First of answering that question, we need to reflect on what a European Language Portfolio (ELP) is. The Council of Europe introduced the European Language Portfolio as “a means of helping language learners to keep track of their language learning as it happens and record their language learning achievements and their experience of using other languages and encountering other cultures”.

Pedagogical challenge

Self-assessment
3 worries but there are others 3 ways to answer its:
Statements “can do”
detect serious discrepancies being honest
Summative or formative. The implication engage more than an exam. It supports and guides leaning as it takes places

Reflective teaching
emphasize in the implement of autonomy in students
More reflection
Realistic to be effective

Teacher development
78% useful for teachers
Helps to make visible the language learning process all its diversity

Tool designed to promote learner reflection necessarily prompts teacher reflection

Projects lead greater learner autonomy.

Include in whole-school languages subjects.

But they will surely benefit much more significantly
if the ELP is used not only by the other teachers of
French, but also by the teachers of Irish, German and Spanish. For in this way learners will come to appreciate
more fully the range and cultural diversity of
their second/foreign language proficiency.

Futures challenges:

More accessible and clear to educative community
Summary one-page downloadable
Foster research projects

It is compulsory composed by three documents:

- A language passport that summarizes the linguistic identity of the second/foreign
languages learned.
- A language Biography: explains the language learning and intercultural experiences
- A dossier: a selection of work that represents the language proficiency.

Functions:

- Reporting function: supplements the certificates by presenting information about de
language learning experience and concrete evidence of the proficiency and
achievements.
- Pedagogical function: promote the plurilingualism and make language learning
process more transparent.

Key data and events

Was determined by the Council of Europe’s modern languages project Language learning for
European citizenship (1989–96).

Decisive impetus to develop the ELP came from the Rüschlikon Symposium of 1991
(‘Transparency and coherence in language learning in Europe’), hosted by the Federal Swiss
authorities in collaboration with the Swiss Conference.

More detailed descriptors that define the common reference levels were arrived at on the
basis of empirical research funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation