Common European

Framework of Reference
 Framework - a system of rules, ideas,
or beliefs that is used to plan or
decide something

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/
dictionary/english/framework
What ıs the CEFR?

The common European Framework

of Reference for language:
Learning, Teaching, assessment
(CEFR) was created by the council
of Europe to provide.
CEFR Aim

 Toprovide a method of learning, teaching

and assessing which applies to all languages
in Europe.
 Support the implementation of the council of
Europe’s language education policy, which
recognizes the need to intensify language
learning and teaching in member countries
 Promote language learning as a lifelong task.
 Facilitate co-operation among educational
institutions in different countries
 Provide a sound basis for the mutual
recognition of language qualifications.
“ Assist learners, teachers, course designers,
examining bodies and educational
administrators to situate and co- ordinate
their efforts”
Objectives of the session:

 understand the language levels

identified by the CEFR, who uses
them and why
 be able to match levels to Can-Do
statements and to learner
performance
 learn how to put the scales into
teaching and assessment
 Itdescribes langauge learners’ ability in
terms of speaking, reading, listening and
writing at Six reference levels.
Milestones of the CEFR
development
1960s and 1970s – shift from grammar-
translation method to functional/notional
approach
 The Council of Europe’s Modern Languages
projects starts
 Concept of a ‘threshold’ (B1) and ‘waystage’ (A2)
levels first arise, first for French, then – for German
and English
 1980 – Communicative approach
 productive skills and innovative assessment,
language levels
Milestones of the CEFR development
(cont.)
 1991 - Rüschlikon intergovernmental
symposium ‘Transparency and Coherence in
Language Learning in Europe’ (Joe Shiels, John
Trim, Brian North and Daniel Coste)
 Key aims:
 to establish a useful tool for communication for
language practitioners in many diverse contexts to
talk about objectives and language levels in a more
coherent way
 to improve language teaching and assessment
across countries
 2001 – CEF published in English and French
Backgound

“ Language Learning for European Citizen” 1989 to

1996

 InNovember 2001 a European Union Council

Resolution recommended using the CERF to set up a
system of validation of language ability.
Background

 In 1991 the Swiss Federal authorities held an

intergovernmental Symposium in Ruschlikon, Switzerland,
on “Transparency and Coherence in language Learning in
Europe: Objectives, Evaluation, Certification.”

 Common European Framework for languages was needed to

improve the recognition of language qualifications and help
teachers co-operate, eventually leading to improved
communication and cooperation among language teachers in
Europe.
Results of the Symposium

A project to develop levels of proficiency, to

lead on to the creation of a “European
Language Portfolio”
 Certification
in language ability which can be
used across Europe.
CEFR uses and users:
 The overarching goal: increase transparency
of language education
 Uses
 setting targets for particular groups of
learners;
 determine the language ability needed to do
an activity;
 designing language tests;
 comparing language qualifications;
 reflecting on and describing teaching practice.
CEFR: structure of the
document
 The document as available at
http://
www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source
/Framework_EN.pdf
 The CEFR states that the aim is
‘not to prescribe or even
recommend a particular method,
but to present options’.
Language use as
described in the CEFR
CEFR Chapter 3: Reference
levels
Context dependent reference
levels  When progress is
minimal or unobserved,
it is possible to break
down the reference
levels even further
 Set smaller goals for
learners
 Provide detailed
reference descriptions
of what happens in
between
CEFR: a set of scales
 A global scale
 A self-assessment grid
 Grids for each skill, which are
subdivided into subcategories
 Grids for language strategies
 Grids for communicative
competences
Gl
ob
al
sc
ale
 Reception
Chapter 4 Language
Production
of the activities

CEFR Interaction

descriptors
Illustrative
Reception

Language
Production
strategies

Interaction

Linguistic

Language
Pragmatic
competences

Sociolinguistic
 Language
activities

Production Reception Interaction

• Speaking • Reading • All 4 skills

• Writing • Listening
Productive scales: Speaking
Overall oral production

Sustained monologue describing

experience

Sustained monologue (putting up a

case or a debate)

Public announcements

Addressing the audience

 Overall oral production
C2 Can produce clear, smoothly flowing well-structured speech
with an effective logical structure which helps the recipient to
notice and remember significant points.
C1 Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on complex
subjects, integrating sub-themes, developing particular points and
rounding off with an appropriate conclusion.
Can give clear, systematically developed descriptions and
presentations, with appropriate highlighting of significant points, and
B2 relevant supporting detail.
Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on a wide range
of subjects related to his/her field of interest, expanding and supporting
ideas with subsidiary points and relevant examples.
B1 Can reasonably fluently sustain a straightforward description of a
subject within his/her field of interest, presenting it as a linear sequence
of points.
A2 Can give a simple description or presentation of people, living or
working conditions, daily routines, likes/dislikes, etc. as a short series of
simple phrases and sentences.
 Public announcements
C2 No descriptor available

C1 Can deliver announcements fluently, almost effortlessly,

using stress and intonation to convey finer shades of
meaning precisely
B2 Can deliver announcements on the most general topics
with a degree of clarity, fluency and spontaneity which
causes no strain or inconvenience to the listener
B1 Can deliver short rehearsed announcement on topics
pertinent to everyday occurrences of his/her field, which
despite possible very foreign stress and intonation are
nevertheless clearly intelligible
A2 Can deliver very short, rehearsed announcements of
predictable learned content which are intelligible to
listeners who are prepared to concentrate
A1 No descriptor available
Productive scales: Writing

Overall written production

Creative writing

Reports and essays

Receptive scales
• Overall listening
comprehension
• Understanding interaction
between native speakers
Listenin • Listening as a member of a
live audience
g • Listening to announcements
and instructions
• Listening to audio, media
and recording
Receptive scales
• Overall reading
comprehension
• Reading
correspondence
Readin • Reading for
orientation
g • Reading for
information and
argument
• Reading instructions
WATCHING TV AND FILM
C2 No descriptor available

C1 Can follow films employing a considerable degree of slang and idiomatic

usage.
Can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes.
B2 Can understand documentaries, live interviews, talk shows, plays and
the majority of films in standard dialect.

B1 Can follow many films in which visuals and action carry much of the
storyline, and which are delivered clearly in straightforward language.
Can catch the main points in TV programmes on familiar topics when
the delivery is relatively slow and clear.
A2 • Can identify the main point of TV news items reporting events,
accidents etc. where the visual supports the commentary.
• Can follow changes of topic of factual TV news items, and form an
idea of the main content.
A1 No descriptor available
Interactive scales
 Overall spoken interaction
 Understanding a native speaker interlocutor
 Conversation
 Informal discussion (with a friend)
 Formal discussion and meetings
 Goal-oriented co-operation (Repairing a car,
discussing a document, organizing an event)
 Transactions to obtain goods and services
 Information exchange
 Interviewing and being interviewed
 Language
strategies
Production Reception Interaction

• Planning • Identifying • Taking the

• Compensati cues floor
ng inferring • Co-
• Monitor and from speech operating
repair or written • Asking for
contexts clarification
Scales for language competences
• General linguistic
range
• Vocabulary range
Linguistic and control
competenc • Grammatical range
es and control
• Phonological control
• Orthographic control
Scales for language competences
• Flexibility to
circumstances
• Turn-taking
Pragmatic • Thematic
development
competenc
• Coherence and
es
cohesion
• Spoken fluency
• Proposition precision
Scales for language competences

Socioli • Linguistic markers of

nguisti social relations
• Politeness conventions
c • Expressions of folk-
wisdom
compet • Register differences
• Dialect and accent
ences
 Self-Assessment Grids
 Allow learners to assess themselves across
levels and skills using the I-Can-Do format
 They give a clear indication of learner
progress if used overtime
 They allow Ts and SSs to monitor problem
areas
 They give an sense of achievement and
can be used a learning resource
 Available in many languages at http://
www.coe.int/en/web/portfolio/self-assessme
Self-assessment exercise

 Thinkof a second or third language that

you know.
 On a scale from A1 (beginner) to C2
(proficient user), decide what level you
think you are in that language.
 Then,using the CEFR Self-assessment
grid check whether the level you guessed
best describes your ability.
Ideas for use of CEFR scales in the
classroom I can read very
short, simple
texts.
I can find
specific,
Reading –

predictable
I can information in
understand simple
everyday
short
material such
simple as
personal advertisemen
letters. ts,
A2

prospectuses,
menus and
timetables.
 Can Do Can Do Can Do
statement
I can read very
short, simple  
texts.
I can understand
 
Reading –

short simple
personal letters. April, 14th

I can find
specific,
information in
simple
advertisements,
A2

prospectuses,
menus and
timetables.
 Can Do My I can do Someone
statement learning this else
target confirms
that I can
do this
I can read
very short,
Reading –

simple texts.
I can
understand
short simple
personal
letters.
…
A2
 Can Do With a lot With a Without
statement of help little help help
I can read 17 February 1 March 25 March
very short, 2017 2017 2017
simple texts.
I can 3 March 23 March 4 April 2017
Reading –

understand 2017 2017

short simple
personal
letters.
…
A2
 A. I can participate
in short
conversations in
routine contexts or
topics of interest.

D. I can get simple B. I can express

practical information
what I feel in
(i.e. in shops, post
offices etc.) and
appropriate terms
order something to and express thanks
eat and drink. appropriately.

C. I can discuss
what to do, where
to go, make
arrangements to
meet.
Critique of the CEFR
 CEFR descriptors are not exclusive: no description is
provided for
 All possible levels, Young learners, CLIL
 Tend to describe outcomes of learning rather than what
precisely is to be learned – e.g. “Can follow most
lectures, discussions and debates with relative ease”
does not indicate:
 What language forms, vocabulary, and rhetorical
conventions need to be mastered
 how the ease of listening is to be achieved
 Many descriptors are not immediately useable because
of vague language
Critique of the CEFR
 CEFR descriptors are not necessary or
sufficient specifications of what should be
taught at each level.
 A2 descriptor in the Correspondence scale –
“Can write very simple personal letters
expressing thanks and apology” - is not all to
be taught in this area at A2 level
 When actions, strategies, competencies are
described in words, a lot of ambiguity can
occur.