The development of the kinds of knowledge, attitudes and skills required for residence and citizenship purposes is a lifelong learning process for ALL members of society regardless of their official status. In the specific case of migrants, integration courses can usefully prepare them for essential independent acquisition beyond the course by providing appropriate information, awareness raising, practices and activities designed to foster their active participation and empowerment. This concept of (education for) citizenship does not lend itself to standard forms of evaluation. Plus...

The concept of repertoire of languages (or language repertoire) is not specific to migrants: it refers to the fact that all individuals are potentially or actually plurilingual. The “plurilingual competence” is the manifestation of the capacity for speech which is part of the genetic make-up of all human beings and which can be used in several languages in succession throughout a person’s lifetime. (The Council of Europe differentiates between plurilingualism as a competence for speakers (able to use more than one language) and multilingualism, which refers to the presence of several languages within a given area). Plus...

Both terms are used interchangeably by international bodies (Council of Europe, European Union, Unesco etc.) and no specific scope has been identified for either. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), for example, uses ‘family reunion’ [e.g. in Recommendation 1686 (2004)] but more often “family reunification” [e.g. in Rec 1703 (2005)].
UNESCO defines “family reunion/reunification” as “the process of bringing together family members, particularly children, spouses and elderly dependents” in its Handbook of selected terms and concepts. The term reunification is used throughout this website. Plus...

Some frames of reference for language competence in the workplace, that are drawn up as a basis for designing a training scheme, describe specific competences rather than just the general skills provided for under general language teaching. In France, for example, such frames of reference exist for posts in the local and regional civil service and in the construction and civil engineering sectors. Plus...

Plurilingual education was subsequently developed “from the top” in the Guide for the development of language education policies in Europe (2007) which concerns all taught languages (and not foreign languages alone), and was taken to a further stage of elaboration with the Platform of resources and references for plurilingual and intercultural education (known as the Platform), present on the Council of Europe website since 2009. Plus...

The quality of education and training relates to the degree to which it meets the needs and expectations of the learners concerned and the needs of the other stakeholders, particularly those organising it and those funding it. The Council of Europe’s policy guidelines and recommendations indicate that the quality of language courses and language tests for adult migrants should also be judged according to the ways in which the courses contribute to the promotion of intercultural dialogue, foster tolerance, and support the integration of immigrants in their host societies. Plus...

A programme or a written plan for each course or course module is a way of giving practical guidance to teachers, who themselves may come from different backgrounds and have experience of teaching migrants that varies considerably. Having a specification of objectives and content for given periods of time (months, weeks etc) within a given course can provide invaluable support. Plus...

Adult migrants are a heterogeneous group in which different literacy profiles can be identified. Among these profiles, various categories can be distinguished by taking account of migrants’ educational background. Each category is defined by a combination of features that are usually found together, though individuals are likely to vary within a particular category. Plus...

Traditionally language competence is thought of in holistic terms, as a collection of undifferentiated abilities. Examples of this approach are the requirement that pupils should achieve CEFR level B2 in their first foreign language by the time they leave school, or that adult migrants should achieve CEFR level A2 in the language of the host community in order to secure a long-term residence permit. Plus...

When designing course programmes for the occupational context, there are two opposing approaches, depending on whether one starts out from language teaching and moves towards the relevant occupational activity or, on the contrary, from holistic analysis of the work environment and moves towards the training intervention. The needs issue is fundamental in both approaches: communication needs, language needs and resulting training needs. Plus...