Fachstelle für Berufsspezifische Sprachkompetenzen von Sprachenlehrpersonen PHSG

Center for Teachers’ Language Competences

Teachers’ language competences play a key role in successful language teaching. The competence center focuses on the development, research, assessment and counseling related to the language requirements for teaching.

The competence center combines the know-how of the St.Gallen University of Teacher Education (PHSG), the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), the Lausanne University of Teacher Education (HEP-VD) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL). The Institute of Multilingualism (IFM), a joint institute of the University of Fribourg and the University of Teacher Education, Fribourg acts as main consultant. This national cooperation guarantees the expertise across Switzerland’s language regions. Moreover, the close cooperation with the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) of the Council of Europe in Graz ensures the center’s international collaborations. 

Competences and services

The center

  • is the point of contact for consulting and further education for profession-related language competences
  • conducts research and development projects to promote profession-related language competencies of language teachers (foreign languages, language of schooling, language in all subjects)
  • cooperates with the Swiss centers for education in projects relating to the promotion of young researchers
  • supports the Working Group for Foreign Languages of the Chamber of Universities of Teacher Education of swissuniversities with the implementation of the recommendations on the use of profession-related language competences
  • coordinates development work on a possible future frame of reference for teachers’ language-specific competences as part of the project Towards a Common European Framework of Reference for Language Teachers (European Centre for Modern Languages ECML of the Council of Europe in Graz)

Profession-related language competence profiles

In terms of content, the work the competence center is linked to the project "Profession-related language competence profiles for foreign language teachers", which was carried out during the period 2011–2014.
Within the context of this project, language competence profiles differentiated by language level were developed by the Institute for Language Teacher Education (IFDS) of the St.Gallen University of Teacher Education in cooperation with the HEP-VD and the SUPSI and in close cooperation with the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) and the Swiss Conference of Rectors of Universities of Teacher Education (COHEP).

Profession-related language competence profile for foreign language teachers at primary level

Profession-related language competence profile for foreign language teachers at lower secondary level

The language competence profiles allow an alignment of teachers’ language education with the needs of professional practice.

Lukas Bleichenbacher, director of the center

The team of the center

from left to right: Olivia Rütti-Joy (PHSG), Catherine Diederich (PHSG), Rosanna Margonis-Pasinetti (HEP-VD), Robert Hilbe (PHSG), Daniela Kappler (SUPSI/DFA), Peter Lenz (IFM Fribourg, main consultant), Thomas Roderer (PHSG), Lukas Bleichenbacher (PHSG, director of the center), Olivier Bolomey (HEP-VD), Dietlinde Ebeling (UNIL), Wilfrid Kuster (PHSG)

not in the picture: Brigitte Forster Vosicki (UNIL), Pascal Schweitzer (UNIL)

Teachers’ competences in the language of schooling

The competence center also deals with profession-related language competences in the language of schooling, i.e. competences for language-sensitive instruction in all subjects. Research and development projects are coordinated by Prof. Dr. Christian Sinn (PHSG).

Network

The following partner institutions work together within the context of the center of competence:

Institut Fachdidaktik Sprachen (PHSG)

Das Institut Fachdidaktik Sprachen der Pädagogischen Hochschule St.Gallen führt Forschungs- und Entwicklungsprojekte in den Bereichen Sprachunterricht, Mehrsprachigkeit und Interkulturalität durch. Diese Projekte unterstützen die Aus- und Weiterbildung der Lehrpersonen.

Centro competenze lingue e studi sul plurilinguismo CLIP (SUPSI/DFA)

Il Centro competenze lingue e studi sul plurilinguismo (CLIP) si occupa della formazione linguistica sia nei percorsi Bachelor della SUPSI che in formazione continua per i professionisti; certifica il raggiungimento dei livelli linguistici, anche con riconoscimenti internazionali (Cambridge e Goethe); contribuisce alla formazione di base e continua in didattica delle lingue straniere e del plurilinguismo; partecipa a progetti di ricerca nazionali e internazionali nell’ambito del plurilinguismo e dell’interculturalità.

L'Unité d'enseignement et de recherche « Didactiques des langues et cultures » (HEP VD)

L'Unité d'enseignement et de recherche « Didactiques des langues et cultures » assure les formations initiales, continues et postgrades en didactique des langues étrangères (allemand, anglais, italien et espagnol) et des langues anciennes (latin et grec). Ces formations concernent les niveaux d'enseignement primaire, secondaire I et secondaire II.

Le Centre de langues (UNIL)

Le Centre de langues assure les formations en langues et communication des membres de la communauté universitaire en relation avec leur besoins académiques, professionnels et sociaux. Il est impliqué dans des projets de développement et de recherche dans le domaine du plurilinguisme et de la politique linguistique universitaire.

External links
profils-langues.ch: Assessment of profession-related language competences for foreign language teachers

The freely available online platform includes tools and materials for self- and other-assessment of teachers’ profession-related language competences for use by students and lecturers.
The materials are available for the primary level and lower secondary level.

Assessment platform
The European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML)

The ECML in Graz is involved in various innovation projects in the field of learning and teaching modern languages.
The project Towards a Common European Framework of Reference for Language Teachers, led by the center of competence, aims to develop a future frame of reference for teacher’s language-specific competences.

Website of the project

Contact

Center for Teacher’s Language Competences
Lukas Bleichenbacher

Pädagogische Hochschule St.Gallen
Notkerstrasse 27
9000 St.Gallen
Switzerland

Tel:
+41 71 243 94 40
Send email

Opening hours

Downloads

The center bases its work on the following language- and university-related political decisions:

Partner

Logo HEP Vaud
SUPSI
Logo Université de Lausanne