Final Conference

I European Conference on Foreign Language Teacher Education

A Free Online Event (Multiplier Event)

24-25 June, 2021

The increasing globalisation of contemporary societies poses great challenges to the education sector. As the Eurydice (2015) report indicates, the labour mobility of the teaching and learning collective is in continuous growth due to the constant increase in opportunities for university study abroad, and a static labour market resulting from the last years of economic crisis. Displacement in Europe is particularly evident among foreign language students and teachers, who tend to move more frequently and for longer. However, there is a lack of unified formats for teacher education at a European level, with national agencies working in each country separately.

To address these shortcomings, the VIRTEACH project (www.virteachproject.eu ) seeks to find a VIRtual Solution for a comprehensive and coordinated training for foreign language TEACHers in Europe. This Erasmus+ funded project (2018-2021) has created a digital tool to improve the postgraduate certificates on Masters on Education for foreign language teachers and has provided teachers, researchers, student teachers and policy-makers with open-source tools and reports to foster convergence in the education of foreign language teachers.

As a final landmark, the VIRTEACH project team organises the Multiplier Event: I European Conference on Foreign Language Teacher Education. This 2-day conference is a meeting place and platform for researchers, teacher educators, policy makers and teachers from all over Europe. It combines inspiring keynotes, a wide variety of papers on research and practice, problems and advancements of foreign language teacher education, and active working sessions in a stimulating and friendly atmosphere. Hosted by the University of Burgos (Spain), this conference will provide a venue for the following activities:

  • Presentation and discussion of the outputs of the VIRTEACH project.
  • Presentations by researchers and practitioners on innovative experiences in the education of foreign language teachers.
  • Discussion fora involving policy makers on convergent policy design for foreign language teacher training.
  • Identification of new issues and future directions in the training of foreign language teachers in Europe.
  • Practical Workshops: 21st Century Foreign Language Teacher Training Course and Interactive Digital Notepad.

Please, not that all presentations will be in English.

The conference will be of interest to:

  • Practitioners and researchers in the field of foreign language teacher education
  • University educators who are interested in virtual solutions for teacher education.
  • Policy makers and representatives of public authorities interested in the convergence of foreign language teacher education.
  • University management, including those responsible for internationalisation, virtual mobility and foreign language policy.

Confirmed keynote speakers:

David Newby, B.A., M.Sc., D.Phil. “The European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages: principles, practices, prospects”.
David Newby was, until his retirement, Associate Professor of English Language Didactics and Applied Linguistics at the University of Graz, Austria and the University of Bergen, Norway. He is co-author and coordinator of the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages and is currently consultant to the European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe.

Katja Mäntylä, D.Phil.“Training foreign language teachers in Finland”.

Katja Mäntylä is currently working as Professor of English (language learning and teaching) at the University of Turku, Finland. Before joining the staff at Turku University, she worked for over 20 years at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. She is also a member of Matriculation Examination Board (the national school leaving exam) as well as its Language Committee, and the chair for the English section.

Interested in participating in a thriving and committed event?

Free registration at

http://virteachproject.eu/final-conference/conference-registration-form/
31 May 2021: Registration closes
24-25 June 2021: The online conference

Certificates will be provided to participants.

Follow conference updates at http://virteachproject.eu/final-conference

Conference committee: María Amor Barros del Río, Concetta Maria Sigona, María Simarro Vazquez, Carlos López Nozal, Alba Fenández Alonso, Aranzazu Cosido García, Lucía Muñoz.


Any enquiries can be directed to: virteachconference@virteachproject.eu

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