FAB – Formative Assessment Benchmarking
FAB – Formative Assessment Benchmarking for Foreign Language Learning and Teaching in Higher Education was an international Erasmus+ project carried out in 2015–2017. It was coordinated by the School of Foreign Languages at the University of Warsaw, and the partners were: Turku University of Applied Sciences in Finland, Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania, and the University of Pécs in Hungary.
Project Objectives
The goal of FAB was to improve the quality of foreign language teaching in higher education by developing and disseminating formative assessment.
Special attention was paid to speaking skills and such elements of the didactic process as constructive feedback, self-assessment and peer assessment, clearly defined learning goals, and greater student involvement in monitoring their own progress.
Activities and Results
The project combined research activities, teacher training, and the international exchange of experiences. Surveys among students and teachers were conducted at partner universities, tools for class and peer observations were developed, and workshops for teachers were organized.
An important element of FAB was mutual class observations conducted at partner universities. They made it possible to compare working methods, exchange good practices, and search for solutions that could be used regardless of the language being taught.
The most important result of the project was the “Guide for Teachers and Students”, prepared in five language versions. The publication presents the basic assumptions of formative assessment and 62 examples of good practices collected during class observations.
The project concluded with the international conference “Formative Assessment in Foreign Language Teaching”, which took place on September 19, 2017, at the University of Warsaw. The results of FAB were also presented at industry conferences and meetings and described in publications devoted to foreign language teaching.
FAB Project Materials
The main result of the project, containing an introduction to formative assessment and examples of good practices. Available in five language versions.
An article summarizing the assumptions, course, and results of the project, published in the Języki Obce w Szkole journal.
Materials concerning the course of the project, class observations, training, conferences, and dissemination of results.
Polish-language information about the project and the activities of the University of Warsaw team.
MiLLaT – Mediation in Language Learning and Teaching
MiLLaT – Mediation in Language Learning and Teaching was an international Erasmus+ project carried out in 2019–2021. The project was coordinated by the University of Warsaw, and the partners were: Charles University in the Czech Republic, the University of Helsinki in Finland, and Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania. The project was implemented under the Erasmus+ strategic partnership number 2019-1-PL01-KA203-065746.
Project Objectives
The goal of MiLLaT was to develop and disseminate mediation in foreign language teaching and learning, in accordance with the approach presented in the updated version of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
In the project, mediation was understood broadly – as activities facilitating the transfer of information, joint creation of meanings, and communication between people speaking different languages or functioning in different cultural and social contexts. Special attention was paid to developing linguistic, intercultural, social, and digital competences and preparing students to function in a multilingual and multicultural academic and professional environment.
Activities and Results
The project combined needs research, international exchange of experiences, peer observations, teacher training, as well as the development and piloting of teaching materials.
Tools supporting teachers in planning, observing, and evaluating mediation activities were created, as well as sets of tasks intended for in-person, synchronous, and asynchronous work. Two comprehensive guides for teachers were also a significant result, containing an introduction to mediation and practical examples of its application in foreign language teaching.
The implementation of the project partially coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why many activities were adapted to distance learning. This allowed the project to be expanded with solutions intended for online teaching and various models combining synchronous and asynchronous work.
The results of MiLLaT were presented during webinars, seminars, and international conferences. The project was summarized by the conference “Mediation in Language Learning and Teaching”, organized online by the University of Warsaw on September 9, 2021. Over 300 participants from 35 countries registered for it.
MiLLaT Project Materials
A collection of the most important materials developed within the project: peer observation tools, teaching materials, guides for teachers, and publications.
A guide containing an introduction to mediation and examples of tasks intended for in-person and synchronous classes.
A guide devoted to developing mediation in distance learning, with particular emphasis on asynchronous and polysynchronous work.
A set of sample materials and tasks intended for asynchronous and polysynchronous foreign language teaching.
Information about the project, partners, events, conferences, and activities carried out in 2019–2021.