INNLAC meeting 20-21/6/2016 Graz, Austria

INNLAC meeting 20-21/6/2016 Graz, Austria

Country Report - Hungary

Marianna Szűcs

Thank you for your attention!

Tempus Public Foundation

marianna.szucs@tpf.hu

Hungarians and their Languages

Early Language Learning

• obligatory start: first language - grade 4, second language - grade 7

• free language choice

• dominance of English and German

Ongoing processes and practices

Which languages do you speak well enough in order to have a conversation, excluding your mother tongue?

• assessment of target language skills (mainly English and German) in bilingual schools: 6th (A2) and 8th (B1) grades on primary level, 10th (B2) grade on secondary level;

• assessment of foreign language skills in ALL primary schools except bilingual schools: 6th (A1) and 8th (A2) grades - English and German;

• YILL still financed with conditions: 80% of pupils have to pass the school leaving examination in the target language + 80% of this group has to achieve level B2;

• around 300 YILL schools around the country, but mainly in the capital;

• degree saving programme: 30% of graduates without degree due to lack of language exams.

Teaching English in the 21st Century

Hungary 2016

30-hour training course for educators teaching English to children age 3 to 10.

The main topics of the course are:

• syllabus design and lesson planning;

• course-book analysis;

• classroom management;

• games and movement;

• stories & drama;

• arts and crafts;

• songs and rhymes;

• parent management;

• assessing young learners.

Eurobarometer 2006,

countries below average, %

Eurobarometer 2006,

satisfaction with the level of foreign language skills in your country

Hungary has adopted several national strategies in 2014-15 which aim to improve the quality of its education and training system, in particular:

• an early school leaving prevention strategy,

• a mid-term strategy of public education development,

• a new concept paper for vocational training,

• a higher education strategy,

• and a new lifelong learning strategy.

Early childhood education and care is compulsory for all children from the age of 3 as of September 2015.

Nevertheless, Hungary’s education and training system still faces major challenges. The proportion of low achievement in basic skills is increasing and the socio-economic gaps in performance are still among the highest in the EU.

40-hour blended training course for educators teaching English to teenagers age 12 to 18.

The main topics of the course are:

• learner-centered classroom;

• personalized instructions;

• self-directed language learning;

• teaching 21st century skills;

• new technologies / ICT in the classroom;

• course-book analysis;

• collaborative learning and teaching;

• project-based learning;

• improving creativity and critical thinking;

• tips for assessment, empowerment, and self-awareness.

Eurobarometer 2012,

countries below average, %

EU English

200-hour EU English course (made up of 7 modules of 25/35 hours) for adults, translators, language learners, teachers, and civil servants.

The course combines a content-based syllabus with systematic skills development, it helps participants deepen their knowledge in EU-related issues by providing them with:

• up-to-date information on the institutions, policy developments and “hot topics” at EU level;

• with special emphasis on presenting the multilingual functioning of the EU (translation activities, linguistic challenges);

• key terms in English EU terminology, including French terms (Eurojargon);

• the most useful EU websites.

2014: the Ministry of Human Capacities published ‘A Change of Pace in Higher Education. Guidelines for Performance-Oriented Higher Education Development’

One objective of the strategy is: increasing entry and outcome requirements.

• increased admission requirements for state-funded places in individual programmes is defined;
• higher level upper secondary school leaving qualification (emelt szintű érettségi) is required for entry into several programmes;
• intermediate level foreign language examination will be a condition of university entry for all programmes except short cycle by 2020.

A higher proportion of students who do not meet performance criteria set by institutions will be re-classified from state-funded places to self-financing places and successful self-financing students can be re-classified to state-financed places.

Financial resources allocated to mentoring of disadvantaged students will be increased and skills development for low-achieving new entrants will be offered.

Nevertheless, higher entry requirements may further limit the access of under-represented groups to higher education, including socioeconomically disadvantaged young people.

Results of the National Assessment of Student Competences

2014/2015

(published in March 2016 by the Hungarian Educational Office)

The data show that the sixth-graders to whom the new national curriculum was introduced in 2013 reached a high percentage at the test. The eighth-graders have not yet learned according to the new NAT, but their results are also promising. The two sets of data would not be directly compared because of the different curriculum standards.

How can TPF Knowledge and Training Centre contribute to the development of foreign language education in Hungary?

We aim at fostering professional collaboration and networking among stakeholders:

• providing knowledge sharing platforms;

• providing tailor-made materials and trainings;

• facilitating cross-sectoral co-operation;

• generating and implementing projects.

Response to the Needs

2003 - 2007: World – Language Programme Package

managed by TPF

Main fields supported:

• in-service teacher training courses;

• curriculum development;

• job shadowing;

• conferences;

• resource centres;

• pilot teaching projects;

• CLIL;

• LWULT;

• YILL (2003-).

http://tka.hu/english

The Knowledge and Training Centre of TPF has eight priority topics:

Communal Learning (Apple on the tree), School Leadership, Early School Leaving, Foreign Language Education, Lifelong Learning, Collaborative Learning, ICT in Education and The Future of Learning.

We have EU2020 related projects:

• CroCooS: Cross-sectoral cooperation focused solutions for preventing early school leaving

• Related project: ESL Plus: Early School Leaving

• EFFeCT: EuropeanMethodological Framework for Facilitating Teachers' Collaboration

Tempus Public Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1996 by the Hungarian Government.

Our objectives:

• supporting initiatives aiming at the modernization and quality improvement of education, training and human resources development;

• encouraging international cooperation and mobility;

• strengthening the European dimension in these fields.

http://oktataskepzes.tka.hu/en/index