Language Course
User Guide
Introduction
Welcome to this user guide, which is designed to tell you all about the Erasmus+ Online Linguistic Support (OLS) platform, and help you use it before, during and after your Erasmus+ mobility. This OLS website includes online language courses that are accessible for Higher Education students, trainees, European Voluntary Service (EVS) volunteers and Vocational Education and Training (VET) students.
Access and Connection to the Erasmus+ OLS Platform
After completing your first language assessment, you will receive an invitation by email to sign up for an online language course (if a language course licence has been assigned to you by your sending institution/coordinating organisation). After you receive this, you will be able to access the course by logging on to the Erasmus+ OLS platform with the same login credentials that you used for the language assessment.
Please note: In the context of multiple mobilities, you may already have a language course licence. If you receive additional access to a language course in connection with your new mobility and the same learning language, your progress is recorded and your access period will be extended to your new mobility dates.
My OLS Language Course
Creating My Learning Path
When you first access the Erasmus+ OLS platform, you will be asked a series of questions designed to help create a personalised learning path for you. This step, combined with the results from your first language assessment, creates your personalised learning path by determining the information that appears on your home page and the way you navigate the activities on the site.
However, creating a learning path is not compulsory, and if you decide to start your language course without completing the questions, you can go back and do it later.
Please note: If you are using the OLS language course for a local language, you will be asked to provide a self-assessment of your level in this language, as you will have taken the first language assessment in another language.
Navigating Through My Lessons
On the Erasmus+ OLS Language Course home page, you can access study activities and other tools, such as your profile, history, scores and different help options.
You will also be able to view your learning path here.
Please note: Some features on the platform are only available in certain learning languages, so your home page may vary from one language course to another. To familiarise yourself with the study activities that you can access in your learning language, please refer to the following document.
My Personalised Learning Path
Your home page will show the results of your first language assessment or self-assessment, and it will suggest the first activity to start your personalised learning path. This learning path is personalised to your needs and interests, and will guide you through your language course. Updating your learning path at any time will refresh your content, offering you new content to discover.
The home page will show you the ‘My Learning Path’ tab by default. Within this tab, there are two possible display options: the first is a horizontal display in which you can click right or left to navigate, and the second is a list display which shows all your activities as a list.
All Lessons (free navigation)
The 'All Lessons' tab gives you direct access to all of the learning resources available on the Erasmus+ OLS platform.
If you didn’t complete the needs analysis when you first connected to the platform, your home page will display the ‘All Lessons’ tab by default. In this tab, you are free to choose the self-study modules you prefer, and you can choose to navigate freely on the platform.
Available Activities
Depending on your learning language, up to five types of activity are available to you. You can freely browse from one to another depending on your objectives and your level.
- The ‘My Learning Path’ and ‘All Lessons’ tabs provide access to the self-study modules.
- The Live Coaching contains two types of activity: tutoring sessions and MOOCs.
- The MOOC library enables free access to all MOOC sessions which have already been broadcast live.
- The Forum is a place to communicate with other Erasmus+ OLS participants.
- The News section features videos and articles.
Language Course modules
Vocabulary Module
Studying a Lesson
To choose a lesson, click on its title or image. The pie chart on the right will either turn green and/or red, depending on the number of activities you complete and the results of your summary test.
How it Works
When you click on a theme, you will see an animation in which key words and expressions have been highlighted. Each animation is made up of a group of exercises that allow for quick revision and practice of the target vocabulary.
For each animation, there are three exercises:
- Comprehension exercises, which check your understanding of the conversation,
- Dictation and spelling exercises, focused on the spelling of key words in the conversation, and
- Pronunciation exercises, which help you correctly pronounce the words and sentences you have learnt. These exercises require the use of headphones equipped with a microphone.
How to Use the Vocabulary List
The Vocabulary List tab gives you access to a list of the vocabulary, including words and phrases, that you studied in the lesson. It also provides a definition of each word or phrase, and you can save certain words or phrases by clicking the ‘star’ on the left-hand side of each word.
Summary Test
The purpose of the summary test is to check that you have properly acquired the words and expressions that you studied in the lesson. At the end of the test, you will get your score as well as the corrections to any questions you answered incorrectly. After completing the summary test, you can go back over the vocabulary list of the lesson you have been tested on. You will notice that a "√" is inserted next to words you answered correctly during the test and an "X" next to words you had difficulty with.
Grammar Module
Studying a Lesson
To choose a specific lesson, click on its title or image. Depending on your learning language, you can choose grammatical topics such as different tenses, adjectives, articles or word order.
Grammar Rules and Exercises
Click on the title of a section to access it. The grammar rule for this lesson will then be displayed. Each grammar rule is followed by different exercises to practice the grammar rule in a communicative context. You can access these exercises by clicking on the numbers that appear in the menu bar.
Pronunciation Module (exclusively for the English course)
The Pronunciation module enables you to improve your speaking skills, including the pronunciation of English vowels, consonants and diphthongs. Each sound comes with an example as well as its phonetic transcription. It is advised that you watch the video and try to emulate these sounds and words.
Argumentation Module
The Argumentation module is a course designed to train you in articulating your ideas and supporting arguments. It is based on real life examples, enabling you to study commonly used expressions on topics such as work, marriage, politics, entertainment, etc. This module is exclusively available from the B1 (intermediate) level up to the C1 (advanced) level.
Here are our recommendations for how to complete these modules:
- Watch the video: Immerse yourself in the language and choose to work on it, with or without subtitles. Click on words to display the meanings of new expressions in the animation.
- Expand your vocabulary: The "Vocabulary List" provides a list of key words as well as their definitions, allowing you to expand your knowledge of the language.
- Check your understanding: Test your new knowledge by trying out the comprehension and vocabulary exercises.
- Give an opinion on the theme in question: The "Follow-Up" section is designed for teachers and groups of learners in order to stimulate debates and the exchange of ideas.
Professions Module
The Professions module is intended for participants who obtained a minimum B1 level in their first language assessment. It provides more specialised themes, focused on the professional world, and includes themes such as ‘banking’, ‘job courses’, ‘correspondence’ or ‘meetings’. The vocabulary and activities within these modules have been purposefully adapted for the professional world.
Each lesson is accompanied by comprehension exercises, dictation and spelling exercises. This section is based on the same structure as the aforementioned "vocabulary" module which is explained above.
Live Coaching
Live Coaching is made up of 2 modules and is accessible from your home page:
- The MOOCs are educational, interactive videos designed by native-speaking tutors of the language. During the lesson, you have the option of chatting with your tutor as well as with the other participants.
- The tutoring sessions are 30 minute, live, online lessons with a tutor and other Erasmus+ OLS participants. Every tutoring session is taught by an experienced, native-speaking tutor. In these sessions, you have the opportunity to practise your speaking skills, be corrected, and consolidate what you have been learning on the OLS platform. You also have the opportunity to interact with other participants in the class (maximum six participants per session).
On your live coaching dashboard, you will be able to see all scheduled tutoring sessions and MOOCs. Once you have found a session that you are interested in, click on ‘Register’.
The classroom will open 10 minutes prior to the start of the session. To enter the class, click on ‘Access to classroom.’
Live MOOCs
Each session is focused on a specific topic designed to help you communicate during your Erasmus+ mobility. The topics and levels of the sessions will be displayed every week on the dashboard. Sessions are offered on an alternating basis for levels A, B and C.
You can participate in as many MOOCs as you like, as long as you are registered. No tokens are required to register for the MOOCs.
During the MOOC, you will have the opportunity to chat with your tutor and with other participants, and you can, for instance, ask for an explanation of a particular theme or phrase.
Tutoring sessions
The tutoring sessions give you the opportunity to practise speaking with a native-speaking tutor and other Erasmus+ OLS participants. Share your experiences and benefit from individual correction and feedback during a session, with up to a maximum of six participants. During these sessions, you can participate in games, debates, role plays, challenging exercises and more. These activities will help to improve your pronunciation, vocabulary and develop your confidence in speaking.
You have a choice between the following sessions:
- Theme-based sessions: the tutor chooses the theme of the session; and
- Open–topic sessions: the participants choose the theme of the session at the start of the class.
Organisation and Registration
Tokens
The tutoring sessions last 30 minutes and can host up to a maximum of six participants. You will need one token for one 30-minute tutoring session. The number of tokens you will be assigned is proportional to the number of weeks of your mobility period. Two weeks of mobility will grant you the right to one token, to be used in any way you like.
Registration
The sessions are categorised by language and level (A, B and C) and offered between 09:00 and 16:00 (UTC + 1; UTC + 2 Central European summer time). You must register at least 24 hours prior to a session.
The number of participants in a tutoring session is limited to six. You can always check your dashboard to see if there are still places available for the themed session you are interested in attending.
Equipment
Please note that to benefit fully from the tutoring sessions, headphones with a microphone, and a webcam are essential.
MOOC Library
You will be able to view previously recorded MOOCs by going to the MOOC Library section. They are categorised by level, from level A to level C. You can watch them as often as you like.
Forum
The Forum, which is accessible from your home page, is a space for the exchange of ideas with other participants and a tutor, in your learning language. You can share your knowledge and experiences, help other participants, and propose new topics for debate. To ensure that the entire Erasmus+ OLS community can benefit from your questions and responses, we ask you to submit your questions in your learning language (or in English for a level A speaker).
News
The News module enables you to develop your comprehension skills by reading the international news. New articles and videos are regularly posted, and feature the latest in news and current affairs.
Browse these articles and click on underlined words for a definition and translation. The Quiz option enables you to check if you have understood it.
Videos are available with subtitles in your learning language. Click on the words of the subtitles for their meaning. Some videos also come with a quiz.
Interface Language
If you want to view the OLS platform in another language, you can change the interface language by clicking on the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
Help
From your home page, you can access help features that will give you detailed information about the platform. We recommend that you take advantage of the guided tour which presents all the various features of the OLS language courses.
You are also able to control your history and closely follow your progress in the different lessons, view your statistics and edit your profile.
Record of Participation for the Language Courses
The moment your access period to an OLS language course expires, you will receive an email containing a PDF file with your record of participation. Alternatively, you may download it from the Welcome page of the OLS platform by clicking on ‘Record of Participation’ at the top of the page. This record will display the number of hours you have spent on your Erasmus+ OLS language course. Please note that only fully completed hours are recorded on the OLS platform.
We hope you have a successful learning experience with your Erasmus+ OLS language course!