Relating language examinations to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CEFR

1
Relating language examinations to the Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages
(CEFR)

• Waldemar Martyniuk
• Language Policy Division
• Council of Europe
• Strasbourg, France

2
Council of Europe

• set up 1949 by 10 member states
• in April 2006, the Council of Europe has 46
  member states
• based in Strasbourg, France
• political international Organisation
• main bodies Committee of Ministers,
  Parliamentary Assembly, Congress of Local and
  Regional Authorities of Europe and European Court
  of Human Rights.

Guiding principles democracy, human rights and
rule of law.
3
Council of Europe Language Education Policies aim
to promote

• plurilingualism
• linguistic diversity
• mutual understanding
• democratic citizenship
• social cohesion

4
Institutions

• Language Policy Division (LPD)
• Strasbourg, France

• European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML)
• Graz, Austria

5
LPD Policy instruments and initiatives

• Common European Framework of Reference for
  Languages (CEFR)
• European Language Portfolio (ELP)
• Reference Level Descriptions for
  national/regional languages
• Manual for Relating Language Examinations to the
  CEFR
• Guide for the Development of Language Education
  Policies
• Language Education Policy Profiles

6
Language Policies for Democratic Citizenship
and Social Cohesion (2006-9)(new initiatives)

• A framework of reference for language(s) of
  school education
• Language testing and migration a framework of
  reference
• Curriculum reference framework for Romani

7
The CEFR

• Published 2001
• 25 language versions (April 2006)
• A Descriptive Scheme
• Common Reference Levels
• Illustrative scales of descriptors

8
Impact of the CEFR on language education

• At learner/citizen level the ELP
• At institutional level
• At national level
• At European level
• At international level

9
The Manual Project - timetable

• Drafted by an authoring group in 2003
• Piloting the Draft 2005-2007
• Revising and publishing 2008

10
Suggested Procedures

• Familiarisation with the CEFR
• Linking on the basis of specification of
  examination content
• Linking by specification and standardisation of
  judgements
• Empirical validation checking that exam results
  relate to CEFR levels as intended
• Possible option indirect linking via a Reference
  Level Description (like the Profile Deutsch)

11
Reference Materials

• Reference Supplement
• Videos and DVDs with calibrated sample spoken
  performances
• CD-ROMs with calibrated sample items and tasks
  for reading and listening
• calibrated sample written tasks and performances
  (web page based)
• Grids for the analysis of test items, tasks and
  performances

12
Piloting the Manual

• Participants
• 40 institutions
• 12 languages
• 20 countries
• Objectives

13
Timescale

• Feedback reports June-December 2006
• Pilot reports October 2006
• Case Study reports End 2007
• Manual revision 2007
• Publication of the Manual and of a selection of
  Case Studies 2008

14
Conclusions

• The concept of a CEFR toolkit
• Benchmarking seminars
• Validation of claims
• Language Policy Forum 2007
• Council of Europe Recommendation on plurilingual
  education

15
References

• Further information and reference available at
• www.coe.int/lang
• www.coe.int/portfolio
• www.ecml.at