A Reflective and Archival Record of Communicative Competence and Cultural Experience

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Welcome to the Lafayette World Languages Portfolio Project: A New Model for Mapping Cultural and Communicative Competence in Foreign Language Learning

The ePortfolio is a digital archive that documents the achievement of specified goals and learning outcomes within language learning. It also functions as an educational blueprint of learning opportunities in and beyond the classroom. Because students document their learning throughout their college careers, the e-Portfolio provides a unique vehicle for tracing the evolution of language proficiency and cultural competence. Rather than basing assessment solely on traditional exams or papers, the e-Portfolio showcases what students can actually do with a language.

History of the e-Portfolio

The e-Portfolio or LinguaFolio is an ongoing assessment archive that is seeing increased use in the United States and Europe. In the United States alone, 16 states are currently engaged in various stages of development and/or implementation of a LinguaFolio.
The Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures at Lafayette recently was awarded a Faculty Initiative Grant to develop innovative, outcomes-based approaches to language-teaching and learning. In a discipline that involves the development of speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills as well as knowledge of the myriad aspects of culture or cultures related to the language of study, it is extremely difficult to measure proficiency. The Language Portfolio is a cutting-edge concept that seeks to encourage a multiplicity of approaches to assessing cultural and communicative competency. See also: e-Portfolio info for the template, gallery of student e-Portfolios,  assessment badges/rubrics and details about the LaFolio Challenge.

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The Template

The Lafayette Language Portfolio: Lafolio It facilitates students’ reflection on their goals, the learning process and their individual growth. Helps students to draw connections between different courses and learning that occurs beyond the classroom. Underscores the continuity of learning that occurs before and beyond the college experience. Highlights multiple literacies Provides a venue for building a dynamic, on-going resume. Encourages dialogue between students and faculty to determine which projects and writing assignments best represent a student’s linguistic and cultural competency and that should, therefore, be included in their archive.

Featured Student Portfolio: Matt Grandon Matt is a 2012 graduate from Lafayette College. He is a History and Spanish double major with a minor in Women’s & Gender Studies. After graduation, he plans on pursuing a career in higher education, social justice or administration in one of these areas. Click on Matt’s name above to link to his portfolio.