The Bourse aux Idées takes place at the end of each term and allows teachers to present results of research projects to their colleagues. The research projects and presentations allow our teaching staff to keep up-to-date with the latest trends in language teaching and to discuss the best ways of putting the theory into practice.

The themes for this term’s session are as follows:

• Manuela & Clemens: Using authentic texts in class
• Mechthild, Marius & Gudrun: Using pictures in class
• Phil, Joanne & Stuart: Reading aloud in class
• Annelies, John-Paul & Nicholas: Use of the mother-tongue in class
• Pauline, Andrée & Adriana: Non-verbal expression in class
• Christian, Claire & Agathe: Analysis and interpretation of errors

In line with our quality standards and our EAQUALS (Evaluation & Accreditation of Quality in Language Services) membership, Prolingua is committed to continued in-service training for all its teaching staff. In addition to the Bourse aux Idées, we also hold regular internal workshops and at least one external workshop per year, staff also travel regularly to international training events such as EAQUALS workshops and ALTE (The Association of Language Testers in Europe) conferences.

The seminar was a success, with 89% of participants indicating that they were extremely pleased with the presentation.

CIEP was equally satisfied with the event and remarked that ‘The teaching team at Prolingua is highly qualified. The participants clearly showed that they have fully adopted the principles of the communicative approach to language teaching and are perfectly qualified to put it into practice’.

It was thus decided to repeat this fruitful collaboration with CIEP on Friday 17 June, this time with Katia Grau. The theme of her seminar was ‘From needs analysis to the course syllabus’.

Her presentation will be entitled “How frameworks can help test users choose certification exams“.

More informations about b2fair: www.b2fair.com/shanghai2010/

The topic of training was addressed by Neil Hatfield, Assistant Director of Studies at Prolingua . To prepare for the recovery, “Invest in your people” is the key tip for companies .

- Neil Hatfield ’s slideshow, in PDF format: hrone-prolingua-neil-hatfield-25-02-2010.pdf
- Further details (in french) about this meeting at www.hrone.lu

The importance of quality in language education was also addressed at a workshop given by Neil Hatfield, member of our pedagogic team.

PROLINGUA, accredited member of “Eaquals”

On the 15th of September 2009, Prolingua Language Centre invited the press to its premises at 61 rue de Strasbourg to announce its membership of EAQUALS, The European Association for Quality Language Services.

Nelly Perrotte, Director of Studies, welcomed the press and introduced Richard Rossner, Chief Executive of Eaquals.
Mr. Rossner then presented his association with emphasis on the importance of quality and quality control in language training.

EAQUALS, a pan-European quality association for language training providers, is the only organisation to offer independent and widely-recognised certification for language schools. Thanks to its formal inspection scheme, EAQUALS is able to guarantee the quality offered by its accredited members.

Its aim is to offer or supply guarantees of quality to foreign language learners and to those who pay for the learners (individuals or companies), to guarantee that courses offered are effective, of good quality and correspond to the clients’ needs.. Each member school is inspected and audited every 3 years for 2 days by 2 independent inspectors.
Eaquals only awards its guarantee of quality to organisations which respect its quality standards.

An EAQUALS member guarantees its clients :

• Tranparency: EAQUALS members are committed to providing clear, accurate and complete information about all aspects of the courses and services offered.
• Quality teaching: Effective, well-planned and enjoyable teaching by well-qualified, trained staff with access to extensive teaching resources and teacher development programmes.
• Curriculum: A tried and tested teaching/learning system with a clearly defined curriculum. Objectives and assessment are based upon the Common European Framework of Reference. Balance and variety in the programme are assured.
• A balanced and varied study programme : The teaching system offers clearly defined content and the objectives and evaluations are directly linked to the CEFR , Common European Framework of Reference.
• Appropriate standards: The standards used as inspection criteria are specific to language teaching. The main aim of the EAQUALS scheme is to assess the actual activity of language schools. The focus is on the school-in-action and the experience of its clients.
• External quality control: The existence of internal quality assurance systems is verified and all aspects of the school are rigorously controlled during EAQUALS inspections which take place every 3 years.

EAQUALS, founded in 1991 by a group of European language schools who wanted to establish norms in language training, has 102 accredited members in 22 countries and 20 associate members.

The press conference ended with a question and answer session and an aperatif during which Fernand Wolter, Director of Prolingua Language Centre, thanked the press for coming and Mr. Richard Rossner for his participation.

For more information go to www.eaquals.org.

We are pleased to have been selected as the one key institution in the Benelux region to start the pilot project.

EAQUALS is the European Association for Quality Language Services.
“Only institutions that have been successfully inspected can be accredited as Full Members and display the EAQUALS quality mark.”

Your can check our profile page on EAQUALS website: http://www.eaquals.org/schools/profile.asp?m=357

Learn why choosing an EAQUALS school you can be sure regarding Legal requirements, Truthfulness, Teaching, Curriculum, Appropriate standards and External quality control.