Jennifer Ridley’s research while affiliated with Trinity College Dublin and other places

This report describes a qualitative research project designed to evaluate the use of the European Language Portfolio (ELP) in Irish post-primary schools. The project was coordinated by the Centre for Language and Communication Studies, Trinity College Dublin, and involved the participation of language teachers and learners from a number of schools in Ireland. The report is divided into four sections. Section 1 briefly sketches the origins and functions of the ELP, explains how the Irish ELP for post-primary learners was developed, and describes its key design features. Section 2 gives an account of the project that was set up to evaluate the use of the ELP in 2001-02. It outlines the aims and scope of the project, describes its working methods and data-gathering procedures, and gives an overview of the classrooms and participants involved. Section 3 presents a detailed evaluation of teachers' and learners' experiences of working with the ELP. The evaluation draws on teachers' own narrative accounts of classroom events and processes as well as learner reflections and learner-produced ELP materials. Section 4 concludes by considering particular issues and implications arising from the evaluation. (Contains 21 references.) (Author/SM)