Escuela Oficial de Idiomas
A Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (EOI) (English: Official School of Languages) is a language school in Spain. Each autonomous community controls its language schools. The schools teach foreign languages as well as Spanish, Catalan, Galician and Euskara.
Regulation
In Spain, studies of the Official Language School (EE.OO.II.), are regulated by Organic Law 2/2006 of Education, Royal Decree 806/2006 of 30 June, establishing the calendar Application of the new organization of the education system and Royal Decree 1629/2006, of 29 December, by fixing the basics of teaching curriculum of specialized language regulated by Organic Law 2/2006, of May 3, Education. This standard replaces the previous (BOE of 10 September, Sorting corresponding to the first level of the specialized language), by Royal Decree 1523/1989 of 1 December (BOE of 18 December, Content first Minimum level of Foreign Language Teaching Specialist) and by Royal Decree 47/1992 (minimum content of the first level of the Spanish languages). They stated that each language studies were divided into two cycles:
- Elemental Cycle (3 courses, minimum 120 hours each).
- Superior Cycle (2 courses, 120 hours minimum each).
The Organic Law 2/2006 on Education (LOE) modifies this situation, adapting to the current scheme of three levels:
- Basic level (equivalent to A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference)
- Intermediate (equivalent to B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference)
- Advanced Level (equivalent to B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference )
In practice, some regions (Andalusia, Catalonia and Navarra) have created curricula of five years to impart the teachings of the three levels while others have opted Communities plans six years, with two years at each level. The same law equates the old certificate with the Elemental Cycle Intermediate Certificate and Certificate of Proficiency old with the new Advanced Level Certificate.
Some regions, such as Castilla y León, have also implemented one more level, C1.
Names of levels might change following the recently passed Organic Law of Education LOMCE. Schools all over Spain follow in their curricula the descriptions given by the CEFR and teach from A1 to B2 or up to C1.
Number of EOIs
The schools are dependent on each Autonomous Community. The number of schools in each Community is as follows (in approximate numbers):
- Andalucía (51)
- Aragón (9)
- Asturias (8)
- Cantabria (2)
- Castilla-La Mancha (12)
- Castilla y León (14)
- Catalonia (44)
- Ceuta y Melilla (1 each)
- Extremadura (9)
- Galicia (6)
- Madrid (25)
- Murcia (4)
- Navarra (3)
- Valencia (10)
- Balearic Islands (5)
- Canary Islands (11)
- País Vasco (7)
- La Rioja (2)
Prerequisites
The prerequisite to enter an EOI is to have completed the first of the two cycles of secondary education in Spain or the equivalent abroad. Spain is the only country in the European Union offering this kind of public education and issues official certificates for it.
Subjects
The 22 languages offered vary according to the school size:
- German
- Arabic
- Catalan
- Chinese
- Danish
- Spanish for foreigners
- Euskera
- Finnish
- French
- Galician
- Greek
- English (North-American and British)
- Irish
- Italian
- Japanese
- Dutch
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Romanian
- Russian
- Swedish
- Korean
Some EOI offer also summer courses and programs specialized in translation, writing, business or law.
External links
- EEOOII.info Information and news regarding the Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas (in Spanish)
- EOI
- EOI Jesus Maestro, Madrid