cefr common european framework of reference for languages

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

Presented by Joel Acosta

Agenda • Background• Results of the Symposium• Main Purpose• Version Manual• Common Reference Levels– Level A– Level B– Level C

• Skills to be developed• The CEFR’s action-oriented approach

Background

It was put together by the Council of Europe as the main part of the project "Language Learning for European Citizenship" between 1989 and 1996.

In November 2001 a European Union Council Resolution recommended using the CEFR to set up systems of validation of language ability

Background In 1991 the Swiss Federal Authorities held an Intergovernmental Symposium in Rüschlikon, 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.

Main Purpose

To provide a method of learning, teaching and

assessing which applies to all languages in

Europe

Version Manual

A preliminary version of the Manual for Relating Language Examinations to the CEFR was published in 2003

• Linking a single test to the CEFR

• Linking suites of exams at different levels

• National studies by exam boards and research institutes

Common Reference Levels

The Common European Framework divides learners into three broad divisions that can be divided into six levels

The CEFR describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in reading, listening, speaking and writing at each level

Level A

Level B

Level C

Skills to be developed

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages defines the capabilities that a student must be controlled in each of the levels for categories

• Understand

• Speak • Write

The understanding category integrates listening skills and reading comprehension

The speaking category integrates oral interaction and speaking

The writing category includes the skill of writing.

Skills to be developed

Skills to be developed

Skills to be developed

Skills to be developed

The CEFR’s action-oriented approach

Since the 1970s the Council of Europe has promoted an action-oriented approach to the description of language use.

As elaborated in the CEFR this approach is complex, technical and extensive

Characteristics of CEFR

Language is one of the foundations of human behavior: we use it continuously to perform communicative acts. Those acts may be external and social.

Communicative acts may also be internal and private. All forms of reading and some forms of listening are examples of this

Characteristics of CEFRCommunicative acts comprise language activity, which is divided into four kinds

Reception

Production

Interaction

Mediation

Reception

entails understanding language produced by others, whether in

speech or in writing

Production entails producing speech or

writing

Interaction refers to spoken or written exchanges between two or

more individuals

Mediation

makes communication possible between individuals or groups

who are unable to communicate directly

In order to engage in language activity, the communicative language competence includes

To understand and produce language.

• Knowledge of the words

• Knowledge of the sounds

• Knowledge of the syntactic rules

The ability to use such knowledge

The language activity

communicative acts

Context

conditions and constraints

CEFR proposes four main domains of

language

personal, public, educational and

occupational

Communicative acts are always contextualized

CLC includes sociolinguistic and pragmatic components

Allow us to face with the social and cultural

dimensions of communicative

behaviour

knowledge Ability

sociolinguistic competences

Pragmatic competences

support our ability to use language appropriately to fulfil particular functions

.

Communicative Acts

Tasks

Strategies

understand and produce spoken or written texts

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