project Budgets can vary from one support website to the next, depending on how ambitious the website is to be. Where association websites are concerned, the main expense to be estimated is the cost of human resources. A distinction should be made between: The budget for creating the website This includes the costs of the preliminary study, the website design, the graphics and start-
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up. It can range from several thousand euros to several hundred thousand euros for the most complex websites. The budget for running the website (server, maintenance) and paying the teaching team Hosting and maintaining a website and paying for software licences add up to an annual cost that will have to be calculated. Shared hosting* can save money but is likely to complicate maintenance. The cost of paying staff engaged in running and maintaining the website will also have to be taken into account. This staff can consist of teachers working full-time or part-time on running the website. Websites in the voluntary sector can be run by an editorial team with additional language skills*. Provisions for subsequent development. Language pedagogy is a field that is constantly evolving. Setting aside provisions for developing the website will make it possible to adapt the website to usage patterns, offer new functionalities* and provide updates when necessary.
Managing a support website

Once the support website has been created, the institution, community or association that runs it will need to monitor it carefully.
Steering and editorial committees

Support websites steering and editorial committees oversee the quality of the content and drive major policy decisions. Committee members are drawn from both the commissioning institutions and those involved in the education, to ensure that the outcomes meet the commissions objectives. The steering committees can also propose new policy directions, in keeping with language policy. The editorial committees are more concerned with content and content planning.
EXample 12
Franc-parler, its steering, monitoring and editorial policy committees

The steering committee is responsible for defining the websites policy directions, checking progress and making decisions on its development. It is made up of a representative of the OIF, representatives of the CIEP and a representative of the FIPF. Members of the website administration team also attend steering committee meetings. The monitoring committee is responsible for overseeing work, checking that the steering committees policy decisions are applied, making suggestions for developing the website and overseeing the staff. It meets twice a year. It is made up of the coordinator of the Franc-parler project at the OIF, the project manager appointed by the CIEP and a representative of the FIPF. The members of the website administration team also attend monitoring committee meetings. The editorial policy committee is responsible for deciding the thematic focus of special reports and website sections, and the angle to be taken on the issues covered. It meets every two months. It is made up of the two project managers appointed by the CIEP and the FIPF, and the team responsible for managing and running the website.
The steering committee of a support website defines the main policy directions, in consultation with the editorial and editorial policy committees. In so doing, it ensures that the website is in line with language policy. 30
Legal and editorial responsibility

A website commits the institution, community and people that created it. Transparency and gaining user trust Legal information Websites must contain the appropriate legal information, including the name and address of the people responsible, in accordance with the legislation in force in each individual country. The requirements may vary, depending on whether the website is published by a physical person or a legal entity, and depending on the country in which the website is officially registered. Definition of the objectives and presentation of the institution A section entitled About us, translated into several languages, will tell online users which institution or community commissioned the website, and its objectives. It is good practice to include a contact form and a presentation of the editorial team. Website terms of use The terms and conditions that apply for using the website (and in particular the resources* it contains), along with disclaimer clauses, can be made readily accessible through links placed at the bottom of each page. If online users are able to post directly to the website, their prior acceptance of the website terms of use will be decisive in the event of a legal dispute. Copyright Publishing a website carries an obligation to respect intellectual property rights. The publisher must check whether the images and texts used are copyright-free. If this is not the case, the website will have to pay copyright fees to the author or the copyright holders. Protect individual liberties Content must not contain any statement that is insulting or derogatory, or incites racial hatred. If the website hosts blogs or forums, a system of moderation and monitoring must be set up. For multilingual websites, having a team of experts for each language will make it possible to monitor the content published online and check whether the translations match the source text. Databases containing personal data held by the websites or editorial teams are subject to data privacy law. Any person must be able to obtain disclosure of the data held in the websites databases and have it deleted. Users must also be able to unsubscribe from a newsletter at any time. Language teacher support websites must be transparent about their objectives and the rules for posting. Websites must clearly set out the terms of use and protect intellectual property rights.
Approval and quality

Content can be approved by the institution itself. In that case, it is the education managers and trainers who approve the content produced. 31
Peer* or community review. Decisions can be made by an editorial committee. Web 2.0* tools can be used to rate the resources* provided and insert comments, which will then become part of the content. The approval of teaching content is a fundamental issue for any support website. Content can be approved either by the commissioning body and its representatives or by peers* and members of the community. Quality assurance Quality is an important aspect of the process and must be taken into consideration right from the preliminary survey stage, to define the websites objectives, the processes and procedures, the performance indicators and the continuous improvement processes. Quality assurance can cover: The development process (compliance with the specifications*, mock-up) The product (ergonomics*, functionalities*, compliance with accessibility* requirements, compliance with W3C1, standards, design and approval process, learning environment) The following criteria and tools can be used to analyse usage and measure user impact: traffic statistics, surveys of pilot teachers and schools, semi-guided interviews, etc. The use of statistical tools and the publication of annual reports will provide a record of the websites activities for the commissioning institution. A report for the members of the association or the community can be used to justify and consolidate the financial and human investment the website represents. Support websites must be designed and built in accordance with a quality charter, defined in consultation with the steering committee, the website commissioning body and the operators, right from the beginning of the project.
Running a support website

Profile and functions of the technical staff
For a website to work properly, it is crucially important to have a technical expert, especially for continuity issues. A webmaster or a member of an IT department can also be assigned to the website to take charge of more complex operations (creating page templates, new functionalities*, etc.). Some tasks can be outsourced through a third-party maintenance contract. Sometimes content is designed by teaching teams or members of the association, then published by a webmaster. This is increasingly uncommon, though, due to the simplification of content posting procedures. This strict division can lead to conflict if communication breaks down between the technical staff and the teachers. The webmaster may also have an editorial role, approving content.
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1. www.norme-w3c.com/
The technical team can be called in to assist the website administrators with more complex operations. The websites technical expert should work hand in hand with the editorial team, so that the technical solutions provided are the ones best suited to the teaching objectives.
Website administration team (teaching team)

The configurations vary widely, but new content-management systems and Web 2.0* tools make editorial teams more self-sufficient and encourage collaborative writing. Configuration Websites are usually run by a team of contributors, who may or may not report to each other. Each members remit will be defined on the basis of their language skills* and their field of specialisation. Where multilingual websites are concerned, special attention should be given to the workflow*, i.e. modelling the tasks of the entire editorial chain, and to forming a team with complementary language skills. Using a glossary and codified terminology will facilitate the procedures. Where associations and communities are concerned, the network of contributors may be highly decentralised. If so, it is important to draw up and abide by an editorial charter to maintain a consistent look and feel throughout the website. The website can use a system of signatures, with contributors names shown beside the content. Even when the management is highly decentralised (forum, blog, etc.), a system of moderation is required. Composition of website administration teams
Emilangues and PrimLangues Teachingenglish DAF Kennisnet A team of four administrators works on the websites, which are developed by a webmaster An editorial team (full-time chief editor, several part-time editors, a freelance editor) An editor and several part-time administrators Teachers working under contract EXample 13
APLV: distribution of editorial tasks

The website of the Association franaise des professeurs de langues vivantes (APLV), founded in 1902. Overall editorial responsibility lies with a member of the associations committee. The editorial team is made up of correspondents for each language (German, English, Arabic, Spanish, French as a foreign or second language, Occitan, etc.) and for each main theme (travel, ICT, etc.), along with a correspondent liaising with the associations. Two webmasters assist the editorial team.
EXample 14
Profile and competences of the administrators Administrators should be recruited with the following competences*: Good writing skills Proficient use of ICT tools A command of two modern languages, to facilitate multilingualism and the monitoring
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of European websites Knowledge of language didactics and European tools and programmes Proficient use of communication techniques Ability to react quickly Support websites must be run by a team that can rely on a network of local, national and international correspondents, so that they can reflect the diversity of new developments in languages, foster intercultural dialogue and boost the dissemination of good practices derived from the field. It would be a good idea to organise these teams into a European-wide network to facilitate exchanges of experience and the sharing of resources. Tasks and responsibilities of the administrators The administrators role is to monitor current developments, draft online resources*, liaise with the steering committee, institutions and users, and energise the teaching community. Alongside these editorial functions, administrators often fulfil the role of trainer for language teachers. In communities, the administrators role is not officially described as such; often, one or more people head the network and initiate the group dynamic. Support website administration teams help produce content, with assistance from the technical teams. Because of their role as interface, they are a valuable source of suggestions for improving teacher support. Structuring these teams into a European-wide network would help enhance website quality and make it easier to identify and disseminate good practices.
Editorial management
Editorial charter Good editorial management entails following a certain number of conventions. Texts must be clear and readily understandable for non-specialists and online users whose mother tongue is not the website language. It is important to stick to a system for classifying and ranking content, and to maintain a consistent overall tone (defined on the basis of the websites objectives). Regular updates One of the features of a website is that its content - both rolling and static - is regularly updated. Language teachers are a demanding audience that tends to skip from one source of information to another. Teachers, as website users, actively look for indications of lively communities and websites, such as the date of the most recent update or the date news items were published. The same holds for collaborative spaces and blogs. This frequent updating 28 requires teamwork and a large network. Sometimes it is a better idea to transfer the content in question from one website to other, more popular websites [Europees Platform is testing this on the e-changes website]. Using a blog to provide regular updates on a European project 27 sustains interest in its outcomes, maintains visitor traffic and means it continues to be regularly referenced by search engines. Editorial dynamics Customised e-mails, RSS* feeds, newsletters, social networks and blogs associated with a website make it more lively and so help build audience loyalty. 34
Completely redesigned newsletter

Website name URL Target audience Context Reference to a good practice found on another website Objectives Franc-parler www.franc-parler.org Teachers and trainers Franc-parler decided in 2008 to completely redesign its monthly newsletter. The DAF websites newsletter 30 Make the newsletters sent out to Franc-parler subscribers more consistent and more relevant. Showcase the teaching content offered on Franc-parler (teaching notes and learning paths*). Highlight the news presented on Franc-parler. Decision to focus on news about French teaching, and lesson plans classified by thematic category, some based on news from the French-speaking world. The new newsletter joins the existing features: a newsletter announcing the special reports and Forum Hebdo. Originality of the newsletter (nothing similar in the area of French as a foreign language). Highlights content published elsewhere on the website. Boosts interest in the blog and news features. Defining the criteria for news items Redefining an editorial charter Range of information sources is too narrow Monthly newsletter is a constraint Quantitative evaluation: The statistics show an increase in total visitor traffic and especially in traffic to the news section. Qualitative evaluation: The online survey showed readers like the quality and originality of the content; however they think the ergonomics* and the visual identity should be improved. Visual identity redesign More teaching content Broader range of information sources and stronger international outlook
SAEL prOJect trial 1
Implementation
Good points
Difficulties
Evaluation
Future developments
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CHapter 3
Technology and ergonomics
This section will look at ergonomic aspects and the different stages of technical production with a focus on users, before examining the role played by designers and then IT specialists. It is important to bear in mind that an educational website is about content: a good quality website must be interesting. The editorial aspect goes hand in hand with the equally important aspect of visual identity. It is the latters role to effectively rank data. The way textual and graphic information is organised, the ease of navigation* and the overall interactivity also contribute to overall quality.
What are the phases of a website or platform project?

Designing a website calls for numerous skills, which cannot be found in one single person. It will be necessary to form a team, therefore, with complementary skill sets. The first stage, which consists in analysing the needs and defining the objectives, was discussed in Chapter 2, as it defines the strategic priorities. The subsequent phases of a website project follow: Design the website, i.e. define the content, browsing, the visual identity and the interactivity Produce the graphics and the multimedia elements Deploy the formatted content on the platform* Monitor and maintain the website as a whole Apart from language teaching skills, the team will need multimedia programming skills to produce and format the multimodal components and, of course, general IT skills.
Ergonomics aspects
Once the project has decided what the objectives, target audience, content and types of media are to be, it is important to think about how the content is to be arranged. A user-centric approach consists in enabling the identified users to use the website to achieve the defined objectives effectively, efficiently and in a satisfactory manner. Online user surveys have identified a number of success factors for websites: Quality content Frequent updates
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Minimal download times Ease of use1 As far as ergonomics* are concerned, educational websites have to meet the same quality criteria as any other website. The most important thing is to make sure the website is easy for users to read, so they can quickly find the information they need. For users, reading on a screen is slower and more tiring than reading a paper document. Since on-screen reading patterns are neither systematic nor linear, it is best to summarise and rank the information provided, and start with the conclusion to be drawn from the text, or the most important items. La conception dun site web ducatif2 is a handbook for designing educational websites that contains a wealth of topical information, especially about ergonomics* (principles for organising screen layouts, principles for easy reading, typographical information, etc.). A template* can be used to keep the presentation consistent and make it easier for users to find their way around the screens. The homepage and the main menu should not contain too many items of information (seven at most), to avoid overloading the users short-term memory. Three levels of sub-menus is a maximum to ensure the user does not lose his way.
Technological resources
There are numerous guides readily available over the Internet. They are very well designed and documented, and regularly updated, so it is well worth referring to them.3 Three types of software (or platforms*) can be used to provide support services: So-called collaborative systems, which facilitate work sharing and communication around a common, remote-access platform (PHPGroupware, WordPress, DotClear, etc.) Content management systems (CMS*4), designed for publishing information on the Internet (Drupal and Joomla are among the better-known examples) Systems for managing online training, or e-learning* (LMS5): These programs, situated somewhere between collaboration and content management, are structured around the trainer/learner pair and the notion of tutorial (Claroline, Dokeos and Moodle are the best-known examples). The dividing line between these different categories is not impermeable and there are a growing number of functions in common. What distinguishes one from another is increasingly the overall product organisation, the ergonomics* and the degree of sophistication of the functionalities.
1. Source: Ministre du Budget, des Comptes publics et de la Fonction publique, Charte ergonomique des sites publics, 2008. www.references.modernisation.gouv.fr/sites/default/files/Charte_ergonomique_v2.0_2.pdf 2. Denyse Gilbert, La conception dun site web ducatif, 2003. www.aptic.ulaval.ca/guidew3educatif/ The most useful aspects are the pages on ergonomics* and readability, and the sheet used to evaluate educational websites, at the end of the handbook. 3. The http://guidecms.com, website, for example, lists white papers, tutorials and other literature on content management systems. 4. Acronym for Content Management System
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5. Acronym for Learning Management System
TechnOlOgy and eRgOnOmics
Infrastructure and technical solution In the planning stage prior to setting up a support website, a distinction has to be made between the infrastructure (the hosting) and the technical solution (the software). The infrastructure consists of: The server and its software environment, i.e. the computer capable of connecting to the Web and the software programs the computer needs to run (server software, database, programming languages, etc.) The connectivity, i.e. the interface between the server and the Internet network (cables, devices, etc.) The associated services: e-mail, video, data storage, etc. Managing this infrastructure is a specialised job that requires specific skills. A service provider will set up, maintain and support the website. This service will be necessary throughout the life of a website. It comes at a substantial cost. This software needs a number of other items (database, programming language, etc.) in order to operate. All of these combined are referred to as the technical solution. This technical solution must in turn be compatible with the server environment if it is to operate. Setting up the technical solution is also a service. It is a one-off service, performed when the website itself is set up. As far as the collaborative environment is concerned, the most advanced tools have their own e-mail and their own communication system (chat or video conferencing). In this respect, they are more closely tied to the infrastructure. Moreover, depending on the price paid, a hosting service will allow more or less latitude for customising the server environment and making it compatible with the technical solution. Project planners should start by asking themselves the following questions: Do we already have a hosting solution that we want to use? Do we already have a technical solution that we would like to use? If the answer to both questions is yes, the next thing to do is check whether the hosting solution and the technical solution are compatible. If they are not, it is better to choose the technical solution over the hosting solution. Both services (i.e. hosting and the technical solution) can either be carried out by in-house staff or be outsourced. The choice will depend on the available skills, the prescribed timeframe and of course the costs. Generally speaking, choosing an in-house solution leaves less latitude in the technical choices, but allows greater flexibility in the project management. The guidelines discussed in this guide apply more specifically to outsourced services (under contract), but the recommendations also hold for an in-house service. In either case, a signed contract must expressly state the terms and conditions of future maintenance and support, for hosting and the technical solution alike. Choosing a technical solution Setting aside the question of functionalities*, which will be dealt with further on, one of the first questions to settle is the choice between open-source software* and a proprietary solution. 39
Proprietary software is any software that carries restrictions as to its usage or possible modifications. Even if open-source software costs nothing to buy, it would be mistaken to think that, when used for professional purposes, it costs nothing to run. Bear in mind the cost of installation, training, customising the graphic interface, possible tailored modifications, add-ons published by third-party vendors, etc. The advantages of open-source software include a certain capacity for innovation and the assurance of being able to upgrade the product, compliance with standards, frequent security patches, and support from the open-source community. Among the drawbacks, note that there is no guarantee of project continuity, upgrading is sometimes a complex procedure, community add-ons are not always totally reliable and the documentation is often too succinct. Lastly, it should be mentioned that the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySql, Php) open-source platform*, which provides both the server environment and part of the technical solution for many open-source or commercial software programs, has effectively become a standard for setting up websites. Unless the service-provider chosen to install the technical solution insists on using its own solution and can back up this decision with robust arguments, we recommend choosing from among the open-source software solutions, which offer guaranteed reliability, performance and flexibility one is entitled to expect. Choosing a hosting solution Project planners should seek competent advice before choosing a hosting solution. This can be obtained from an IT department, the service provider responsible for installing the technical solution, or a third party. The decision generally hinges on the cost of the infrastructure, the amount of bandwidth* provided, and maintenance. Before a sound decision can be made, it is essential to have an estimate of the potential audience (the number of hits) and the type and volume of content to be published. HTML pages alone do not represent any significant volume, unless the website is aiming for hundreds of thousands of hits per day. (By way of example, the PrimLangues website represents 40,000 hits per month; a national daily newspaper website several million.) The amount of bandwidth* determines how fast information is transmitted. On the other hand, if the website is to post PDF documents, audio or video files, it will need appropriate storage and posting capacities (i.e. more bandwidth*, which pushes the price up). It is also possible to post material on websites that offer an online service for sharing and viewing video clips [Daily Motion, YouTube, etc.], after first checking that the contents can be diffused in this way. Another question is: is it necessary to use a dedicated server* (i.e. one that the hosting service makes available to a single client), or will a shared server* be enough? A dedicated server is more expensive, but allows more scope for configuration and any repairs can be done more quickly. With regard to this last point, it is important to estimate the cost of a temporary unavailability of the service. If several hours down time is acceptable, so-called shared solutions can be considered (the server hosts several websites, including yours). If not, you will have to take out more expensive contracts that include commitments on technical support and the rate of availability.
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Lastly, the quality of the technical support and the configuration tools provided are also part of the decision criteria. You should estimate, as accurately as possible, the foreseeable load on the server, the quality of service you want to give users, and the fault tolerance you are prepared to accept.
Setting up a support website based on a CMS

In this section, we will look at setting up a support website based on a CMS*. This type of solution is the one most commonly used because it is also the most flexible. It can also be configured to resemble either a collaborative solution or an e-learning solution. A CMS can be used to publish material on the website and manage the workflow*.
Publishing and templates

Publishing means being able to make changes to a website (such as adding a page or modifying an existing page) and validate them on the spot before making them visible to online users. It follows that, thanks to this notion of publication, you can have contributors work directly on the website, then proofread their work and have it approved before publishing it. This decision chain is a workflow*. It makes it possible to decentralise the information production chain. A content model is a way of structuring information. For example, a scenario content model will contain a title, an author, an objective and a programme in the form of a succession of steps. A template* is the page structure in which you insert content. The content can be separated out from the form.
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Page template for adding content (www.emilangues.education.fr)

Pre-formatted cells (title, introductory paragraph, etc.) make it possible to create pages with a consistent layout, before adding the visual identity features.
EXample 15
Paradoxically, as the content becomes more structured, navigation* becomes more flexible and the search interface richer. On the other hand, highly structured content requires a lot of preparatory work beforehand and can be restrictive for editors.
The main types of technical functionalities

In infrastructure As a general rule, it is advisable to: Make sure that the solution is compatible with market standards to ensure better upgradeability, and make sure that it is possible to create several websites with the same technical solution Create an administration interface that is user-friendly and convenient (drag-and-drop capability, the possibility of downloading several files at once, etc.) Check what the developers do to address security issues (e.g. regular releases of security patches) Consider the possibility of multilingualism, or of having multilingual versions of the same website6 Obtain statistics on the websites visitor traffic If the software does not have this functionality*, you will have to use a third-party solution (available free of charge) Think about rights management. This is an important point, because it determines whether you can authorise all users or only some users to interact on the website (e.g. post comments). Generally speaking, permissions range from the possibility of modifying certain sections of a page to completely redesigning whole sections of the website
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6. Multilingual architecture www.webrankinfo.com/dossiers/techniques/architecture-site-multilingue-pour-referencement ; Multilingualism and Internet sites www.gencat.cat/websmultiling/index_en.htm
Handling multilingualism (www.eurosael.eu)

The administration interface can be used to translate text into the websites chosen languages. It is possible to translate pages selectively.
EXample 16
The possibilities for customising the graphics will be dealt with further on in the guide. In content publishing Questions you should ask yourself: What type of workflow* does the CMS* support? Can I create models or reusable types of content (for example, a model that can simply be filled in later), and can the same content be published in several different locations on the website? Can the CMS handle several different versions of a page or document, so that I can go back to an earlier version if I wish? Is indexing done manually or automatically? How often? Does there have to be a ranking? Do only web pages have to be indexed or attachments too (in PDF or PPT format, etc.)? Can long lists or long pages of text be paginated easily? Can website content be classified into categories for easier searching and navigation*? Can certain pages of the website (news, new pages, etc.) be associated with RSS* feeds? (users can subscribe to RSS* feeds to be informed of changes to website content) (syndication). In collaboration and communication: You should ask yourself the following questions: Are announcements and events managed in the form of a list or a calendar? Generally, the latest additions are mentioned on the homepage. Is it possible to download documents organised into directories from the document library? It is very useful to be able to classify documents into categories for filtering. Is it possible to create social networking tools such as blogs and wikis*? Apart from software specialised in these functions, some CMS* allow users to open parts of the website
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in collaborative environments. For mailing lists, does the CMS contain a tool for registering and/or sending out newsletters? Do you want users to be able to comment on or rate certain articles or content items? Do you intend to organise surveys and polls?
Choosing the right CMS: the questions to ask

Functional requirements and the specifications
The first stage is to decide what the CMS* will have to publish (simple web pages, complex, structured pages, Flash animations, interconnection with other computer applications* if on a portal*, etc.) and what other types of documents it will have to make available (images, audio files, PDF documents, XML documents, videos, etc.). You can then decide what functionalities* will be required. At the end of the first stage, you should have a clear overview of the website in the form of a site map, i.e. a diagram showing the different pages, organised into sections and subsections. The second stage deals with website administration and content, including the question of whether or not content will be created in the tool. It is possible to create content in a variety of forms then import it into the CMS, which will then present it in the form of web pages. However you may want to create all of the content directly in the tool. Once the functional requirements have been defined, you can draw up a set of specifications*, which sets out the projects framework and objectives, any technical constraints, the site map and the functional requirements, along with the lead times and the budget. Based on this, it is possible to establish a list of two or three CMS that would be capable of meeting virtually all of the specifications, and decide whether or not it will be necessary to develop or purchase more specific modules.
Graphics
The look and feel of a website (i.e. its graphics and page layout) has a major influence on whether visitors will want to adopt and use it. Different CMS* allow users varying degrees of latitude for customising it. Some CMS offer a more or less extensive gallery of preset themes for users to choose from. Depending on the budget and the importance accorded to this aspect, the project team can either choose an existing theme or ask an outside service provider to do the graphics. Generally, the service provider that installs the technical solution also offers to take charge of the graphic aspects. The project team can also decide to work with another service provider just for the graphics. However a graphic designer will not necessarily have the skills required to transfer their graphics into the chosen CMS, which can raise problems of coordination with the provider of the technical solution.
Technical and contractual characteristics (hosting)

Before making a final decision on the choice of CMS*, you should check that the technologies used are compatible with the planned hosting solution, or are at least sufficiently generic to allow a wide choice of hosting service providers. The next step is to obtain a quote. You will need to specify the technologies required and the
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estimated load, based on the amount of storage necessary -- especially if documents (texts, audio files, images or videos) are to be downloaded from the website -- and the expected number of hits per month. This estimate will be based on the size of the target audience. The service provider should provide you with guarantees regarding backups, fault tolerance and service continuity. Lastly, you should ask about the costs of maintenance and upgrades.
Domain name
The address of an Internet site, e.g. mysite.com, is made up of a domain name (mysite) and an extension (.com). Extensions tell online users the status of the sponsor institution (.org is for non-profits, for example) or the area in which it operates (.eu is for Europe). Everything situated in front of the domain name is called the sub-domain. The commonest one is www.. It is a good idea to draw up a list of three or four possible domain names and check whether they are available before trying to officially register them. Domain names are purchased for a period of at least one year. Domain names are registered through companies specialised in the service. There is no way of bypassing these intermediaries, but generally the service provider takes care of this formality. In this case, check that the domain name is registered in your name (or your organisations name), so that you are effectively the owner. Before choosing a CMS*, you need a very precise idea of: The content to be published The functionalities* to be provided The importance of the graphics The websites administration and content-production channels These questions should be dealt with individually in a set of specifications*. If the project team does not have the required competences*, it can decide to use the tool recommended by the service provider, based on its list of completed projects.
CMS maintenance
We will say a brief word about the role of the editorial webmaster, to remind readers that website content must be regularly expanded, updated and adapted so that it continues to attract substantial numbers of visitors. It is easy to add new pages or new sections, providing they are compatible with the existing page layout. It may be impossible to add a section, for example, if it also has to appear in a horizontal menu bar that is already full. The links shown on the website should be regularly checked and any that do not work (known as dead or broken links) removed. Website referencing depends on two factors: the quality of the code of the web pages generated by the CMS* (it must be standard-compliant), and the webmasters efforts to disseminate and publicise the website (through cross-linking). The more cross-links, the better the referencing by search engines. Maintenance of the technical solution will entail both major and minor upgrades. Minor upgrades are usually security patches and bug fixes. Major upgrades tend to address functionalities* or ergonomics*. For open-source CMS, all upgrades are free of charge. For commercial solutions, on the other hand, only minor upgrades will be included in the price. In either case, upgrades are not to be taken lightly, especially as open-source solutions are often relatively
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complex and/or their documentation is often overly succinct. This operation is best left to an IT specialist. New functionalities can usually be added in the form of new modules (or add-ons). The advantage of open-source solutions is that new functionalities are added with each upgrade. New add-ons are regularly brought out by the community, making it possible to keep up with advances in technology and sociological changes (the way we work and communicate). The cost of a website varies with numerous factors. Development costs are essentially for producing the content and the graphic and multimedia elements. Publishing costs are for deploying the platform*, the LMS* and the content. Maintenance costs are for updating the content and upgrading the software. The main costs involved
Implementation costs
Development costs
Publishing costs
Maintenance costs
In conclusion, and subject to a number of major decisions made at the outset (categories in the general menu, choice of graphics), a CMS allows considerable latitude for changing the content and the way it is organised as time goes by. 25 A CMS* cannot be converted into a purely collaborative or purely e-learning solution. Any far-reaching change will entail new developments and be costly: it will in fact be a new project in its own right. It is very important, therefore, to ask the right questions before the project takes form, and to keep the first version of the website running for at least two or three years, to learn the lessons necessary for its future development or reworking.
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CHapter 4
What are the essential components of a support website?
Support websites should be reference points for the language teaching community, where the information they need is gathered together in one place. At the moment, though, there is a plethora of websites for language teachers and an ensuing proliferation of information sources. Given that the life cycle of websites is growing shorter and shorter, it is easy to see why this state of affairs sometimes disorients or even leads to language teachers becoming discouraged. A support website must be devoted to monitoring external sources, providing information and open to innovative practices and the positive initiatives developed in other countries. It must be a resource* centre and a place for dialogue and discussion, aimed at supporting language teachers skills development.
A website that monitors and provides information open to innovative practices

Monitoring system
A support website needs to have an effective system of monitoring with a European reach, working within European or even international information networks. We often notice that support websites sources of information are focused on a particular country or on the language of a given teaching community. Monitoring may be carried out using keywords in several languages. This would broaden the range of information sources and guarantee linguistic diversity and greater intercultural awareness. Monitoring tools can include newsletters, 30 mailing lists, 32 RSS* feed aggregators 31 , social bookmarking websites, contributor networks and social networks 37 38 . The best results will be obtained by using a combination of monitoring tools.
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Carrying out multilingual monitoring using keywords in different languages

Type of teaching Country Website URL of the website CLIL* (Content and Language Integrated Learning) France Emilangues www.emilangues.education.fr Emilangues is a support website for teachers in European or Oriental language sections. It promotes the CLIL approach and plurilingualism. It introduces French teachers to a wide variety of concepts relating to the use of foreign languages to teach non-language disciplines. The websites monitoring system uses keywords in different languages: DNL and EMILE in French, CLIL in English and AICLE in German. www.emilangues.education.fr/formation/bibliographies/Emile__clil_ouvrages_ et_articles
EXample 17
URL of the example
Defining an effective monitoring system is a must for support websites. It will rely on regularly updated information sources and a network of stakeholders involved in teacher training at European level. Monitoring should be carried out in several languages, using national and international resources*. Sharing the monitoring system among support websites in Europe could improve the way language-teaching good practices are disseminated.
Content
The monitoring system can be used to provide input for the support website that is tailored to language-teaching issues at every level (local, national, European and international). It will give language teachers targeted, up-to-date information for lifelong learning. News about languages and language teaching at every level A support website can monitor news about languages and language teaching in Europe and encourage linguistic diversity 56 . The recentralised information will enable teachers and trainers to stay abreast of developments in language teaching theory and act as a self-study* tool. Teacher surveys highlight their lack of time and a desire for fast access to information that is targeted to their needs. Classifying content into different categories will give teachers streamlined access to the topics that interest them. A customisable events diary could be another popular functionality*. If websites lack the human and/or material resources to carry out monitoring themselves, they can pass on news from other support websites, for example through RSS* feeds. Language teacher support websites will act as hubs, linking up local, national and European information networks. They aim to inform teachers of the resources* available through websites and European projects, to encourage their use and re-use for other purposes, to boost teaching and training and stimulate research in these sectors (teaching methodology, ICT in education) 11 . They are information drivers. News about training and careers By passing on news about initial and in-service training, these websites encourage the development of new skills and facilitate teachers career advancement 62 through the accreditation of prior experiential learning.
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What aRe the essential cOmpOnents Of a suppORt website?
Institutional support websites often have a section dedicated to information on official syllabuses, language teaching curriculum* and how to implement current reforms. Support websites could, for example, use pupils written work, interviews or video clips of classroom practices to illustrate the changes. 60 News about ICT in education A special section on news about educational ICT 14 can be a useful addition to the information available on the website. It can focus on news about events, training courses and educational ICT applications in language teaching. Mobility and exchange programmes Support websites should give special attention to mobility programmes. 42 This is because language teachers are at the heart of exchanges between European educational institutions. Precise details should be given (calendar, formalities, impact) so that teachers can identify their contacts. It may be possible to set up a partnership with local authorities and the Lifelong Learning Programme (LLP) national agencies to provide promotional material (video, brochures, etc.) and reach language teachers directly, as they play a key role in promoting pupils mobility. Support websites can provide their own database of partnership requests, pass on advertisements from third-party countries, or refer those interested to existing databases, such as eTwinning, Globalgateway and ePals. 45 47 48 When presenting these programmes, the support section will highlight the good practices and feedback 44 50 59 and call on the network of language teachers already involved in these programmes. Likewise, support websites will be sure to inform teachers about mobility programmes for language teachers. A support website will monitor news about languages and mobility and training programmes so that it can give language teachers rapid access to the tailored information they need. It will provide ample opportunities for providing feedback and disseminating good practices.
What teaching resources should be provided to support teachers?

Authentic resources
An authentic document is a resource* that was not designed expressly for teaching purposes. Authentic documents come in a wide variety of forms: graphics, text, audio files, etc. It might be an image, recorded songs, online press clippings, tourist websites, film trailers, etc. It is also possible to compile a database of audio or video recordings on the websites, to have documents produced by native speakers. 1 Objectives: Encourage teachers to use authentic documents (as recommended in the CEFR*) Develop listening and reading comprehension skills Encourage training in the media
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Description Websites can index existing authentic resources, focusing on certain programmes or channels, to guide teachers to suitable resources. Once identified, the resources can be presented in the form of a webography. Copyright questions inevitably arise when banks of authentic resources are compiled on support websites. The many languages and institutions involved make the issue even more complicated to handle. There is much to be gained by entering into a partnership with institutions that hold resources or media 8 2 , because it allows the support website to offer up-to-date content, support for training in the media, and a learning progression in line with the CEFR*. Websites can also compile banks of audio files that feature native speakers and are graded against the Framework levels. It is a good idea to share resources 21 in this area. The advantage of a fabricated authentic resource is that is provides made-to-measure items that closely match the training requirements and the level of the pupils concerned. Who produces the resources? The website administrators reference tracks and index websites to find authentic resources 3 40 Native speakers can compile shared audio databanks that are indexed against the CEFR A media company (radio/television) can propose a co-production with a language centre, to produce programmes that come with online support. 41 Indexing online resources for language learners and teachers
EXample 18
Website name URL Distinctive feature
Linguanet www.linguanet-europa.org/plus/fr/home.jsp This project uses keywords (target language*, source language*) to index online resources*. It also specifies how documents can be accessed and what level the learner should have in order to use them.
Audio-Lingua: a collaborative database of audio documents

Website name URL Who? Audio-lingua www.audio-lingua Online users can contribute directly to building up the database by posting their contribution. The resources* are available in six languages and are indexed against the Framework levels. www.elllo.org or www.radialistas.net
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Similar websites
Useful resources
By useful resources, we mean any resources* that assist teachers in their work. They can be software, dictionaries, an index, etc. Objectives: Recentralise the tools and methods teachers might need
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Provide cross-disciplinary resources Raise awareness of educational ICT tools (software, video conferencing, etc.). Description Support websites should encourage people to reference existing tools to make teachers work easier. Based on their analysis of teachers needs, websites can provide links to downloadable software, to tutorials that teach how to use it, or self-study* sheets. When methods, dictionaries, audiovisual equipment, etc. are already referenced, this saves teachers a considerable amount of time. 13 Who produces the resources? Support websites do not produce these tools. The teams work is to index them, present them and perhaps evaluate them in consultation with an editorial committee. Teachers need guidance when it comes to editorial material and the available offering of online tools (software, etc.). Presenting and sharing educational ICT tools
Website name URL OpenEnglishWeb www.openenglishweb This association website provides tutorials and resources* for using educational ICT in language teaching. The fact sheet presents the software, its functions, its applications in teaching, the terms of use and terms of licence. EXample 20
Activity and exercise banks

Support websites can provide classroom activities, indexed against a Framework level, or focused on a particular language activity. To meet strong demand from teachers for classroom-ready teaching materials 5 , support websites often offer teaching activities in the form of downloadable activity sheets, online exercises, quizzes and webquests*. The availability of these activities means teachers can now use these ICT-based tools in their teaching practice without having to design them themselves. 29 Objectives: Provide readymade activities Encourage teachers to use ICT 12 Encourage teachers to share their practices Create communities of practice 36 Who produces the resources? Teachers Groups formed to share practices (outcomes of training courses) Publishers working with the website under an agreement
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XTEC: online applications and shared resources

Website name URL of the website URL XTEC The website of the Catalonia Ministry of Education www.xtec.cat www.xtec.cat/recursos/webquests/index.htm The website of the Catalonia Ministry of Education and the Catalonia-based association, WebQuest, offers teachers online applications* with which they can create webquests, and hosts them. The resources* created by the teachers are then available for everyone. The Ministry also hosts online exercises and blogs.
EXample 21
Learning track, scenario and unit

Support websites can offer learning tracks*, scenarios and teaching units that feature a final task* organised around intermediate activities and tasks. Objectives: Encourage teachers to use different content items (resources*, tools, activities) in conjunction with each other 9 Encourage innovative practices Provide teaching progressions that match the CEFR Promote the use of ICT in education These documents will feature more or less prominently on the website, depending on the needs analysis, the degree of support it plans to provide, and the training context. 5 6 7 8 Description The structure of the unit or the template* is very important, as it is an essential requirement for compliance with European benchmarks such as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR*) or the European Language Portfolio (ELP*). Failing an adequate structure, the content presented is likely to be very disparate. To ensure that it is perfectly suitable, the structure should also be drawn up in consultation with the education authorities, insofar as it will serve as a basis for teaching practices. Needless to say, websites must avoid going to the opposite extreme and confining teachers to a preset pattern that they have not been trained to use and which leaves them too little leeway for adapting the content to their own specific teaching environment. The amount of guidance given will necessarily lessen as the target audience becomes more experienced, proficient and self-reliant.
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The essential points to take into consideration when designing units include: References: The reference document used (national or European guidelines) A clear picture of the final task* The language activities worked on Principles: The use of ICT in education The incorporation of interdisciplinary elements/CLIL* The intercultural/community-based/international approach (Self-)Assessment Language management (source and target) The learning context/the rate of progression Content: Activities for learners Illustration of the tasks to be accomplished (documents and materials) The content section should be particularly plentiful and carefully designed: this is generally the focal point of visitors navigation and acts as a gateway to other sections. Important criteria for the presentation of units: Readability The use of templates* The combination of images and text Each item is indexed A sound balance between downloadable documents and on-screen content The presence of links to discussion forums or collaborative platforms* Who produces the resources? Editors Trainers Content-sharing groups
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Unit outlines on the PrimLangues website

Website name Section title URL of the section concerned PrimLangues Teaching units www.primlangues.education.fr/php/sequence.php The detailed instructions for conducting units (unit outline, links between sessions, what to say) are intended for an audience of non-specialist teachers. The units revolve around a main task*. Since the introduction of the CEFR* in primary-school syllabuses, they also include language activities (A1 level). They include audio files (the instructions to give the class, authentic documents) and any visuals necessary (drawings, flashcards). The inter-language dimension is accentuated by the fact that the procedure and implementation of the unit have been transcribed into French (the source language*). The search engine feature provides access by language activity, language or theme.
EXample 22
Lehrer-Online: educational ICT lesson plans and competences

Website name URL Section Example Lehrer-Online www.lehrer-online.de Fremdsprachenunterricht www.lehrer-online.de/inmigracion.php?sid=4711622593098899292553036304 3200 The Lehrer-Online website provides teaching units that draw upon pupils ICT skills as much as much as on their language skills. The units revolve around ICT-based activities (guided web searches, production of audio recordings). They also draw on eTwinning projects and describe their implementation in language lessons. There is a facility for teachers to comment and rate the units of work.
EXample 23
Deutsch als Fremdsprache: instructions for conducting units

Website name Section Deutsch als Fremdsprache The newsletter gives teachers ideas for using units or lesson outlines. It is intended for experienced teachers who want to draw on it to create their own project. www.deutsch-als-fremdsprache.de/infodienst/2008/daf-info-2008-05.php
EXample 24
URL
Language teacher support websites should provide complementary teaching resources* (authentic documents*, activities and units, etc.) in line with the CEFR*, and allow teachers to discuss their use. Support website administration teams help produce content, with assistance from technical teams. Because of their role as interface, they are a valuable source of suggestions for improving teacher support. Structuring these teams into a European-wide network would help enhance website quality and make it easier to identify and disseminate good practices. 54
COllaBOratiVe resOUrce* DesigN BY aND fOr teacHers The system works on the following principles: Create online workshops on writing and designing teaching scenarios, interspersed with face-to-face training and production. These scenarios are then used by their author(s) Focus on professional practice and its analysis Base teachers continuing education on collaborative work and use reflexivity, drawing on the prepared lessons and the practices used. Organise a mixed programme: Ongoing work on resources A few days per year of face-to-face training, with the rest of the process as distance learning In collaborative communities of design, then communities of teaching practice The work can be done in small groups requiring the same type of resources. The groups draw up activities, which they then test. Afterwards, there is self-feedback with the group on the uses made of the scenarios, and a process of approval or modification of the proposed resource. In a system like this, it is an advantage to have inexperienced teachers working alongside more seasoned colleagues. In this way newly qualified teachers are able to build upon their initial training. The presence of native speakers of the languages concerned is also a substantial advantage. Teachers of different languages can work side by side to create units thus creating a multilingual working environment. To support collaboration, it will be necessary to have, in addition to physical meetings: A virtual system for sharing, exchanging and communicating among the collaborators A community workspace containing both asynchronous communication tools (e-mail, forums) and synchronous communication tools (video conferencing if necessary, chat room, telephone) A document filing space and a calendar The permanent trainers will be responsible for leading the face-to-face group sessions and the online work, and will support the process from beginning to end. The trainers will be required to encourage discussion among the teachers, answer questions or requests from the trainee teachers in a timely manner, and sustain their involvement in seeing the scenario design process through to completion. This type of programme is designed around the idea of a community of practice*, which will meet at certain key times, defined or felt as necessary, but which will be purely virtual the rest of the time. According to Wenger (1998), who coined the term, a community of practice is a group of individuals participating in group activity and who are led to invent local solutions to the problems they encounter in their professional practice. Wenger goes on to add that, by sharing knowledge and know-how, the members of the community learn together and enhance the quality of their professional life. In other words, they educate each other. The collective production of resources provides an opportunity to support teachers as they learn how to use and test new resources, then as they modify and design them, using a combination of online resources, distance activities and face-to-face get-togethers. 55
Training and self-study resources

Support websites should be a vehicle for teacher training and self-study*, designed to develop new skills. Objectives: Develop teachers language skills* Develop dialogue between teachers and mutual competences-development
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Description Support websites can index language self-study websites according to the level they aim for and the competences they set out to develop. They can also offer language training modules specifically designed for teachers. Monitoring can be provided within the framework of an open distance-learning programme or an instructor-led training programme. 58 Lastly, they can reference or provide platforms for discussion and communication among teachers, so the latter can discuss projects or their professional practice in the target language*. Who produces the resources? Depending on its means and objectives, the support website may or may not be behind these features. In the case of discussion platforms, it is the teachers who contribute directly. 24 34
EXample 25
eTwinning workspace
URL www.etwinning.net Within the context of an online project, teachers can dialogue with their European counterparts in the target language* at each stage of their common project, from the initial search for partners and right throughout the project. They can dialogue by e-mail, chat or through a webcam, calling into play many of the competences* defined in the Framework.
Implementation
Support websites should encourage the development of teachers language skills* by providing suitable resources* and facilitating discussions between teachers. Competences associated with the didactics of language teaching Support websites should help language teachers hone their competences* linked to teaching strategy. Objectives: Promote use of the CEFR* and the ELP* Support progress in pedagogy Develop innovative methods and revitalise teaching (CLIL* approach, use of ICT in education, etc.) 10 23 Description: The support aims to provide a combination of the following: Theoretical special reports (on the CEFR, the ELP*, the competences-based approach,
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assessment, self-assessment*) (thematic special reports from Franc-parler) Self-study* modules 18 19 Units or scenarios with suggested lesson plans 7 Good practices derived from experience in the field 53 Areas for discussing issues with other teachers and experts 51 Instructor-led training modules
Who produces the resources? Depending on the specialisation of those involved, the content can be produced either by a trainer or a working group, or by several institutions working together. Content can be gradually built up through exchanges between online users and/or discussions with the experts. CEFTrain Project: providing self-study modules on the CEFR
Website name URL of the website CEFTRAIN www.ceftrain.net The European CEFTrain Project provides self-study* modules on the CEFR*. Based on examples of tasks* and instructions, they help users learn the specific descriptors associated with each level of the Framework. Users can approach the team of experts in charge of the project directly. EXample 26
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Filmed lessons to support application of the CEFR

Website name Context PrimLangues The introduction of foreign language teaching in primary schools in 2002, the focus on the CEFR* that followed the 2005 language renovation plan, and the new syllabuses brought out in 2007 generated strong demand among teachers and trainers for examples of practice. www.primlangues.education.fr www.primlangues.education.fr/php/echanger.php Teachers and trainers Create a section with video clips of model sessions in the changer/se former section. Provide a 5-minute video clip showing a teacher running a session that complies with the new 2007 syllabuses, which incorporate the CEFR. The session outline is provided with the video clip to explain what the teacher is doing. In keeping with the CEFR, the activity sheets describe the final task*, how the micro-tasks relate to it, and the language activities. The session uses authentic material* (songs). Useful addition to the websites audiovisual content. Complements the other self-study* tools. Identifying a class. Obtaining permission to broadcast images. Recording quality. Editing. Limited feedback from the teachers. Traffic statistics Online survey Continue the trial on a permanent basis
URL of the website URL of the section concerned Target audience Objectives Implementation
Good points Difficulties
Evaluation Future developments
Classroom teaching competences (linked to lifelong learning) Objectives: Promote classroom management skills Develop project pedagogy Be able to adapt ones teaching to different national and international contexts Use motivation strategies Create a reflective, self-assessment* approach (classroom observation and discussions) Make research part of ones teaching Support websites should be a resource* centre for teachers where they can find thematic special reports, examples and discussion areas.
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Support online projects
Website name URL of the website Target audience Context
Objectives
Implementation
Good points Difficulties Evaluation Future developments
ANIF / e-changes www.anif.it; www.e-changes.nl Teachers Online projects give teachers and pupils an opportunity to converse and work together on collaborative projects. However, teachers interested in online projects need support with the technological, pedagogical and didactic changes involved. The trial has helped to improve ANIF and e-changes websites, in conjunction with the classroom training sessions. Help develop an action-oriented, intercultural approach to language teaching by assisting teachers with conducting exchange and cooperation projects. Introduce teachers to the pedagogy of online projects and the use of ICT in their classroom practice. Make these websites more attractive by developing their potential for support and by accentuating the pedagogical dimension, especially with regard to innovative practices, given that language teacher websites in Italy have few resources* to offer in this area for the moment. Get teachers to start sharing practices and networking at local, national and European level, by showing them why exchange practices make sense. Create a section on the pedagogy of online projects that provides: A toolbox www.associazioneanif.it/mail/boite_outils.htm: Online resources, theoretical insights, advice, practical and technical tools, and concrete examples of projects An area for dialogue, discussion and sharing, with an FAQ section and an area for exchanging practices A section on teaching experiences Run two classroom training seminars on how to use these resources, and collaborative writing. Set up a core group of expert teachers. Exchange projects in particular eTwinning initiated within the team of experts. Technical management of the website Dissemination of innovation to the whole association Website statistics Number of posts received ANIF: continuation of the trial by the core group of expert teachers (by creating a newsletter, updating the section, running the discussion area, running the teaching experiences section). e-changes: transfer of the websites content to a more recent website
Transferable skills Support websites should facilitate the acquisition of transferable skills* (educational ICT skills, learning to learn, intercultural skills, critical approach to resources*, etc.). Intercultural skills and educational ICT skills will provide an example of how they can be promoted. 17 Competences in the use of ICT in education Objectives: Give language teachers a good grasp of ICT tools Disseminate innovations in technology and pedagogy Revitalise methodological approaches to language teaching Implementation
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The resources* made available on support websites could revolve around: Advances in research on language didactics Examples of units that use educational ICT, with an indication of the level of proficiency (graded against the European reference documents) Self-study* sheets 13 Videos and personal accounts of usages 10 Classroom and distance learning modules The structure of the website must make it easy to browse around the resources Teaching resources The links between ICT and languages Downloadable software Practical factsheets Examples of practices A discussion area Who produces the resources? The teaching teams The teachers involved in training A network of contributors who share the resources Primary Languages: filmed units on the use of ICT in education
Website name URL of the website Primary Languages www.primarylanguages.org.uk The Primary Languages website offers over sixty units filmed during language lessons. Each unit combines a downloadable filmed unit, an educational ICT tool (e.g. interactive whiteboard, creation on the Internet) and a classroom activity. Each activity is translated into at least five languages. Use of ICT in education EXample 27
Good practices
Enhancing language teachers educational ICT skills is an important part of support websites role. Intercultural competences Objectives: Develop intercultural skills Foster intercultural dialogue Adapt teaching to different contexts Support websites should accommodate the intercultural dimension in every resource* they offer and in particular the following: Monitoring Theoretical and didactic special reports Teaching materials Good practices and case studies Thematic discussion forums 60 Associations, public institutions, networks and institutions can help develop intercultural skills
by creating the following: websites for language teachers working in a specific context, teaching people with specific needs (e.g. migrants) 52 Websites dedicated to intercultural education by a multilingual team, with a special focus on linguistic issues 56 57 Platforms for discussions between teachers and learners Strategic platforms, whose publications will stimulate reflection on language policy (Platform for Intercultural Europe, COE) Aula Intercultural: a multilingual website focusing on intercultural education
EXample 28
Website name URL of the website
Aula Intercultural www.aulaintercultural.org The Aula Intercultural website focuses on intercultural education and informs teachers about publications, events and training courses in the field. This multilingual website is run by teams in charge of developing news in each language and geographical zone concerned. It offers articles on language didactics, promoting linguistic diversity, and issues to do with intercultural dialogue.
Support websites must link language skills* and didactics with intercultural skills, and encourage the creation of platforms* dedicated to intercultural dialogue and language teaching.
A user-focused area for dialogue and questions

An area for dialogue
Support websites are areas for discussion and dialogue between the different stakeholders involved in language teaching. To foster this aspect, websites can offer online users a variety of means of discussion and expression: Thematic or general-interest forums, where teachers can discuss topics related to language teaching 33 34 35 Comments: online users can comment directly on the resources* provided, or respond Mailing lists 32 , where online users post directly the questions or information they want to share Questions for the experts Chat sessions Video conferencing Blogs Communities of practice Support websites are areas for discussion and dialogue between the different stakeholders involved in language teaching. 61
Kennisnet: portal for language teacher communities

Website name URL of the website URL of the section concerned Target audience Type of teaching Context Date created Country Reach Sponsor Coordinator Implementation Kennisnet www.kennisnet.nl http://communities.kennisnet.nl/ Teachers and teachers in continuing education School education The Kennisnet foundation was set up to boost the use of ICT in teaching 2006 Netherlands National Kennisnet Kennisnet The Kennisnet foundation offers online applications* (for creating websites and blogs) and special reports for teachers and pupils wishing to use educational ICT in their teaching. The foundations website contains a community section - an area dedicated to each network of teachers, representing the four languages most commonly taught in the Netherlands. The section provides news, resources* and a calendar. Each community is structured around forums (accessible with a log-in and password) and mailing lists run by teachers, who may be involved in promoting innovative teaching initiatives. The existence of this website, and the possibility of taking part in discussions and asking questions to colleagues and specialists (and in particular the Kennisnet specialists) make it possible to organise and bring together teachers in what is a largely decentralised school system. The Kennisnet network also runs training courses in educational ICT for teachers.
EXample 29
Encouraging teachers to share good practices

Support websites are areas for sharing good practices. 22 They can also provide the following: Areas for sharing documents A collaborative area (link with a platform*) An area where online users can post contributions A shared stock of teaching materials produced during training courses and/or by the community 15 The main feature of collaborative and community websites is that teachers use them to exchange resources*. However, we can observe: The quality of the resources is very uneven Only a small percentage of users actively participate Access is restricted to members There are frequent violations of copyright and intellectual property Accordingly, website users should use models or templates* to ensure a consistent application of good practices. 20 To ensure that resources are always of good quality, it is a good idea to set up an approval process, involving either an editorial committee and experts or the teachers themselves. 62
Sharing good practices

Website name URL of the website URL of the section concerned Modern Foreign Languages Environment www.ltscotland.org.uk/ www.ltscotland.org.uk/mfle/sharingpractice/index.asp The sharing practice section is based on trials conducted in the classroom. Case studies raise fundamental questions about language teaching (assessment, the use of ICT in education, etc.). Good practices are organised into thematic sections (introduction, process, outcome, challenges, next stages, find out more). Online users can contract the people behind the project through the website.
EXample 30
Facilitating content sharing on Emilangues, an institutional website

Website name URL of the website URL of the section concerned Emilangues www.emilangues.education.fr/ www.emilangues.education.fr/le-coin-des Launched in 2006, Emilangues is an institutional website dedicated to CLIL* programmes in France, known as European or Eastern language sections. The latter are characterised by a steep increase in student numbers and a great variety of subjects taught. The section entitled le coin des had existed since the Emilangues website was first created. However the posting procedures were indirect and the content was published by the website administrators rather than the teachers themselves. When the website was re-engineered, the coin des... section - along with the forum - became areas to which teachers could post directly. Teachers can share links to frequently-used websites, along with their projects in CLIL programmes. Most contributions come from teachers of less frequently-taught non-language subjects, mainly in technical streams, for which there was previously no area for sharing practices. Technical difficulties Gap between the collaborative method of sharing and teachers practices Lack of time for sharing good practices Traffic to the section Online survey (mainly positive results) Simplification of the publishing procedure
SAEL prOJect trial
Context
New system Good points
Difficulties
Evaluation Future developments
Support websites should encourage teachers to share good practices that can be transferred to other languages and other contexts.
Using user feedback to evaluate support measures

For quality assurance, it is important to: Analyse how language teachers use the resources* provided Measure their re-use for other purposes (as training material, in the classroom, as selfstudy* material) Adapt the support process to users profile and skills The tools available for achieving this include: An analysis of online users navigation on the website Online surveys Interviews with teachers, trainers and pilot schools
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For optimum ergonomics*, the focus should be on: The structure of the content, which should be flexible enough to allow rearrangement to suit online users needs Indexing the resources MELT: teacher-indexed resources
EXample 31
Website name URL of the website Implementation
MELT http://info.melt-project.eu The project asks teachers to index the available resources* themselves and provide a definition that reflects the way they use them. It also highlights the criteria that make resources easier to transfer and re-use in different cultural contexts.
Support websites should listen to user feedback so they can improve and adapt their support measures.
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CONclUsiON
Language teaching is undergoing radical, far-reaching changes. At the same time, the current economic crisis is accelerating the reorganisation processes designed to make training more efficient and more effective. Against this dual backdrop, our reflection on support websites has given us a better understanding of their role as reference areas for teachers and as a valuable management and communication tool for institutional bodies and associations. As we have seen, policy decisions at European and national level have been put into practice in the form of concrete tools: the websites. These are designed to support teachers in their tasks and help accomplish them in accordance with European recommendations, national directives and association objectives. They also set out to meet the professions many and various needs for more general, long-term support. The websites studied take into account the changes that have occurred in the field of languages as a result of their growing, recognised importance in the construction of Europe, not only from an economic point of view but also with regard to social cohesion. These developments have led to the emergence of new reference tools, such as the CEFR, and new approaches, which, in turn, are bringing about changes in teachers work culture, as they aspire to greater autonomy and take a larger part in their own lifelong learning, aided by the widespread use of information and communication technology. What is new about this means of supporting change in the educational sphere is that it can work hand in hand with classroom training programmes, which have been in existence for longer and which remain necessary. Moreover, it reflects a more flexible style of management and communication, in which European and national objectives are combined with suggestions from the field. This method helps guarantee the quality of language teaching and a certain consistency in content and approaches from one school or institution to another and even from one country to another. But it also lets individual teachers work at their own pace, find the specific resources they and their class need, and play an active part in enhancing the system through their contributions and the exchange of good practices. To conclude, we hope that this guide will help improve support websites in Europe and broaden their horizons, so that a future network of teacher websites can boost exchanges of good practices across Europe.
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List Of gOOD practices
A list of the good practices identified by the SAEL project can be found online at www.eurosael.eu/fr/guide.
No. List of good practices Good practices in authentic resources 1 2 3 4 Audio bank Authentic resources and latest research Indexing of resources Co-production by a media company and a language centre Audio-lingua La cl des langues Linguanet TV5 Monde www.audio-lingua.eu/ www.cle.ens-lsh.fr/ www.linguanet-europa.org/ www.tv5.org Website name Website address
Good practices in teaching lessons 5 6 7 8 9 Online resources for three types of target audience Unit outline with audio file CLIL unit Educational ICT lesson plans and competences Using illustrated childrens books in teaching CNICE PrimLangues Emilangues Lehrer-Online PrimLangues www.isftic.mepsyd.es/formacion/enred/index.php www.primlangues.education.fr/ www.emilangues.education.fr/ www.lehrer-online.de/ www.primlangues.education.fr/
Good practices in educational ICT 10 11 12 13 14 15 Filmed sequences on using ICT in education ICT in education: linking theory and practice Resource websites for ICT in education Self-study sheets ICT in language teaching (special reports) Sharing training in educational ICT Primary languages Agence des usages des TICE Languages ICT Franc-parler Educnet REDiris www.primarylanguages.org.uk/ www.agence-usages-tice.education.fr/ www.languages-ict.org.uk/ www.francparler.org/ www.educnet.education.fr/ http://flenet.rediris.es/
Good practices in training and self-study 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Project website: Training in the Portfolio Television and language teacher training Self-study matrix and module for CLIL teachers Self-study module on the CEFR Special reports on assessment Indexing resources against CEFR levels Indexing projects Intercomprehension Tele-Tandem project CELV Teachers TV CELV CEFTrain MFLE CITO Edubase Euromania OFAJ www.ecml.at/ www.teachers.tv/ www.ecml.at/ www.ceftrain.net/ www.ltscotland.org.uk/mfle/index.asp www.cito.com/ www.educnet.education.fr/.../documentation/ www.euro-mania.eu/ www.ofaj.org/
Editorial and technical good practices 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Transition from old to new website Virtual space Sustaining an online European project in the long term by inserting a blog News management blog Webquest generator Newsletter with instructions for use Shared monitoring Acadmie de Nantes eTwinning ICT4 Franc-parler XTEC DAF CRDP www.ac-nantes.fr/ www.etwinning.net/ www.ict4lt.org/en/index.htm www.francparler.org/ www.xtec.cat www.deutsch-als-fremdsprache.de/ www.netvibes.com/europe
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liste des bOnnes pRatiques
No. List of good practices Good practices in collaboration 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Formespa: mailing list and virtual community Teacher roundtable Language teachers discussion forum Specialised discussion forum Teachers blog platform Palabea: linguisitc social network Community of practice Discussion and sharing among teachers and pupils Teacher-indexed resources Discussion forum and customisable area
Website name
Website address
Formespa MyEurope Franc-parler Instituto Cervants Weblettres Palabea Fle Campus Fieralingue MELT Teachingenglish
http://formespa.rediris.es/ http://myeurope.eun.org/ww/en/pub/myeurope/ home.htm www.francparler.org/ www.cervantes.es/ www.weblettres.net/ www.palabea.net/ http://flecampus.ning.com/ www.fieralingue.it http://info.melt-project.eu www.teachingenglish.org.uk/
Good practices for international projects 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Sections dedicated to exchanges Advice, ideas and roadmaps for conducting online projects Video accounts by teachers conducting eTwinning projects Tools for ICT-based correspondence Supporting exchanges System for finding European partners System for finding partners Teaching resources and online projects Mobility: teacher accounts of mobility Portail langues de lacadmie de Versailles Emilangues Agence de lusage des TICE Globalgateway OFAJ eTwinning Globalgateway Lehrer-Online Curiosphre www.langues.ac-versailles.fr/ www.emilangues.education.fr/ www.agence-usages-tice.education.fr/ www.globalgateway.org.uk/ www.ofaj.org/ www.etwinning.net/ www.globalgateway.org.uk/ www.lehrer-online.de/ www.curiosphere.tv/
Institutional good practices 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 Sustaining training initiatives in the long term Website for teachers of community languages Website for language assistants Training module in the form of podcasts Instituto Pedagogico di Bolzano Community languages British Council Association canadienne des professeurs de langues www.ipbz.it/ www.ourlanguages.org.uk/ www.teachingenglish.org.uk/language-assistant www.caslt.org/ www.languageswork.org.uk/ www.aulaintercultural.org/ http://phobos.xtec.cat/pluriling/ http://national.pairformance.education.fr/ www.ltscotland.org.uk/mfle/index.asp www.langues.ac-versailles.fr/ www.openenglishweb.org/ www.ccn-clil.eu/
Communication tools for promoting language teaching Languages Work Multilingualism and intercultural dialogue Multilingualism Training programme in educational ICT Sharing good practices Presentation of a new exam paper/test Creative Commons resources Professional development Aula intercultural Serveis de Llenges Pairformance MFLE Portail langues de lacadmie de Versailles Openenglish web CLIL Cascade
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taBle Of illUstratiONs
Example 1 PrimLangues, a website to support the introduction of language teaching in primary schools 16 Example 18 Indexing online resources for language learners and teachers Example 19 Audio-Lingua: a collaborative database of audio documents Example 20 Presenting and sharing educational ICT tools Example 21 XTEC: online applications and shared resources 19 Example 22 Unit outlines on the PrimLangues website Example 23 Lehrer-Online: educational ICT lesson plans and competences Example 24 Deutsch als Fremdsprache: instructions for conducting units Example 25 eTwinning workspace 50
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Example 2 17 The DaF-Netzwerk, a network of teachers and experts in teaching German as a foreign language Example 3 FLENET, a research community promoting ICT in education Example 4 Languages Work, a website promoting language learning Example 5 Primary Languages: specific, targeted sections for the different stakeholders involved in language teaching Example 6 Franc-parler, a resource and discussion website Example 7 Emilangues: supporting CLIL teachers in their professional development Example 8 Source of funding: French Ministry of Education Example 9 Source of funding: The French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Example 10 Source of funding: Foundations Example 11 Source of funding: European funds Example 12 Franc-parler, its steering, monitoring and editorial policy committees Example 13 Composition of website administration teams Example 14 APLV: distribution of editorial tasks SAEL project trial 1 Completely redesigned newsletter Example 15 Page template for adding content (www.emilangues.education.fr) Example 16 Handling multilingualism (www.eurosael.eu) Example 17 carrying out multilingual monitoring using keywords in different languages 18
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20
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Example 26 57 CEFTrain Project: providing self-study modules on the CEFR SAEL project trial 2 Filmed lessons to support application of the CEFR SAEL project trial 3 Support online projects 58 59
29 29 30
Example 27 60 Primary Languages: filmed units on the use of ICT in education Example 28 Aula Intercultural: a multilingual website focusing on intercultural education Example 29 Kennisnet: portal for language teacher communities Example 30 Sharing good practices SAEL project trial 4 Facilitating content sharing on Emilangues, an institutional website Example 31 MELT: teacher-indexed resources 61
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GlOssarY
Accessibility Web accessibility is concerned with making online services and content readily accessible to the disabled and the elderly. It is defined by technical standards and must be addressed throughout a websites life cycle. Authentic materials Resources in the target language that can be used for language learning and teaching, even though they were not originally produced for that purpose. Examples include newspapers, online weather reports, timetables, museum and art gallery guides. Autonomy Autonomy implies that people choose the objectives, content, methods and means to be used for their training, based on an analysis of their needs and personal interests. Bandwidth In IT, the term bandwidth is used, somewhat misleadingly, to refer to the amount of data that can be sent. CEFR - Acronym for Common European Framework of Reference for Languages Published by the Council of Europe in 2001, it analyses and describes language learning and teaching today, the domains and ways in which languages and language skills are used in every area of social life. It also covers assessment (using scales, levels, performance indicators, etc.). It is available in many European languages. CLIL Acronym for Content and Language Integrated Learning. This acronym refers to the approach that consists in reinforcing language learning by using a language other the learners native language to teach a school subject. For example, teaching history in German, geography in French or citizenship education in Spanish. CMS - Acronym for Content Management System A CMS is a software application used to design multimedia applications or websites, and perform dynamic updates. Collaborative platform A collaborative work platform is a website that contains all the tools necessary for conducting a project. It provides software tools for team member communication, task coordination, and production. It also offers a virtual workspace.
Community of practice The notion of community of practice refers to the social learning process that emerges when people with a common centre of interest collaborate. Competences Competences are the sum of knowledge, skills and characteristics that allow a person to perform actions. () Communicative language competences are those which empower a person to act using specifically linguistic means. (CEFR, p. 9). Creative Commons Creative Commons licences are a set of licences that govern the terms and conditions of use and/or distribution of works (and in particular multimedia works distributed over the Internet). Curriculum (or teaching programme) The curriculum contains a definition of the objectives (knowledge, competences, approaches) and possibly even the selection of linguistic and cultural content to be taught in foreign languages at each step of the learning process. Dedicated server A server is said to be dedicated when the hosting company makes it available to a single client. It is either administered remotely via the Internet or administered by the hosting service. E-learning E-learning is the use of new multimedia technologies and the Internet to improve the quality of learning by facilitating access to resources and services as well as online exchanges and collaboration (as defined by the European Commission). It is the use of technology to provide resources, services and training modules over the Internet. Ergonomics Ergonomics can be defined as the science of work, aimed at adapting work to man (in other words, improving working conditions). In IT, ergonomics strives to make the information displayed on the screen through the graphic interface accessible (i.e. comprehensible, even pleasant) to users. The interface must be user-friendly. European Language Portfolio (ELP) It is at the same time an information tool and a
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companion to language learning because it enables all language proficiency whether acquired within or outside formal educational settings and intercultural experience to be presented in a comprehensible, complete, and internationally comparable way. It also contains guidelines for reflecting on ones own language learning and for planning and monitoring further learning. (Council of Europe, 2002) Functionality In the language of computing, this word refers to a service that an application can deliver. Examples include printing a document, building a statistical table or editing a report. Institutional resources This word can refer to people (with an academic, technical or administrative role), equipment, premises, financing, etc. used to conduct the training and teaching programmes offered by the institution. Language skills Language skills imply the use of specific linguistic means to accomplish a task. Language skill can refer to the process or the product. Navigation Navigation refers to the set of functionalities that guide users and help them to find their way around a website or platform. Online application The word application refers to both a user activity that can be automated and the software that automates this activity. Open-source software Open-source software is supplied with its source code. Users are allowed to use it, modify it and distribute the modified versions. Open-source software is not necessarily free of charge, though that is often the case. Partners The institutions, businesses, organisations, associations, etc. that are interested or involved (financially or professionally) in the activities or projects of educational institutions. Peers This word refers to individuals engaged in the same training process and belonging to the same professional community. Professional support Professional support is aimed at developing peoples competences for professional purposes, to help them adjust to new situations or solve problems. Portal A web portal is a website that offers a single entry point for a wide array of resources and services (e-mail, discus-
sion forums, notice boards, search engine) focused on a particular field or community. Resources The various sources teachers can draw on when they localise, select and/or produce ideas, texts, activities, tasks and reference material of use for their learners. RSS feeds RSS feeds are a simple way to be kept informed of new content on a website without having to visit it. Self-assessment The way a person judges their own output, performances, competences, strategies, etc. Self-study When a person takes charge of their own training, i.e. defines their own objectives and the means to achieve them. Shared hosting Shared hosting consists in hosting several Internet sites on one and the same server. Source language The source language is the language in which the teaching medium or the resource are presented. Specifications The specifications are intended to be an exhaustive definition of the basic characteristics of the product or service to be supplied. Strategies Strategies are seen as a hinge between the learners resources (competences) and what he/she can do with them (communicative activities). (CEFR, p.25) Target language The target language is the language that the learner is aiming to learn. It can be the language of the teaching resource or the language the resource refers to. Task A task is defined as any purposeful action considered by an individual as necessary in order to achieve a given result in the context of a problem to be solved, an obligation to fulfil or an objective to be achieved. (CEFR, p.10) Technical specifications A document that supplements the specifications. It expresses the requirements in terms of functions, which describe the services rendered by the product and the constraints to which it is subject. Template A template is a model for page layout, in which users can place images and text. It enables people with no particular IT qualifications to add content to a website.
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glOssaRy
Track This word refers to a scenario for a sequence of activities that seeks to organise a learners activities within a teaching content. Training system The training system is the set of logistic, technical and human resources organised materially and in time to provide training; Web 2.0 Web 2.0 refers to the World Wide Web technologies and usages that followed the initial form of the Web. More specifically, it refers to interfaces that let online users interact with not only page content but also with each other, creating the social Web.
Webquest This word refers to a structured research activity conducted by learners on the World Wide Web. Wiki A software tool from the family of website content management systems. It enables web pages to be edited by any visitor who has access to them. It facilitates collaborative document writing with a minimum of constraints. Workflow Workflow describes the process of approval, the tasks to be accomplished by the different people involved in a process, the time frame and the approval procedure, and gives each person involved the information necessary to carry out their task. For an online publishing process, for example, the workflow models the tasks of the entire editorial chain.
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PRactIcaL gUIde to desIgnIng, RUnnIng and ImpRoVIng sUppoRt WebsItes foR LangUage teacheRs

Why create a support website for language teachers?

Creating, managing and running a language teacher support website

Technology and ergonomics

What are the essential components of a support website?

Proficiency in modern languages: a strategic priority in a European context

Far-reaching changes in language teaching

New tools, new approaches

Growing role of mobility and exchanges

Developing ICT skills

Language teacher support websites

What is a language teacher support website?

The SAEL Guide: a practical guide to language teacher support websites

How to use this guide

Why create a support website for language teachers?

Responding to changes in language teaching

PrimLangues, a website to support the introduction of language teaching in primary schools

Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Implementation

Links to classroom training Traffic

Why cReate a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs?

URL Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Implementation

Links to classroom training Interactive facilities

Promoting innovative practices

FLENET, a research community promoting ICT in education

Links to classroom training

A visible, accessible, flexible tool

Why cReate a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs?

Languages Work, a website promoting language learning

A diverse target audience

Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Implementation

Links to classroom training

Helping build up a stock of online resources

1. UNESCOs Initiative B@bel http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001398/139844e.pdf

Why cReate a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs?

Franc-parler, a resource and discussion website

Date created Country Reach Commissioning body Coordinator Content

Links to classroom training

A tool to develop new skills and expand exchanges in Europe

Support websites aim to develop new skills in language teachers.

Developing mobility and exchanges in Europe

Why cReate a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs?

Creating, managing and running a support website for language teachers

Creating a support website: defining priorities

CReating, managing and Running a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs

SD-TICE Regional education authority

Educational ICT DepartNational ment Regional

CReating, managing and Running a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs

Source of funding: The French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

Managing a support website

Steering and editorial committees

Franc-parler, its steering, monitoring and editorial policy committees

CReating, managing and Running a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs

Legal and editorial responsibility

Approval and quality

Running a support website

CReating, managing and Running a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs

Website administration team (teaching team)

APLV: distribution of editorial tasks

CReating, managing and Running a suppORt website fOR language teacheRs

Completely redesigned newsletter

SAEL prOJect trial 1

Technology and ergonomics

What are the phases of a website or platform project?

5. Acronym for Learning Management System