TUNING FOR ON-GOING ASSESSMENT: STUDENT PROJECTS FOR THE EUROPEAN LANGUAGE PORTFOLIO

In the area of English language learning in Higher Education and the Bologna Declaration, this paper analyzes the value of student projects, from the students’ perspective, for their future in the workplace. Portuguese students of Business English curricular units from four different Eurobachelor degrees at the School of Management and Technology of the Guarda Polytechnic Institute (ESTG-IPG) in Portugal participated in this study. Their assignments, teacher corrections, and resulting rewritten versions were collected individually in the elaboration of an English Language Portfolio, a component recommended by the Council of Europe. The final survey report on their individual effort and expected return on investment was administered to 50 students. Compiled results were processed and correlated with teacher expectations related to the planning as well as the topic and content selection for a foreign language course with a portfolio assessment component. As a theoretical basis, the objectives of the Tuning project, in accordance with those of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, have been contemplated. The role of the European Language Portfolio in learning English, specifically, as well as for use in future careers and life-long learning is posited and examined through this study. With a specific focus on the language dossier and passport, the overall effect of on-going rather than final written assessment is thus ascertained in Portuguese students in higher eduation.