1. ROMANIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND
RESEARCH

2. ROMANIA

3. ROMANIA

4. BACKGROUND
ROMANIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

5. • Education is a national priority
• Education is based on democratic values
• Romania endorses the principle of equal chances in
education regardless of gender, individual
characteristics – physical or mental impairments, cultural
or socio-economic background, mother tongue, ethnic
origin, religion etc.
• Minorities have a right to education in their own
language
• Public education is tax free
Education Act
Basic principles

6. Pre-university education
• Beginning of compulsory education at the age of 6
• 10 grades of compulsory education: I - X
Consequence:
Young people leave compulsory education at the
age of 16, when the law allows them to integrate the
work market
• Change in the structure of secondary education,
giving young people the opportunity to enter
vocational education and training inside compulsory
education, through the art and trades school
• A vocational path with progressive certification

7. University education
recent changes
* Introduction, in the legal provisions, of the
Bologna decisions:
• First cycle (3-4 years), leading to bachelor
degree
• Second cycle (1-2 years), leading to master
degree
• Third cycle (3 years), leading to PhD
* Implementation of the European transferable
credits system
* Restructuring of university specializations

8. 4
Post high school
Tertiary
education-
non university
3
Non
compulsory
18 XIII
3
High school
- upper cycle -
Upper
secondary
3
17 XII
High school
-upper cycle-
2
16 XI
Completion year
15 X
2
High school
-lower cycle-
Arts and trades school
Lower
secondary
1
Compulsory
14 IX
13 VIII
General school
-
12 VII
11 VI
1
10 V
10-11 IV
Primary school
Primary
education
9-10 III
8-9 II
7-8 I
6-7 0
5-6 Big group
4-5 Middle
group 0 Kindergarten
Pre school
education
Non
compulsory
3-4 Beginners
Age Grade ISCED Education levels Qual. Type
>19
6
5
University - master Tertiary
education -
university
5
4
Non
compulsoryUniversity - bachelor

9. Curriculum
The curricular framework includes:
• The core curriculum (common core and differentiated curriculum),
containing the compulsory subjects and the number of allocated
hours, designed and approved at national level
• The school based curriculum, designed at the level of the school
The syllabus
• for the core curriculum subjects, the syllabus is elaborated by
commissions of specialists, it is endorsed by the National Board for
Curriculum and approved by the minister of education
• For school based curriculum, the syllabus is designed at the level of
the school and approved by the specialty inspector of each county
Text books
• Alternative textbooks can be elaborated for the same syllabus
• The ministry approves the textbooks which can be used in schools
• The teachers have the right to choose the appropriate textbook,
from the approved list
Teacher guidelines are usually elaborated by the National Board for
Curriculum

10. FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AND
LEARNING IN ROMANIA
• The study of the first language begins in 3rd
grade, at the age of 9
• The second language is introduced in the
5th
grade, at the age of 11
• Children can begin the study of the first
language in 1st
grade, as an optional
course
• At parents request, one language can be
studied in kindergarten

11. Foreign languages taught in the
Romanian education system
• English - 2,500,000 students
• French - 1,885,207 students
• German - 240,000 students
• Russian - 90,000 students
• Italian - 11,428
• Spanish - 11,019
• Portuguese, Modern Greek, Japanese

12. Number of compulsory language
hours
Level Optional/
compulsory
1st
language
2nd
language
Pre-school Optional
Primary school
grades I –II
grades III –IV
Optional
Compulsory
1h / week
2h / week
-
General school
(grades V - VIII)
Compulsory 2h / week 2h / week
High school
(grades IX-XII)
Compulsory 2h / week 2h / week
VET schools
(grades IX-X)
Compulsory 2h / week -

13. Number of language hours
- intensive study classes -
• Begins in 5th
grade, can continue until 12th
grade
• 4 hours of foreign language study/ week
• Students pass a language test, in order to
be admitted

14. Bilingual study of a foreign
language
Aims :
Cross-curricular approach to languages,
history, geography, culture and civilization
Objectives :
• higher proficiency in a foreign language
• education for a new Europe
• increasing tolerance, smoothing cultural
differences

15. Bilingual study of a foreign
language
Target group:
• High school students (15-19 years old) in all
types of schools, submitted to a language test,
before admission
Number of hours:
• 4 - 6 hours of foreign language study/ week
• History, geography and culture of the foreign
country studied in the respective language
• Other subjects might be studied in the foreign
language (CLIL)

16. Bilingual study of a foreign
language
Teachers:
• use of native speakers as teachers and language
assistants
Certification:
• At the end of high school, students can obtain a
certificate of language competency
Results:
• students have reached C1- C2 levels and are able to
take international language exams (Cambridge,
Deutsches Sprachdiplom, DELF, DALF)
• many students enrol in universities with tuition in a
foreign language, in Romania or abroad

17. Textbooks and educational
materials for language study
• Textbooks for all levels have been issued by
Romanian and foreign publishing houses
• Auxiliary materials (dictionaries, video and
audio cassettes, leaflets, posters) are
available
• Radio and TV support, informally, language
teaching and learning

18. The study of mother tongue for
minorities
Possible ways to study mother tongue for
children coming from minority groups
• Study of all the subjects in the mother
tongue
• Study of the mother tongue and of several
subjects in the mother tongue, according
to the human resources available
• Study of the mother tongue and study of
the other subjects in Romanian

19. European linguistic concepts and
instruments in
Romanian education system

20. The process Education and Training 2010
Romania has adopted and explicitly mentioned in the
curriculum the 8 domains of key competences:
- Communication in the mother tongue
- Communication in foreign languages
- Mathematical literacy and basic competences in science
and technology
- ICT skills
- Learning to learn
- Interpersonal and social competences
- Entrepreneurship
- Cultural awareness

21. Consequences
• Introducing the second foreign language in all
types of high schools, from 9th
to 12th
grade
• The existence of a compulsory foreign language,
in the curriculum for the arts and trades schools
• The existence, for qualifications such as
commerce or tourism, of a module, integrated in
the specialty area: Communication for
professional aims, in a second foreign language
• The existence, in each qualification in the VET
system, of a unit of competency : communicating
in a foreign language

22. Plurilingualism
• Romania is a multilingual country, as a variety of
languages are present in its regions
• Romanian education encourages plurilingualism,
valuing and developing the ability of all
individuals to learn and use several languages
Aim:
Creation of respect and understanding of the
languages and language varieties of others as a
basis for democratic citizenship.

23. Specific measures (1)
• Introduction of the study of the first foreign
language in primary education – 3rd
grade
• Possibility for children coming from minority
groups to study their / in their mother tongue in
school
• Study of 2 foreign languages in compulsory
education, achieving the EU principle:
mother tongue + two other languages
• Possibility to study a third foreign language in
high school

24. Specific measures (2)
• A compulsory oral examination of one of the
studied languages at the baccalaureate exam,
for all students
• Study of foreign languages in universities
• Development of departments in universities,
which deliver studies in the mother tongue of
minorities
• Development of departments in universities, with
complete tuition in a foreign language

25. Language education and values of
democratic citizenship
Recognition of the diversity of speakers’
plurilingual repertoires leads to:
• respect for linguistic differences
• respect for the linguistic rights of individuals and groups
in their relations with the state and linguistic majorities
(stated by law)
• respect for linguistic minorities
Language teaching is the ideal locus for intercultural
contact and in which education for democratic life, in
its intercultural dimensions, can be included

26. Common European framework of
reference for languages
• The foreign language syllabus mentions
explicitly the Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• The foreign language syllabus mentions the
level to be attained at the end of compulsory
education, according to the CEFR
• In 2003, the specialists in the Institute for
Educational Sciences translated the CEFR in
Romanian language, including the self
evaluation grid, which specifies the standardized
levels of competence (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2).

27. European Language Portfolio
• Recommendation nr. R (98) 6, regarding modern
languages recommends the development of the
European Portfolio for Modern Languages, as a support
instrument for developing plurilingualism and
pluriculturalism
• The aim: to record significant linguistic and cultural
experiences, in a transparent and internationally
recognized way
• Author: the Modern Language Division of the Council of
Europe
• Developed and piloted: between 1998 and 2000
• Launched in 2001, during the European year of
languages

28. European Language Portfolio
- components -
• Linguistic passport, mentioning the formal
qualifications. It includes the self evaluation of
linguistic competencies, according to the grid
proposed by the CEFR
• A linguistic biography, with details, describing
the learning experiences in each language and
aiming to guide the planning process and the
evaluation of progress in language learning
• A dossier, containing examples of materials,
illustrating learning experiences, the objectives
chosen by the owner, samples of personal work
and other documents

29. European Language Portfolio
Romanian situation (1)
• In 2002, the secretary of state nominated the Romanian National
Committee for ELP (inspectors, teachers of Romanian and foreign
languages, specialists in didactics etc)
• In 2001, the Prosper – ASE Center, member of QUEST – Romania,
translated the Linguistic Passport, of the European Language
Portfolio for adults elaborated by EAQUALS-ALTE
• In 2002, the Romanian National Committee for ELP analyzed and
approved, the Romanian version of the European Language
Portfolio for adults, elaborated by Prosper – ASE Center
• In 2003, the Council of Europe validated the Romanian version of
the European Language Portfolio for adults, elaborated by Prosper
– ASE Center
• In 2004, each school inspectorate in the country received from the
MoER the first copies of the Romanian version of the ELP for adults

30. European Language Portfolio
Romanian situation (2)
• Introducing a set of methodological
recommendations regarding the use of the ELP
elaborated by EAQUALS – ALTE, in the syllabus
for modern languages for lower cycle of high
schools, art and trades schools and completion
year
• Introducing in the modern languages syllabi of
the level specifications, according to the CEFR,
standard specifications present in the self
evaluation grid, integrated in the Linguistic
Passport

31. European Language Portfolio
Romanian situation (3)
• Training activities in Modern languages Centers
and in the Foreign Cultural Institutes, in order to
prepare trainers and managers in the
methodology of the ELP for adults QUEST
Romania
• Between 2001and 2003, the preparatory stages
for the elaboration of the Junior ELP (8-11
years) took place
• On the website of the National center for
Vocational Orientation, one can find information
about Europass, including the English version of
the Linguistic Passport Europass