The European Language Portfolio (ELP) was designed by the Language Policy Division of the Council of Europe (1988 - 2000) and was presented to the public in the European Year of Languages (2001).
The document was created to mediate between the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and pupils. It is a personal document in which language learners can record and reflect on their language learning and cultural experiences.
In 2001 a nation-wide committee was set up for the development and production of an ELP to be applied throughout Spain. It was a project directed by the Subdirección general de Programas Europeos del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (European Programmes Directorate of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport) who commissioned a group of language specialists to prepare a Portfolio for four groups at different ages and educational levels.
During the month of February 2003, the four Portfolio models were presented to the Autonomous Communities to initiate a period of ideas and suggestions. In June 2003, the models were referred to the Validation Committee.
Three of the documents – Infants (3 to 7 years), Primary (8 to 12 years) and Secondary (12 to 18 years) – were validated on 7 November 2003. The Portfolio for Adults was validated during the school year 2004-5.
Starting in1999 the Department of Education and Universities of the Catalan Autonomous Government promoted the development of innovative projects through the Orator Programme, which lasted until 2004. On 21 July 2004 the Department announced a new line of participation, which consisted in piloting the ELP on primary pupils. The title was: ‘Activities for the experimentation and use of a European Languages Portfolio (ELP) with pupils in the third cycle of primary school.’
Three schools decided to take part in the project:
The project had three aims:
Participation in the innovative Orator Programme was accompanied by an offer of training throughout two school years (2004-05, 2005-06). In parallel, and during the same period, the ELP was translated into Catalan.