Country Profile - Croatia

The chapter gives a general overview about the Croatian educational system and presents the results of the research concerning the presence of the European dimension within the Croatian educational context on three levels: schools, university, NGOs and other institutions. Foreign language matters are strongly represented within the report. A general overview about foreign language learning and teaching gives information about obligatory, optional and early language learning (grades and numbers of lessons), most frequent languages in schools (statistic data), teaching methods and materials as well as approximately competence levels according to the Common European Framework for Languages. The analysis of the elementary and secondary school curricula has shown that following components of European dimension are represented on the level of general goals in foreign language teaching: 1. development of national and European identity, 2. education for tolerance and plural society, 3. development of multiculturalism and 4. supporting plurilingualism in Europe. On the level of prescribed contents foreign languages as a school subject include information about culture and civilisation of individual European counties. Foreign languages are also an important component of international school partnerships. Within the pre-service teacher education the "Intercultural German Studies" for German teachers at the Teacher Education Academy of the University of Zagreb were identified as a study programm which sistematically integrates European and intercultural issues.