About The Project
- EU-funded consortium of 8 Israeli and 6 EU institutions.
- Connects Israeli and European experts in the field of English language learning and assessment.
Project leader: Dr. Linda Weinberg, ORT Braude College, Karmiel.
In today's age of globalization, English is the language of international communication. Many of today's graduates will need levels of English that enable them to:
- communicate with colleagues, clients or customers.
- exchange emails.
- persuasively present their ideas and points of view.
- participate in videoconference calls.
Since the 1980's, Israeli tertiary level EFL courses have focused mainly on teaching comprehension of academic texts published in English. In today's changing world, this narrow focus is no longer enough - understanding texts in English is only one of the skills that the 21st workplace demands.
Graduates' changing needs were clearly identified in a recent ECOSTAR survey. Results showed that over 1000 Israeli students who participated in the survey viewed the English courses they studied at college or university as inadequate preparation for their future careers.
- develop a new framework for English teaching in Israeli colleges and universities.
- align a framework for English Teaching in Higher Education in Israel with Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) to conform with European standards, while satisfying the requirements of the Israeli Council for Higher Education (MALAG).
- ensure that tertiary level EFL courses in Israel share a common goal - preparing students to communicate more effectively in English.