the european language portfolio dossier section...

What is a Language Portfolio?The aim of creating a Language Portfolio with your pupils is to promote the learning of languages in general, and to record and validate all their linguistic abilities and language learning experiences (including those from outside the classroom).

The European Language PortfolioThe Council of Europe is promoting the use of the ‘European Language Portfolio’, a three-part portfolio that has the aim of encouraging lifelong language learning, providing a record of linguistic skills that is internationally recognized, and promoting tolerance and cultural awareness through learning other languages. The intention is that each student has their own personal Portfolio that will accompany them throughout their learning experience. The European Language Portfolio is divided into the following sections:

PassportThe Passport section provides an overview of each student’s ability in a language or languages. It includes self-evaluation and teacher assessment as well as any certificates a student may have received or records of courses they have completed.

BiographyThe Biography section allows the student to reflect upon and assess his or her progress. It encourages the student to think about what he / she can do in the language.

DossierThe Dossier contains selected pieces of work that illustrate the student’s achievements, abilities, and experiences, as recorded in the Biography or Passport.

What is the Incredible English Kit Portfolio?The idea of the Incredible English Kit Portfolio is to raise awareness of the existence of the European Language Portfolio and to prepare children to use future portfolios in the secondary education system. It is a useful tool for teachers in future years as it allows them to see what each child has studied so far. It is also extremely motivating as it gives children the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning as they indicate what they can do in English and decide autonomously what work to include in their Portfolio.The Incredible English Kit Portfolio does not aim to exactly match the structure of the European Language Portfolio, but instead takes the elements from it that are most relevant for children of this age.Each child’s personalized Incredible English Kit Portfolio might consist of a selection of the following, stored together in a designated file, folder, or box:

Passport / Biography section• Photocopies of My English pages, completed

at the end of each term.• Completed Unit, Review, and Skills tests.• Certificates of any external exams pupils have sat,

e.g. CYL Movers tests.

Dossier section• Posters, projects, displays, etc. that the pupils have done

throughout the course (e.g. the Lesson 11 ‘Make’ activities).• Photocopies of completed pages from the Activity Book

and / or the PMB.• Cassette or video recordings of pupils singing songs or

acting out stories, e.g. the unit stories.• Other (see ‘Further ideas’ below).The Incredible English Kit Portfolio can be included in the classroom routine as much or as little as you choose. A good point to start working on the Portfolio would be towards the end of the first term, when you can explain to the pupils what a Language Portfolio is, let them make the cover pages and complete the first My English page (see below), and tell them that they will be responsible for choosing which pieces of work they would like to include in the Dossier section (they can choose the pieces of work that they are most proud of, that they have most enjoyed doing, or that they think would be most interesting to other people).Parents should be encouraged to support their children’s language learning by helping them collect items for their Portfolio or making suggestions about what pieces of work to include in the Dossier section.The Incredible English Kit Portfolio for Level 4 contains the following material:

Portfolio coverPupils fill this in and stick it on the cover of the file, folder, or box that they are going to use for their Incredible English Kit Portfolio. They can also stick on a photo or a drawing of themselves.

Incredible English Kit 3rd Edition 4 PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press

My English pagesThese summary / self-evaluation pages are intended to be completed at the end of each term, and are divided into three sections: My words, My sentences, and My work.

My wordsPupils tick the boxes to indicate which vocabulary sets they have studied, and then complete the self-evaluation line to say how many of the words they can remember (go through the language with them for this first).

My sentencesPupils tick the boxes to indicate which language functions they are able to perform. Go through the ‘I can’ statements with the pupils first to make sure they understand them, and help them as necessary by reminding them of the language from the relevant units and writing examples on the board.

My workPupils tick the boxes to say which items they have made. The blank line can be used to write any additional items or projects that they have completed (e.g. any of the festivals projects from PMB pp50–52). If pupils have chosen to include any of these items in the Dossier section of their Portfolio, they can draw or stick a star next to the item to indicate this. (It will be very motivating for pupils if you can provide them with gold star stickers to use for this section.)

The items listed are taken from the following sections of the course:

(Units 1–3)Picture / word cards (Units 1–3, PMB pp4–5, 10, 15)An email (Unit 1, Lesson 8)A weather map (Unit 1, PMB p8)An interview (Unit 2, Lesson 8)A copy of a drawing (Unit 2, PMB p13)A poster (Unit 3, Lesson 8)A BPM chart (Unit 3, PMB p18)Me and my world (The weather / climate in my country, PMB p53)

(Units 4–6)Picture / word cards (Units 4–6, PMB pp4, 20, 25, 30)A description (Unit 4, Lesson 8)Egyptian pictures (Unit 4, PMB p23)A leaflet (Unit 5, Lesson 8)Fish tanks (Unit 5, PMB p28)A blog post (Unit 6, Lesson 8)A semaphore message (Unit 6, PMB p33)Me and my world (My hero, PMB p54)

(Units 7–9)Picture / word cards (Units 7–9, PMB pp4, 35, 40, 45)A magazine article (Unit 7, Lesson 8)A plant table (Unit 7, PMB p38)Quiz questions (Unit 8, Lesson 8)A bee diagram (Unit 8, PMB p43)An information sign (Unit 9, Lesson 8)A scale (Unit 9, PMB p48)Me and my world (An important plant in my country, PMB p55)

Dossier cover (My work)At primary school level, the Dossier of the work chosen by the pupil will probably be the largest section of the Portfolio. This page, entitled My work, will be the cover of that section, which can either be included within a ring-binder for the whole Portfolio, or kept in a separate folder or box. Pupils colour the page, and can also create a list of the Dossier contents if they wish.

What does the Dossier contain?It is important that pupils understand that they make the choice of which pieces of work to include in their personal Dossier. They can choose the pieces of work that they are most proud of, that they have most enjoyed doing, or that they think would be most interesting to other people. In addition to the My work items suggested on the My English pages, pupils may like to include photocopies of their favourite pages from the Activity Book (e.g. the Show what you know! pages from each unit, or any other writing or drawing activities), and video or cassette recordings of themselves singing songs or doing role-plays from the course (e.g. acting out the unit stories with the finger puppets).

Further ideasEnglish language learning is not restricted to the classroom, and as part of the Portfolio’s aim to foster positive attitudes towards other cultures, pupils should be encouraged to notice any examples of English language and culture around them. Pupils can collect (or photocopy) comics, food packaging, CD and DVD covers, stamps, tickets, postcards, song lyrics, etc. and keep them in their Portfolio folder or box. Alternatively, you could create an ‘English corner’ in the classroom where such objects could be displayed for the whole class to see.Pupils can also write (in L1) about their experiences with English, e.g. listing any projects they have done, performances of plays, courses attended (including after-school classes and summer schools), details of trips to English-speaking countries, communication / exchanges with pen pals, and simply a list of English-speaking people they know. They can illustrate their work with pictures of their experiences.Encourage pupils to take pride in their Portfolios, and to regularly go through the Dossier section, tidying and organizing it, and adding work as necessary to keep it updated. Encourage them to show their Portfolios to friends, family, and other teachers in the school, and remind them that it is a valuable record of their achievements in English. Fostering early pride and motivation in this way will encourage pupils to continue learning and using English (and other languages) throughout their lives.



Name Age Class School Teacher

Stick your

photo here

✄3rd EDITION


My English (Units 1–3)

My words

I can say words for:

Outdoor activities Numbers and dates

The weather Health

Jobs Hand and heart

I can remember: some of the words.

most of the words.

all of the words.

say what I want to do I want to play basketball.

say what I don’t want to do I don’t want to go swimming.

make suggestions Let’s go sailing.

talk about my routine I get up at 7 o’clock.

say where people are He’s behind the doctor.

ask someone to help me Can you help me?

say what people should do You should sit down.

say what people shouldn’t do You shouldn’t eat in class.

My sentences

I can …

Picture / word cards

An email

A weather map

An interview

A copy of a drawing

A poster

A BPM chart

Me and my world (The weather / climate in my country)

My work

I have made:

= my best work (look in my Dossier)


My words


School Aquatic life

Ancient Egypt Electrical items

Sea life Types of messages


most of the words.

all of the words.

My sentences

I can …


A description

Ancient Egyptian pictures

A leaflet

Fish tanks

A blog post

A semaphore message

Me and my world (My hero)

My work

I have made:


talk about older people at school She was good at History.

ask older people about school Were you good at History?

say what I did I saw an octopus.

say what people didn’t do He didn’t see a shark.

say what people wanted He wanted the computer.

ask what someone needs Does she need a mouse?



My words


Farming Bees

Habitats Road safety

Animals Speed


most of the words.

all of the words.

say what is in a picture There’s some water.

say what isn’t in a picture There isn’t any cheese.

compare animals The elephant is bigger than the hippo.

describe animals The lion is the hungriest.

give instructions You must wear a helmet.

ask for permission Can I go and play?

My sentences

I can …


A magazine article

A plant table

Quiz questions

A bee diagram

An information sign

A scale

Me and my world (An important plant in my country)

My work

I have made:



Portfolio Dossier (Level 4)

songs

writing

stories

projects

acting

✄3rd EDITION


the european language portfolio dossier section...

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