Relating language Relating language examinations to the examinations to the Common European Common European

Framework of Reference Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)for Languages (CEFR)

Waldemar Martyniuk Waldemar Martyniuk Language Policy DivisionLanguage Policy Division

Council of EuropeCouncil of Europe

Strasbourg, FranceStrasbourg, France

Council of EuropeCouncil of Europe

set up 1949 by 10 member statesset up 1949 by 10 member states in in FebruaryFebruary 200 20066, the Council of , the Council of

Europe has 4Europe has 466 member states member states based in Strasbourg, Francebased in Strasbourg, France political international Organisationpolitical international Organisation main bodies: Committee of main bodies: Committee of

Ministers, Parliamentary Assembly, Ministers, Parliamentary Assembly, Congress of Local and Regional Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe and European Authorities of Europe and European Court of Human Rights.Court of Human Rights.

Guiding principles: democracy, human rights and rule of law.

Council of Europe Council of Europe ApproachApproach

Standards - DiversityStandards - Diversity

Council of Europe Council of Europe Language Education Language Education

Policies aim to Policies aim to promote:promote:

plurilingualismplurilingualism linguistic diversitylinguistic diversity mutual understandingmutual understanding democratic citizenshipdemocratic citizenship social cohesionsocial cohesion

Guiding principles for Guiding principles for language learninglanguage learning

Language learning is for Language learning is for allall Language learning is for Language learning is for thethe

learnerlearner Language learning is for Language learning is for

intercultural communicationintercultural communication Language learning is for Language learning is for lifelife

Guiding principles Guiding principles for language teachingfor language teaching

Language teaching is Language teaching is co-co-ordinatedordinated

Language teaching is Language teaching is coherent coherent and transparentand transparent

Language learning and teaching Language learning and teaching are are dynamicdynamic lifelong processes lifelong processes

A plurilingual person A plurilingual person has:has:

a repertoire of languages and a repertoire of languages and language varietieslanguage varieties

competences of different kinds competences of different kinds and levels within the repertoireand levels within the repertoire

Plurilingual education Plurilingual education promotes:promotes:

An awareness of why and how one learns An awareness of why and how one learns the language one has chosenthe language one has chosen

An awareness of and the ability to use An awareness of and the ability to use transferable skills in language learningtransferable skills in language learning

A respect for the plurilingualism of A respect for the plurilingualism of others and the value of languages and others and the value of languages and varieties irrespective of their perceived varieties irrespective of their perceived status in societystatus in society

Plurilingual education Plurilingual education promotes:promotes:

A respect for the cultures embodied A respect for the cultures embodied in languages and the cultural in languages and the cultural identities of othersidentities of others

An ability to perceive and mediate An ability to perceive and mediate the relationships which exist among the relationships which exist among languages and cultureslanguages and cultures

A global integrated approach to A global integrated approach to language education in the curriculumlanguage education in the curriculum

Recommendations to the Recommendations to the member states:member states:

Encourage all Europeans to achieve a Encourage all Europeans to achieve a degree of communicative ability in a degree of communicative ability in a number of languagesnumber of languages

Diversify the languages on offer and set Diversify the languages on offer and set objectives appropriate to each languageobjectives appropriate to each language

Encourage teaching programmes at all Encourage teaching programmes at all levels that use flexible approach and levels that use flexible approach and give them appropriate recognition in give them appropriate recognition in national qualification systemsnational qualification systems

Recommendations to the Recommendations to the member states:member states:

Encourage the use of foreign Encourage the use of foreign languages in the teaching of non-languages in the teaching of non-linguistic subjectslinguistic subjects

Support the application of Support the application of communication and information communication and information technologies to disseminate teaching technologies to disseminate teaching and learning materials for all European and learning materials for all European national and regional languagesnational and regional languages

Recommendations to the Recommendations to the member states:member states:

Support the development of links and Support the development of links and exchanges with institutions and exchanges with institutions and persons at all levels of education to persons at all levels of education to offer the possibility of authentic offer the possibility of authentic experience of the language and experience of the language and culture of othersculture of others

Facilitate lifelong learning of Facilitate lifelong learning of languageslanguages

InstitutionsInstitutions

Language Language Policy Division Policy Division (LPD)(LPD)

Strasbourg, Strasbourg, FranceFrance

European European Centre for Centre for Modern Modern Languages Languages (ECML)(ECML)

Graz, AustriaGraz, Austria

Language Policy Language Policy DivisionDivision

Development of policies to Development of policies to promote linguistic diversity and promote linguistic diversity and plurilingualismplurilingualism

Assistance to member states with Assistance to member states with policy analysis and planningpolicy analysis and planning

Common reference instruments Common reference instruments for European standards and for European standards and qualityquality

Language education policyLanguage education policy

European Centre for European Centre for Modern LanguagesModern Languages

Support for the implementation Support for the implementation of language education policiesof language education policies

Promotion of innovative Promotion of innovative approaches to the learning and approaches to the learning and teaching of languagesteaching of languages

Professionalism and professional Professionalism and professional status of language educatorsstatus of language educators

LPD: Policy LPD: Policy instruments and instruments and

initiativesinitiatives Common European Framework of Common European Framework of

Reference for Languages (CEFR)Reference for Languages (CEFR) European Language Portfolio (ELP)European Language Portfolio (ELP) Reference Level Descriptions for Reference Level Descriptions for

national/regional languages national/regional languages Manual for Relating Language Manual for Relating Language

Examinations to the CEFRExaminations to the CEFR Guide for the Development of Guide for the Development of

Language Education PoliciesLanguage Education Policies Language Education Policy ProfilesLanguage Education Policy Profiles

Language Policies Language Policies for Democratic for Democratic

Citizenship Citizenship and Social Cohesion and Social Cohesion

(2006-9)(2006-9)(new initiatives)(new initiatives)

A framework of reference for A framework of reference for language(s) of school educationlanguage(s) of school education

Language testing and migration – a Language testing and migration – a framework of referenceframework of reference

Curriculum reference framework for Curriculum reference framework for RomaniRomani

The CEFRThe CEFR

Published 2001Published 2001 25 language versions (February 25 language versions (February

2006)2006) A Descriptive SchemeA Descriptive Scheme Common Reference LevelsCommon Reference Levels Illustrative scales of descriptorsIllustrative scales of descriptors

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

Survey on the use of the Survey on the use of the CEFRCEFR

111 respondents from 37 European states, 111 respondents from 37 European states, Egypt and Mexico. Egypt and Mexico.

They represent the view of the following They represent the view of the following types of institutions: Higher education types of institutions: Higher education (39); Central authority (29); Teacher (39); Central authority (29); Teacher training centre (18); Teacher training centre (18); Teacher education/Teacher college (18); education/Teacher college (18); Examination provider (16); Language Examination provider (16); Language school/centre (14); Adult education (12); school/centre (14); Adult education (12); Other: Further education, publisher, Other: Further education, publisher, primary or secondary school, cultural primary or secondary school, cultural agency/centre (28)agency/centre (28)

Survey resultsSurvey results The CEFR is The CEFR is rather widely knownrather widely known in the in the

responding institutions (3,16 on a 0-4 scale) responding institutions (3,16 on a 0-4 scale) and it is and it is quite widely usedquite widely used (2,24 on a 0-4 (2,24 on a 0-4 scale)scale)

It is used mostly by teachers, teacher trainers, It is used mostly by teachers, teacher trainers, test developers, and pedagogic material test developers, and pedagogic material writerswriters

It is used mostly in the domains of teacher It is used mostly in the domains of teacher training (pre-service and in-service), language training (pre-service and in-service), language testing/assessment, language curriculum testing/assessment, language curriculum development, textbook/material production, development, textbook/material production, and communication with stakeholders and communication with stakeholders (learners, parents, teachers, staff, clients, (learners, parents, teachers, staff, clients, etc.)etc.)

Survey resultsSurvey results The clearly The clearly best known/most frequently usedbest known/most frequently used

parts of the CEFR are parts of the CEFR are the common reference the common reference levels of language proficiencylevels of language proficiency - - the scales of the scales of illustrative descriptors, the global scale and the illustrative descriptors, the global scale and the self assessment gridself assessment grid

The The usefulnessusefulness of the CEFR has been rated at of the CEFR has been rated at 2,44 on a 0-3 scale2,44 on a 0-3 scale

The CEFR proved to be The CEFR proved to be most usefulmost useful in the in the domains of domains of testing/assessment/certificationtesting/assessment/certification (2,70 on a 0-3 scale) and curriculum/syllabus (2,70 on a 0-3 scale) and curriculum/syllabus development (2,66 on a 0-3 scale)development (2,66 on a 0-3 scale)

Institutionally, the CEFR proved to be Institutionally, the CEFR proved to be most useful most useful for examination providersfor examination providers (2,88 on a 0-3 scale) (2,88 on a 0-3 scale)

The Manual Project - The Manual Project - timetabletimetable

Drafted by an authoring group in Drafted by an authoring group in 20032003

Piloting the Draft: 2005-2007Piloting the Draft: 2005-2007

Revising and publishing: 2008Revising and publishing: 2008

Suggested ProceduresSuggested Procedures

Familiarisation with the CEFRFamiliarisation with the CEFR Linking on the basis of specification of Linking on the basis of specification of

examination contentexamination content Linking by specification and Linking by specification and

standardisation of judgementsstandardisation of judgements Empirical validation: checking that exam Empirical validation: checking that exam

results relate to CEFR levels as intendedresults relate to CEFR levels as intended Possible option: indirect linking via a Possible option: indirect linking via a

Reference Level Description (like the Reference Level Description (like the „Profile Deutsch”)„Profile Deutsch”)

Reference MaterialsReference Materials

Reference SupplementReference Supplement Videos and DVDs with calibrated Videos and DVDs with calibrated

sample spoken performancessample spoken performances CD-ROMs with calibrated sample items CD-ROMs with calibrated sample items

and tasks for reading and listeningand tasks for reading and listening calibrated sample written tasks and calibrated sample written tasks and

performances (web page based)performances (web page based) Grids for the Analysis of test items, Grids for the Analysis of test items,

tasks and performances tasks and performances

Piloting the ManualPiloting the Manual

ParticipantsParticipants

40 institutions40 institutions 12 languages12 languages 20 countries20 countries

The Linking ExerciseThe Linking Exercise

Practical objectivesPractical objectives

Relating existing examinations to Relating existing examinations to the CEFRthe CEFR

Analysis and revision of existing Analysis and revision of existing examinations / specificationsexaminations / specifications

Adjusting the level of difficulty of Adjusting the level of difficulty of items/exams “to bring them into items/exams “to bring them into line with CEFR level descriptors”line with CEFR level descriptors”

The Linking ExerciseThe Linking Exercise

Practical objectivesPractical objectives

Developing new examinations based Developing new examinations based on the CEFR and the Manualon the CEFR and the Manual

Collecting performance samples and Collecting performance samples and testing items and calibrating them testing items and calibrating them to the CEFRto the CEFR

Establishing common standards for Establishing common standards for a set of existing examinationsa set of existing examinations

Piloting the Manual – firstPiloting the Manual – first conclusionsconclusions

The concept of a CEFR toolkitThe concept of a CEFR toolkit Benchmarking seminarsBenchmarking seminars Validation of claimsValidation of claims Quality of language testingQuality of language testing

attaining standards attaining standards sustaining diversitysustaining diversity

References References

Further information and Further information and reference available at:reference available at:

www.coe.int/lanwww.coe.int/langgwww.coe.int/portfoliowww.coe.int/portfoliowww.ecml.atwww.ecml.at