Using the CEFR in classroom work: approach, descriptors, levels

WaldeWaldekk Martyniuk Martyniuk ECML Graz, AustriaECML Graz, Austria

The CEFRThe CEFR

Published 2001Published 2001 4040 language versions (February language versions (February

20020099)) The concept of a (growing) The concept of a (growing)

toolkittoolkit

The CEFRThe CEFR

CEFR - the Stonehenge CEFR - the Stonehenge MetaphorMetaphor

‘‘Why Stonehenge was built is unknown, though it probably Why Stonehenge was built is unknown, though it probably was constructed as a place of worship of some kind. was constructed as a place of worship of some kind. Notions that it was built as a temple for Druids or Romans Notions that it was built as a temple for Druids or Romans are unsound, because neither was in the area until long are unsound, because neither was in the area until long after Stonehenge was last constructed. Early in the 20th after Stonehenge was last constructed. Early in the 20th century, the English astronomer Sir Norman Lockyer century, the English astronomer Sir Norman Lockyer demonstrated that the northeast axis aligned with the demonstrated that the northeast axis aligned with the sunrise at the summer solstice, leading other scholars to sunrise at the summer solstice, leading other scholars to speculate that the builders were sun worshipers. In 1963 speculate that the builders were sun worshipers. In 1963 an American astronomer, Gerald Hawkins, purported that an American astronomer, Gerald Hawkins, purported that Stonehenge was a complicated computer for predicting Stonehenge was a complicated computer for predicting lunar and solar eclipses. These speculations, however, have lunar and solar eclipses. These speculations, however, have been severely criticized by most Stonehenge been severely criticized by most Stonehenge archaeologists.archaeologists.’’

““Most of what has been written about Stonehenge is Most of what has been written about Stonehenge is nonsense or speculation,” said R.J.C Atkinson, nonsense or speculation,” said R.J.C Atkinson, archaeologist from University College Cardiff. “No one will archaeologist from University College Cardiff. “No one will ever have a clue what its significance was.”ever have a clue what its significance was.”

Brief quote from Brief quote from thethe article on Stonehenge © 1994-1999 article on Stonehenge © 1994-1999 Encyclopaedia Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Britannica, Inc.

The CEFR – core The CEFR – core elementselements

Comprehensive description of Comprehensive description of language user/learner and language user/learner and language use/learninglanguage use/learning

Common reference levels of Common reference levels of language proficiencylanguage proficiency

Scales of illustrative descriptorsScales of illustrative descriptors Self-assessment scalesSelf-assessment scales Curriculum scenarios for a Curriculum scenarios for a

coherent approach to plurilingual coherent approach to plurilingual educationeducation

The CEFR – potentialThe CEFR – potential

Common „language” for all Common „language” for all stakeholdersstakeholders

Tool for:Tool for: „„Situating one’s effort”: assessing Situating one’s effort”: assessing

and improving quality of actionsand improving quality of actions Coherent policy planningCoherent policy planning Transparency, compatibility, Transparency, compatibility,

comparability, coherencecomparability, coherence Mutual recognition, mobilityMutual recognition, mobility Promoting lifelong language learningPromoting lifelong language learning

The CEFR – core The CEFR – core qualitiesqualities

Autonomous learner in focusAutonomous learner in focus Action oriented approachAction oriented approach Positive can-do statementsPositive can-do statements Valuing all competencesValuing all competences Profiling competencesProfiling competences Reference levels and scalesReference levels and scales Self-assessmentSelf-assessment Plurilingualism in educationPlurilingualism in education

Impact of the CEFR on Impact of the CEFR on language educationlanguage education

At learner/citizen level – the At learner/citizen level – the ELP ELP

At institutional level At institutional level At national levelAt national level At European levelAt European level At international levelAt international level

Language use/learning Language use/learning and language and language users/learnersusers/learners

„„Language use, embracing language learning, comprises Language use, embracing language learning, comprises the actions performedthe actions performed by persons who as individuals by persons who as individuals and as social agents develop a range of and as social agents develop a range of competencescompetences, , both both generalgeneral and in particular and in particular communicative communicative language competenceslanguage competences. They draw on the . They draw on the competences at their disposal in various contexts competences at their disposal in various contexts under various conditions and under various constraints under various conditions and under various constraints to engage in to engage in language activitieslanguage activities involving involving language language processesprocesses to produce and/or receive to produce and/or receive textstexts in relation in relation to to themesthemes in specific in specific domainsdomains, activating those , activating those strategiesstrategies which seem most appropriate for carrying which seem most appropriate for carrying out the out the taskstasks to be accomplished. The monitoring of to be accomplished. The monitoring of these actions by the participants leads to the these actions by the participants leads to the reinforcement or modifications of their competences.reinforcement or modifications of their competences.””

CompetencesCompetences General competences of a language General competences of a language

user/learneruser/learner Knowledge (savoir)Knowledge (savoir) Skills and know-how (savoir-faire)Skills and know-how (savoir-faire) Existential competence (savoir-être)Existential competence (savoir-être) Ability to learn (savoir-apprendre)Ability to learn (savoir-apprendre)

Communicative language competences of Communicative language competences of a language user/learnera language user/learner

LinguisticLinguistic Pragmatic Pragmatic SociolinguisticSociolinguistic SocioculturalSociocultural

ScalesScales

Communicative language Communicative language competencescompetences Linguistic, Pragmatic, Socio-linguisticLinguistic, Pragmatic, Socio-linguistic

Communicative language Communicative language activitiesactivities Reception, Interaction, Production, Reception, Interaction, Production,

(Mediation)(Mediation)

Communicative language Communicative language strategiesstrategies Reception, Interaction, ProductionReception, Interaction, Production

CCommunicative ommunicative LLanguageanguage CompetencesCompetences

Pragmatic CompetencePragmatic Competence

> FlexibilityFlexibility> TurntakingTurntaking> Thematic DevelopmentThematic Development> Cohesion and CoherenceCohesion and Coherence> Propositional PrecisionPropositional Precision> Spoken FluencySpoken Fluency

Linguistic CompetenceLinguistic Competence

> General Linguistic RangeGeneral Linguistic Range> Vocabulary RangeVocabulary Range> Grammatical AccuracyGrammatical Accuracy> Vocabulary ControlVocabulary Control> Phonological ControlPhonological Control> Orthographic ControlOrthographic Control

Sociolinguistic CompetenceSociolinguistic Competence

> Sociolinguistic AppropriatenessSociolinguistic Appropriateness

ActivitiesActivities: Reception: Reception

Listening ComprehensionListening Comprehension

> Understanding conversation between native speakersUnderstanding conversation between native speakers> Listening as a member of an audienceListening as a member of an audience> Listening to announcements and instructionsListening to announcements and instructions> Listening to audio media and recordingsListening to audio media and recordings> Watching TV and filmWatching TV and film

Reading ComprehensionReading Comprehension

> Reading correspondenceReading correspondence> Reading for orientation (skimming and scanning)Reading for orientation (skimming and scanning)> Reading for information and argumentReading for information and argument> Reading instructionsReading instructions

ActivitiesActivities: Interaction: Interaction

Spoken InteractionSpoken Interaction

> Understanding a native-speaker interlocutorUnderstanding a native-speaker interlocutor> ConversationConversation> Informal discussionInformal discussion> Formal discussion and meetingsFormal discussion and meetings> Goal-oriented co-operationGoal-oriented co-operation> Transactions to obtain goods and servicesTransactions to obtain goods and services> Information exchangeInformation exchange> Interviewing and being interviewedInterviewing and being interviewed

Written InteractionWritten Interaction

> CorrespondenceCorrespondence> Notes, messages and formsNotes, messages and forms

ActivitiesActivities: Production: Production

Spoken ProductionSpoken Production

> Sustained monologue: Describing experienceSustained monologue: Describing experience> Sustained monologue: Putting a case (e.g. in debate)Sustained monologue: Putting a case (e.g. in debate)> Public announcementsPublic announcements> Addressing AudiencesAddressing Audiences

Written ProductionWritten Production

> Creative WritingCreative Writing> Reports and EssaysReports and Essays

StrategiesStrategies

Production StrategiesProduction Strategies

> PlanningPlanning> CompensatingCompensating> Monitoring and RepairMonitoring and Repair

Reception StrategiesReception Strategies

> Identifying cues/ inferringIdentifying cues/ inferring

Interaction StrategiesInteraction Strategies

> TurntakingTurntaking> CooperatingCooperating> Asking for clarificationAsking for clarification

IllustrativeIllustrative Descriptors Descriptors

Informal Discussion: Level B2:Informal Discussion: Level B2:

> ““Can take an active part in informal discussion in familiar Can take an active part in informal discussion in familiar contexts.”contexts.”

> ““Can with some effort catch much of what is said around Can with some effort catch much of what is said around him/her in discussion, but may find it difficult to him/her in discussion, but may find it difficult to participate effectively in discussion with several native participate effectively in discussion with several native speakers who do not modify their language in any way.”speakers who do not modify their language in any way.”

> ““Can account for and sustain his/her opinions in Can account for and sustain his/her opinions in discussion by providing relevant explanations, discussion by providing relevant explanations, arguments and comments.”arguments and comments.”

Common Reference LevelsCommon Reference Levels

CEFR Table 1: Global Summary ScaleCEFR Table 1: Global Summary Scale> One entry per level summarising the scales for Spoken One entry per level summarising the scales for Spoken

& Written Reception, Interaction and Production& Written Reception, Interaction and Production

CEFR Table 2: Self-assessment gridCEFR Table 2: Self-assessment grid> Five entries per level: for profiling Listening, Reading Five entries per level: for profiling Listening, Reading

SSpoken Interaction, Spoken Production, Writingpoken Interaction, Spoken Production, Writing

CEFR Table 3: SpCEFR Table 3: Speakingeaking assessment grid example assessment grid example> Five entries per level: for profiling Range, Accuracy, Five entries per level: for profiling Range, Accuracy,

Fluency, Coherence, InteractionFluency, Coherence, Interaction

CEFR Scales and sub-scalesCEFR Scales and sub-scales> 54 scales in a hierarchical structure54 scales in a hierarchical structure

Implementing the Implementing the plurilingual concept of plurilingual concept of the CEFR in the CEFR in (language)(language)

eeducation means to:ducation means to: Raise Raise awarenessawareness of the value of of the value of

being plurilingual in a multilingual being plurilingual in a multilingual European society European society

Use Use strategic planningstrategic planning and adopt a and adopt a global, coherentglobal, coherent language policy language policy

Encourage Encourage allall students and staff to students and staff to learn languageslearn languages

Encourage students and staff to Encourage students and staff to learn learn a variety of languages a variety of languages

Implementing the Implementing the plurilingual concept of plurilingual concept of the CEFR in the CEFR in (language)(language)

eeducation means to:ducation means to: Promote and support Promote and support intercultural intercultural

mobilitymobility of students and staff of students and staff Attract and integrate Attract and integrate internationalinternational

studentsstudents Provide good quality Provide good quality CLIL in a variety CLIL in a variety

of languagesof languages Encourage and educate both Encourage and educate both language language

teachersteachers and and language studentslanguage students to to become become plurilingualplurilingual – – not just bi-not just bi-linguallingual

Implementing the Implementing the plurilingual concept of plurilingual concept of the CEFR in the CEFR in (language)(language)

eeducation means to:ducation means to: Secure Secure good qualitygood quality of language of language

instructioninstruction Increase the Increase the number of languagesnumber of languages

on offeron offer Support Support independentindependent learning learning Support Support co-operativeco-operative learning learning Make Make wisewise use of technology and use of technology and

mediamedia

Implementing the Implementing the plurilingual concept of plurilingual concept of the CEFR in the CEFR in (language)(language)

eeducation means to:ducation means to: Cater for Cater for individual needsindividual needs Adopt a Adopt a „positive”, „added value”„positive”, „added value”

approachapproach IntegrateIntegrate out-of-school experience out-of-school experience

and proficiencyand proficiency TeachTeach how to learn how to learn languages languages Support Support learner autonomylearner autonomy

Implementing the Implementing the plurilingual concept of plurilingual concept of the CEFR in the CEFR in (language)(language)

eeducation means to:ducation means to: SetSet clear and achievable objectives clear and achievable objectives Value Value allall linguistic and intercultural linguistic and intercultural

competences, competences, even at modest level even at modest level Provide Provide valid, reliable,valid, reliable, fair and fair and

transparent assessmenttransparent assessment Secure Secure comparability and comparability and

compatibility of outcomescompatibility of outcomes Use a Use a common framework of reference common framework of reference

in communication with stakeholdersin communication with stakeholders

MMore information ore information on the on the CCouncil of Europeouncil of Europe

language education policies, language education policies, initiatives and instrumentsinitiatives and instruments::

www.www.coecoe..intint//langlang

www.www.coecoe..intint/portfolio/portfolio www.ecml.atwww.ecml.at

Thank you for your kind Thank you for your kind attention!attention!