Portfolio Case Studies
“The Case Study” by Flickr user Binuri Ranasinghe
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European Language Portfolio (ELP)
 A language passport, which summarizes the owner's linguistic
identity, language learning achievement, and intercultural
experience, and includes the owner's assessment of his/her
own language competence according to the Council of
Europe's Common Reference Levels;
 A language biography, which is used to set intermediate
learning goals, review progress, and record significant
language learning and intercultural experiences;
 A dossier, in which the owner collects samples of his/her work
and evidence of his/her achievements in second/foreign
language learning.
Trinity College Dublin: School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences
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ELP - Passport
 Overview of language competencies at a given moment,
defined in terms of skills and common reference levels
 Self-evaluation grid
 Formal certifications and qualifications
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ELP - Biography
Personal history (blog/diary) of the owner’s languagelearning experience and progress
 Information about linguistic and cultural experiences in
and outside of class
 Self-assessment checklists (aspirational)
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ELP - Dossier
Selection of exhibits or performances
 Artifacts developed by the learner (including drafts)
 Official certificates or badges
 Explanations and reflections on each entry (whether/how it
exemplifies work in one of the five areas
 Listening
 Reading
 Spoken Interaction
 Spoken Production
 Writing
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ELP – Institutional Uses
 Describe their courses and certificates more clearly by
relating them to the Council of Europe's common
reference levels
 Help learners to become self-managing
 Make it easier for learners to show what they can do in
languages when they move from one educational level
or institution to another
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ELP - LinguaFolio Online
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ELP - Laussane Language Centre
 Transparency and comparability of learning outcomes
(100)
 Approach which focuses on the learners as agents on the
development and coherent documentation of their
individual plurilingual and pluricultural competences (104)
 Multimodal, criterion-based assessment for student
development and for better acknowledgment of students’
achievements by stakeholders through transnational
comparability (105)
 Development of language and communication skills and
the development of the capacity to learn are allotted the
same importance (107)
Vosicki, Brigitte Forster. “Overcoming the Challenges of Implementing the
European Language Portfolio (ELP) in Higher Education: The Experience of
the University of Laussane Language Centre.” Perspectives from the
European Language Portfolio: Learner Autonomy and Self-Assessment. Ed.
Bärbel Kühn. London ; New York: Routledge, 2012. 100–121. Print.
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ELP - Laussane Language Centre
(ECTS)
Compulsory tasks are related to each of the three sections of the
ELP and to the composition and organization of the ELP as a
whole. These are assessed, graded, and weighted in the final mark.
 Updating standardized language passport (3%)
 Language biography – two tasks related to reflection on the
language learning process and on intercultural issues (20%)
 Dossier should contain a selection of three assessed work
samples of communicative activities (student can select from
four) (75%)
 Organization of the ELP (2%)
Vosicki, Brigitte Forster. “Overcoming the Challenges of Implementing the
European Language Portfolio (ELP) in Higher Education: The Experience of
the University of Laussane Language Centre.” Perspectives from the
European Language Portfolio: Learner Autonomy and Self-Assessment. Ed.
Bärbel Kühn. London ; New York: Routledge, 2012. 100–121. Print.
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German at Cornell

passport includes documentation of key credentials and experiences (test results,
programs completed in not only German but also other languages)

biography includes a history and reports of the learner's language and
intercultural experiences, her or his language learning goals, and self-assessment
checklists. The language biography, especially, can be considered one of our
main assessment practices.

dossier includes the texts the student will write over the course of a semester (titled
portfolio texts in the syllabus and weekly plans), specific course work required by
the instructor, and artifacts of the student's choice. All materials collected will be
understood as evidence of the competences the learner has achieved. An
introductory page will preface the dossier explaining the context and the personal
meaning of the materials.
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German at BYU
 Complete portfolio as part of German 400R: Proficiency
Exam Tutorial
 Single PDF
 Portfolio core document
 German film, literature, culture reading list
 Capstone paper (rubric)
 Two favorite papers with “companion pages”
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Clemson University
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University of Georgia - FYC
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Auburn University
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Folio Thinking
Given the general rubric provided by Auburn University,
why, decide whether you’d rate Matt Brown’s ePortfolio as
novice, developing, or professional.
On the “Case Studies” page of your mini portfolio, provide
concrete observations to support your assessment.
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Folio Thinking
Which of the models we examined in this session fits best
with the goals for your course/program? Why?
Explain your thinking in another brief paragraph written on
the “Case Studies” page of your mini portfolio.
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