Context

Through its constituent members, FIPLV has unrivalled access to language professionals not only across Europe, but also globally. It is committed to promoting the teaching and learning of languages, to improving the quality of language teaching, to developing continuity and cohesion of inclusive and lifelong multilingual education, to supporting, both directly and indirectly, language teachers and other professionals involved in language teaching, and to encouraging the development of effective and supportive networks of teachers both within and across its member associations. It thus embraces all of the themes included in the ECML's second medium-term programme (linguistic and social diversity, communication in a multicultural society, professional development and innovative approaches to teaching and learning). It also offers opportunities for the projects within the ECML's new programme to build on their own networks by drawing on a wider range of expertise and by increasing their opportunities to develop and disseminate their work.

 

Europe is faced with a number of paradoxes. Never has there been so much political support for the development of multi- and plurilingualism, and increasing numbers of children and adults are using or learning a repertoire of different languages in their everyday lives. The Council of Europe, through the ECML, offers effective opportunities to value linguistic diversity and the European Commission, through the strategy being developed by its Commissioner for Multilingualism, supports the development of a much more inclusive context for languages and language users. Yet there are still challenges which language professionals must face, and these are recognised in the Final Report of the EC's High Level Group on Multilingualism: the need to raise awareness and enhance and sustain motivation in order to promote the learning of a wider range of languages (and not just English); the need for stronger messages about the value of language learning to be communicated to the public through the media; the importance of languages for business; the need for increased diversity in translation and interpreting skills; the development of regional and minority languages and the opportunity to learn from bilingual communities; and the need for further research. All of these suggest that language professionals need to work together with a common vision, and to build networks which extend beyond their usual horizons.

 

Through its access to thousands of professionals and policy makers, FIPLV is well positioned to support the ECML both in disseminating its work but also in exploring the concept of dissemination itself, through gaining access to the many support structures and practices which exist in the hundreds of associations which are directly or indirectly connected to FIPLV (i.e. members, such as national multilingual associations or international monolingual associations, or members of our members, such as the many national associations of teachers of French or German who are themselves members of FIPF or IDV). Thus we can all build on what is happening already (including existing ECML dissemination strategies) and sustain the momentum towards such an exciting future.