With complements from Ástríður Guðmundsdóttir in Laugalækjarskóli and her students.
This project is designed to commemorate the European day of languages on the 26th of September. On that occasion we want to celebrate the diversity in languages and the importance of preserving and respecting all those languages, like our own.
We want to stop and think about the opportunities that each language we know opens up to us, even languages that we only know to a limited extend. Also we want to study the incredible history of the English language, which explains why it has more words in than any other language. But the main purpose of the project it to help you to assess yourselves, by using the European Language Portfolio’s self-assessment grid.
You must fit all the information on one A3 sheet
Fold it in thirds
The cover page is for your door. Design an original and attractive door. You will write fun facts about languages on the door or/and facts about the history of English words.
You must leave a line of at least 3 cm at the bottom of the cover page as well as the back side for the timeline of the English language.
On the backside of your door you will tell a joke or a funny experience that you or someone you know has had because of a misunderstanding in connection you a foreign language. Make a drawing, a cartoon, or illustrate in some interesting way.
Now the inside: Here comes the main purpose of this project, which is to familiarize yourselves with the European Language Portfolio, or the ELP . You will create an assessment grid and assess your level in each of the languages you speak. You will take into account the 4 different skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening. You must give arguments for your grade in each skill. For example if you grade yourself B1 in speaking English you might say. I can speak fluently with a native speaker on a wide variety of subject and give good arguments for my statements.
Example of an selfassessment grid made by a student
Grading
| Texts are well written and interesting. Your door is informative and the self-assessment is realistic and reflects your level as a language user. Your reflections are deep and show that you have measured yourself to the scale of the ELP. | 33% |
| Your design is attractive an original. You have put thought and work into it. You use illustrations to enhance your text. Your handwriting is comprehensible and attractive. | 33% |
| You have followed the instructions or used your learner autonomy to create something original and with the same learning outcomes as suggested by the teacher. | 33% |
