CONCLUSION
Christophoros Charalambakis

According to the findings of this research a number of conclusions can be drawn. Foreign language education policy must be reconsidered in each European country and kept in tune with language politics of the European Union and the Council of Europe. On the one hand it is necessary to raise awareness of the importance of learning foreign languages for adults and on the other hand to promote linguistic and cultural diversity in the European Union on the basis of a coherent national and supranational language educational policy. The promotion of the less taught and used languages is a necessity. With globalisation and internationalisation the position of small language communities would become even weaker in the context of central state systems.

Interdisciplinary approaches and new areas of study are needed, particularly those which have a market relevance and in favour of the development of technology and its applications. Learning strategies leading to autonomy and self-learning must be reconsidered. We need adults who have a repertoire of many languages and non - ideal speakers in a number of languages. The existing curricula do not respond to the demands of a multicultural and plurilingual Europe. Language learning should be a life-long process in multi-purpose language learning environments. The promotion of learning neighbouring languages is of paramount importance for adults as well. The innovative European Language Portfolio must be extended to adults. As it is shown in this chapter the role of the universities in promoting plurilingualism for adults is crucial. This is why further close collaboration between the European universities is needed.


Towers of Babel: from Babylonia Poster - supplement to "Babylonia. A Journal of Language Teaching and Learning", 4/2001