Insights into the European portfolio for student teachers of languages (EPOSTL)
2007 saw the publication of the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL) by the Council of Europe, the result of a project carried out under the auspices of the European Centre for Modern Languages. The central aim of this project was to produce a document which would contribute to the harmonisation of teacher education in Europe. The EPOSTL is a portfolio intended for students undergoing their initial teacher education which encourages them to reflect on the didactic knowledge and skills necessary to teach languages, helps them to self-assess their own didactic competences and enables them to monitor their progress and to record their experiences of teaching during the course of their teacher education. At its heart are 195 "I can" descriptors of didactic competences, which teachers strive to attain. The EPOSTL has since been translated into 13 languages and is used widely across Europe and beyond. The main aim of Insights into the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL) is to explore important theoretical issues, an understanding of which is necessary to support the use of the EPOSTL in teacher education programmes. The first part of the book provides discussions of relevant theoretical areas: the role of reflection, learner autonomy and intercultural awareness. In the second part, the focus is on the relationship between the EPOSTL and other European publications, such as the Common European Framework of Reference and the European Profile for Language Teacher Education. Suggestions are made as to how they can be used together in teacher education. The final section provides case studies on the use of the EPOSTL in three European countries. Whether users of the EPOSTL or not, both teacher educators and their students will find that the discussions of this book provide important insights into key aspects of teacher education.
An Examination of the EPOSTL's Potential Practical Use in Turkey.
Although Turkey is not a member state of the EU, educational and curricular documents produced by the EU such like the CEFR and the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL) have been examined by Turkish researchers and curriculum makers whose work seem to affect the curriculum of teacher education programs and curricula of all levels. The EPOSTL, which aims to improve the pedagogical progress of Turkish teachers of English, is currently studied and applied in many different contexts in Turkey although research on its potential use is still needed. Hence, in this study, I critically look at the EPOSTL which is a guide for prospective teachers of foreign languages who are enrolled in their initial teacher education or teacher preparation programs. The document works within five specific domains that are aimed to be realized through 193 descriptors which are categorized under seven major areas. In this study, the value of the EPOSTL as a document in relation to its possible use in teacher education programs in Turkey is discussed with a focus on the probable challenges associated with applying it in English language teacher education programs in Turkey. By citing some researchbased evidence on some theoretical, pedagogical, curricular and structural problems surrounding our programs in which we research and teach, I will try to show the problems associated with the document especially when its possible applications in Turkey are considered.
Balloon assisted translocation of the mitral anterior leaflet to prevent left ventricular outflow obstruction (BATMAN): A novel technique for patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve replacement
Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is an option for patients at high risk for mitral valve replacement or repair via sternotomy or left thoracotomy approach. TMVR carries up to 22% risk of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. Severe LVOT obstruction can have devastating hemodynamic and clinical consequences.