"EAQUALS Workshop Programme, Graz, Austria - 12 th -14 th November 2009"

Sam Hawes, OLSC Academic Manager, recently attended the annual EAQUALS workshop at the European Centre for Modern Langauges (ECML) in the beautiful Austrian city of Graz, Austria. This city also happens to be a UNESCO World heritage site of special cultural interest.

The 3-day programme included the following:

• an update of current SIPS (special interest groups) of Eaquals
• CEFR Curriculum and assessment for certification, assessing spoken and written performances and testing (Brian North - Chairman of Eaquals)
• A framework for teacher training (Richard Rossner - CEO)
• Teaching activities for pronunciation (Pat Lodge - Freelance Inspector)
• Self assessment procedures for teachers (Ludka Kotarska - Senior Inspector
• An introduction to the new EAQUALS Inspection Scheme Manual v.6.0 (Ania Kolbuszewska - Senior Inspector)

In addition, there was also a general meeting in which 2 new schools ( Italy and Croatia) became accredited members and an open forum on the current activities of EAQUALS.

The workshop was both informative and essential for the progressive development of teaching methods at OLSC and at the same time to share ideas with other schools from around Europe. On a social level this was also achieved through an informal and formal dinner - both of which were set in typical, Austrian restaurants. Pumpkin soup was undoubtedly the local speciality!

More importantly, with the up and coming re-inspection it was vital that Sam attended the seminar on the inspection changes as outlined in the new manual which will be in effect from January 2010.

Overall, the event was highly organised and the Austrian hospitality, particularly the nunnery, was 'second to none'!"