Hanna Komorowska

The paper is an article of reflection which aims to critically analyze the concept of success as viewed from an individual’s perspective as well as through the lenses of others. Historically and socially dependent norms and values regulating psychological and sociological approaches to success and failure are also considered and their personal and social consequences examined. Against this background the postwar concepts of a successful language learner and a successful language teacher are examined from both diachronic and synchronic perspectives. A model with six stages is proposed, the function of which is to estimate their approximate duration as well as to identify criteria adopted in order to distinguish between success and failure in particular periods. Terminology, drawn from the philosophy of law, relating to norms and expectations is presented to examine methodological issues in evaluation and assessment. Implications for language teacher education are also considered.

The article examines psychological and pedagogical contexts of the birth and the development of formative evaluation in second and foreign language teaching and learning. Research on its educational value, meta-analyses and case studies conducted in a number of school systems under the auspices of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are presented with examples of ways in which research informed the educational policy of various countries and impacted on school evaluation strategies. Attention is given to challenges and controversies faced by schools in the process of implementing formative evaluation and/or integrating it with summative approaches. Implications are also sought for pre- and in-service teacher education.

The present text gives an overview of the European context of language education in the last quarter of the 20th century and presents the main trends in the European language policy conducted by the Council of Europe and the European Union. The impact of the situation on the teaching profession and challenges posed by dynamic socio-political changes are then discussed as well as the support offered by enabling institutions such as the European Centre for Modern Languages in Graz. Open questions and controversies are also identified calling for future research. The text ends with a list of implications for the future of the profession as well as for pre- and in-service teacher education.