the can-do statements in teacher education

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The Can-Do Statements in Teacher Education

Marisa Constantinides, CELT International Teacher Development Centre

© Marisa Constantinides – CELT Athens – CEFR Web Conference March 29 2014

http://www.celt.edu.gr/

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+Number & scope of levels


+Exams – levels – courses


+From the Eaquals Document

http://clients.squareeye.net/uploads/eaquals2011/documents/EAQUALS_British_Council_Core_Curriculum_April2011.pdf





+ Drag picture to placeholder or click icon to add

Drag picture to placeholder or click icon to addThe Alte Can Do

Statements


+Interpretation of descriptors


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Problems with some descriptors

http://www.englishprofile.org/images/pdf/GuideToCEFR.pdf from


http://www.englishprofile.org/images/pdf/GuideToCEFR.pdf



+Similarities in descriptors


CEFR includes very general and sometimes arcane descriptors for the language teacher

…especially at pre-service level


+The Alte Can Do Statements

CEFR document not sufficient on its own

The ALTE Framework

Here http://events.alte.org/resources/framework_english.pdf

Or here http://events.alte.org/cando/index.php


http://events.alte.org/resources/framework_english.pdf



http://events.alte.org/cando/index.php

http://events.alte.org/cando/index.php

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Related & Necessary Documents

http://www.ealta.eu.org/documents/resources/Threshold-Level_CUP.pdf

http://www.ealta.eu.org/documents/resources/Breakthrough%20specification.pdf

http://www.ealta.eu.org/documents/resources/Waystage_CUP.pdf

http://www.ealta.eu.org/documents/resources/Vantage_CUP.pdf

Links to Related & Necessary Documents










The can dos vs detailed specifications



• Theory or View of Language clear & transparent

• Support the setting of objectives formulated as outcomes

• Include the standard of behaviours acceptable in fulfillment of said objectives

• Imply the necessity of language in a context of use


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“Some of the instruments produced within the Council of Europe have played a decisive role in the teaching of so-called “foreign” languages by promoting methodological innovations and new approaches to designing teaching programmes.”

https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/dnr_EN.asp




+ Models of Teaching


Richards, J. & Rodgers T., 2001, Approaches & Method in Language Teaching, CUP.


• Do not include a Theory of Learning foreign languages

• Procedures to be selected not readily obvious

• Additional documentation & further analysis of can do statements a must

• Do not imply or generate a sequence of linguistic elements



Guidance for teachers

How can the CEFR be useful for teachers? • Understanding language levels better• Seeing more clearly what learners need to work on• Assessment grids• Curriculum plan




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Link to transcript of the chat © Marisa Constantinides – CELT Athens – CEFR Web Conference March 29 2014

http://eltchat.pbworks.com/w/page/77740772/How%20teachers%20make%20use%20of%20%20the%20CEFR%20with%20their%20classes#view=edit

http://eltchat.pbworks.com/w/page/77740772/How%20teachers%20make%20use%20of%20%20the%20CEFR%20with%20their%20classes#view=edit

Some of the things mentioned in #ELTchat

• None of the participants knew about all of the resources

• None of us had learnt about the CEFR either at University or their pre-service or in-service Teacher Courses

• Most of us liked the concept of the can do’s and what it implies

• Some of us share them with our learners though difficult to interpret fully by learners on their own


Those in #ELTchat who were more informed

• Materials writers • Directors of studies• Teacher educators• Test designers• Worked for an examining body as examiners or

markers• ESP teachers• Had completed postgraduate programmes• Were engaged in research


+Some thoughts

• Information obscured by academic language

• Resources spread over a large number of documents

• Reading of these documents not included in teacher preparation programme syllabuses


+What is it used for?

From http://www.englishprofile.org/images/pdf/GuideToCEFR.pdf





+How does each level of Teacher-ed make use of the CEFR?

Pre-service

In-Service

Developing a syllabus

Creating tests/exams

Marking tests/Exams

Evaluating learner needs

Designing a course

Developing learning materials

Describing language policies

Continuous self-assessment

Teacher training programmes© Marisa Constantinides – CELT Athens – CEFR Web Conference March 29 2014

Question of Accessibility at pre-service level

• Not mentioned in syllabuses• Not in prescribed reading

lists


An example of how pre-service teachers are expected to make use of the CEFR• Focus on the learner

assignment• Aims of lessons• Choice of contexts of use• Language selection for

activities • Suitability of materials in

coursebooks


In-service training programmes – e.g. The Cambridge DELTA

• All areas in pre-service level Plus

• Needs analysis• Course Planning • Test Design & for placement,

or other purposes• Extended Assignments

focusing on Exam preparation

+What’s missing?

Clearer requirements by Teacher Education syllabuses

Pre-course familiarisation tasks – a website?

Training tasks on pre-service and in-service programmes E.g. Given a can-do statement, what

Language functions Exponents of said functions Grammatical structures Lexical fields

E.g. Given a collection of the above, what Context of use is anticipated What CEFR level would they be suited for


From http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/28906-alte-can-do-document.pdf

CAN …• go to a department store or other shop where goods are on

display and • ask for what (s)he wants. • ask for what is required, if it is something which the shopkeeper

can • readily understand. • deal with complex or sensitive transactions, for example the

export of • an antique• exchange basic information, related to place in the queue, etc.,

with other customers. • go to a counter service shop and ask for most of what (s)he

wants. • understand where the shopkeeper explains the difference

between two or more products all serving the same basic purpose.

• bargain in the market place where what is purchased is a relatively straightforward item and where the transaction is restricted to the exchange of the item for cash.

• ask effectively for refund or exchange of faulty or unwanted goods.

• bargain for what (s)he wants and reach an agreement.

Training task sort into levels CEFR Level?


http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/28906-alte-can-do-document.pdf

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Photo Credit: THE SHOW MUST GO ON via Compfight cc

My Three Wishes


http://www.flickr.com/photos/75662745@N00/2264029814/

http://compfight.com/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/

+ Simplification of documentation

Translate into simpler language accessible to teachers

Photo credits – Image courtesy of http://www.123rf.com/photo_11961229_the-concept-of-education-of-children-the-generation-of-knowledge.html


+ A text machine? Including corpora?Grammar/functions bank?

Fleisch & Kincaid scales?

vs

Image from http://www.alpha60.de/art/poetry_machine/


http://www.alpha60.de/art/poetry_machine/



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Training Materials

from the Wikimedia Commons

• A training section on a central website with all resources

• A course to ensure that we all have a fuller understanding

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Photo Credit: Stuck in Customs via Compfight cc


http://www.flickr.com/photos/95572727@N00/940672578/

http://compfight.com/

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

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My email [email protected] Twitter @Marisa_CMy Centre www.celt.edu.grMy Blog ttp://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/

Hvala Lepa!

Thank you !

Merci!

Ευχαριστώ!


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.celt.edu.gr/

http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/

http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/