Implementing the CEFR Companion

Volume with New Descriptors

Tim Goodier

©Eaquals 06/08/2014 1
Background: Eurocentres and
the CEFR

Eurocentres’ Mission & Vision

To prepare individuals to study, work and live successfully

in a foreign language and culture.
We are the worldwide benchmark for learning & teaching
a / in a foreign language.
Background: Eurocentres and
the CEFR

Consultancy to the Council of Europe since 1968

Leading developer of the international language
benchmarking framework Common European Framework
of Reference (CEFR, 2001)
Implemented landmark extension to CEFR in a Companion
Volume (2017), benchmarking essential competences for
the globalised world
Agenda

1. Disruption – a context for 21st century language learning

2. The CEFR Companion Volume – What’s new?
3. Descriptors for new areas
4. Exploitation for curriculum, teaching and learning

4
Disruption – a context for 21st
century language learning

5
Technological disruption

6
 Exposure to technological disruption
High adaptive

Language
Digital elites Portfolio livelihoods teachers
capacity

Factory workers
Social workers
Administrators
Cleaners
Retailers
Low adaptive

Managers
Persistent offline Digitally vulnerable Musicians
capacity

Farmers
…etc.

Low exposure High exposure

(Adapted from www.oxfamblogs.org ‘20th Century policies may not be

enough for 21st Century digital disruption’, accessed 29/3/18)
7
Top skills for employability
(World Economic Forum)

8
The ‘21st Century Skills’
movement

©Eaquals 23/11/2017 9
A policy-oriented definition
of ‘21st century skills’

(source: Glossary of
Education Reform
edglossary.org accessed
4/11/2017)
 Mediation activities in the CEFR
– a broadened concept
Cognitive mediation
Mediating a Text
Relaying /
summarising /
synthesising
information from
spoken or written
sources (including
translation).
Sources include:
• listening material
• reading material
• class discussions /
conversations
• data, graphs, statistics
• visuals, diagrams,
pictures
Mediation Activities
Mediating Communication
Enhancing the
Mediating Concepts
effectiveness of
cognitive mediation by:
Collaborating with
• creating a positive
others in order to
atmosphere
come to a decision or
• showing cultural
solve a problem.
awareness
• facilitating collaborative
Includes:
• aiding the development of interaction
ideas • resolving delicate
• asking questions to stimulate situations
reasoning
• inviting/giving contributions
and reactions
• asking for/giving clarification
• making and responding to
suggestions
The CEFR Companion Volume –
What’s new?

12
Overview - aims of the CEFR

Common European Framework

of Reference for languages:
1. learning
2. teaching
3. assessment

13
Overview - aims of the CEFR

Common European Framework

of Reference for languages:
1. learning
2. teaching
3. assessment

CEFR Companion Volume:

1. Key aspects of the CEFR for teaching &
learning
2. Updated and new illustrative descriptor scales

14
 Contents of the CEFR
Companion Volume

• Foreword: the context of the work

• Key aspects of the CEFR for teaching and learning
• Updated 2001 descriptor scales – including some new
scales and addition of pre-A1
• Descriptor scales for new areas:
- online interaction
- mediation (including reactions to creative text)
- plurilingual and pluricultural competence
• Outline of the research and development project

15
 Reinforcement of Reference
Levels for Profiling
English Skills Pre-A1 A1 A2 A2+ B1 B1+ B2 B2+ C1 C2
Listening
Reading
Spoken Interaction
Written Interaction
Spoken Production
Written Production

16
Orientation maps of the
illustrative descriptor scales

17
Rationale given for each scale

Reading as a leisure activity involves fiction and nonfiction,

literature, magazine and newspaper articles, blogs, biographies,
etc.
Key concepts operationalized:
1. length, variety of texts and whether there are illustrations;
2. type of texts, from simple descriptions to contemporary and classical
writings in different genres;
3. topics, from everyday topics to a full range of abstract and literary
topics;
4. type of language: from simple to stylistically complex;
5. ease of reading: from guessing with the help of images, to
appreciating the full variety of texts;
6. depth of understanding: from understanding in outline to
understanding implicit meaning.
18
Descriptor scales for new areas

19
Communicative language
activities in the CEFR
Beyond the ‘four skills’ model
(Taken from CEFR/CV 2018 Beyond the ‘four skills’ model
edition, Council of Europe
Strasbourg)

20
Communicative language
strategies in the CEFR
Beyond the ‘four skills’ model
(Taken from CEFR/CV 2018 Beyond the ‘four skills’ model
edition, Council of Europe
Strasbourg)

21
Examples of Mediation descriptors

Processing Text in Speech B1

Can summarise (in Language B) the main points
made during a conversation (in Language A) on a
subject of personal or current interest, provided
that the speakers articulated clearly in standard
language.

Facilitating collaborative
interaction with peers B1+
Can collaborate on a shared task, for example
formulating and responding to suggestions,
asking whether people agree, and proposing
alternative approaches.

22
Online Interaction descriptors

Online interaction

Goal-oriented online
Online conversation
transactions and
and discussion
collaboration

Open-ended, social, Towards a specific

speculative outcome

23
Examples of Online Interaction
descriptors

Online Conversation and Discussion B1

Can post a comprehensible contribution in an
online discussion on a familiar topic of interest,
provided that he/she can prepare the text
beforehand and use online tools to fill gaps in
language and check accuracy.

Goal-oriented online transactions and

collaboration A2+
Can use formulaic language to respond to routine
problems arising in online transactions (e.g.
concerning availability of models and special
offers, delivery dates, addresses, etc.).
24
Plurilingual and Pluricultural
Competences

Plurilingual
comprehension

Building on plurilingual
repertoire

Building on pluricultural
repertoire

25
Examples of Plurilingual and
Pluricultural descriptors

Plurilingual comprehension A2
Can understand short, clearly articulated spoken
announcements by piecing together what he/she
understands from the available versions in different
languages.

Building on plurilingual repertoire A2

Can mobilise his/her limited repertoire in different
languages in order to explain a problem or to ask for help
or clarification.

Building on pluricultural repertoire A2

Can recognise that his/her behaviour in an everyday
transaction may convey a message different to the one
he/she intends, and can try to explain this simply.

26
Elaboration into the curriculum

27
Eaquals on the CEFR

Standard 3.2:

All language course programmes are specified by levels which

refer to the CEFR, and learning objectives are related to the global
descriptors of CEFR levels.

..with the following indicators of compliance:

3 b) There are written descriptions of the institution’s learning

programmes:
- within a framework of levels referenced to the CEFR

3 g) Institutional language competence levels are mapped to the

CEFR. These levels and the global CEFR descriptors, as a minimum,
are used and understood throughout the institution.
Eaquals on the CEFR

..and with the indicator of excellence:

There is detailed reference to the CEFR, both in planning and

implementation of course programmes in such a way as to have a real
influence on setting clear learning objectives as well as on teaching and
learning.
What’s wrong with this picture?

Hi teachers, here’s the

CEFR Companion Volume
- Eaquals says we need to
use it in our courses!
Uses of the descriptors

• relating learning aims to real world language use,

thus giving a framework to action-oriented learning
• providing transparent ‘signposting’ to learners,
parents, sponsors
• offering a ‘menu’ to negotiate priorities with adult
learners in a process of ongoing needs analysis
• suggesting classroom tasks to teachers, usually
tasks that will involve activities described in several
descriptors
• introducing criterion-referenced assessment with the
criteria relating to an external framework (CEFR)
• teacher assessment / self-assessment
The CEFR is not an ‘off the shelf’
curriculum

• Pedagogic aims Course

‘Unzipped’* / course- supported by classroom
adapted can dos tasks and language design
specifications

• Empowerment /
Communicative outcomes
language competences • Detailed assessment
criteria

• Action-oriented Source
Communicative
• Appraisal of task
language activities achievement Material

Global scale descriptors • Self-evaluation

(*North, 2014) 32
The negotiated syllabus
as lego or pizza?

vs.

33
 Process of elaboration to context

• Needs • Aims as
analysis actions
• Pedagogic ‘fit’ • Outcomes as
‘can dos’

Selection Adaptation

Impact Elaboration

• Evaluation of
learning • Learning task
outcomes design
• Piloting
Building a developmental
community of practice

Institutional learning community

Local ‘leading practitioners’ as

Teachers champions of new developments

Senior
teachers
Curriculum Developers

Learners Project Leader Project members

Managers

35
 Building a developmental
community of practice
• Learning aims
Small scale
pilots • Activities
• Assessment criteria

• Conceptual presentation
Cascade • Scaffolding peer group selections
training for exploratory practice

Group • Task design /

exploratory implement
practice • Learner feedback

• Outcomes /
impact
Teacher peer
presentations • Recommendatio
ns

36
Domain examples in
Examples for domains
Appendix 6 – very useful!
 Can-do statements as
stimulus for activity design
ONLINE CONVERSATION AND
DISCUSSION (B1)
Can make personal online
postings about experiences,
feelings and events and respond
individually to the
comments of others in some
detail, though lexical limitations
sometimes cause repetition and
inappropriate
formulation.

38
Can-do statements as stimulus
for reflection and action

39
The European Language ~
Portfolio revisited

The Language Passport

• Overview of (plurilingual) proficiency

The Language Biography

• Goal setting and self-assessment

• Includes detailed checklists as ‘can do’
statements

The Dossier

• Illustration of achievement and experiences

https://www.coe.int/en/web/portfolio
40
Example: language biography self-evaluation checklists,
which correspond with aims for teacher course planning

41
 Feedback from pilots of
online interaction descriptors

Tertiary B1:
‘Most of the students wrote in the questionnaire that it was nice to
work online, but a small group said that it was a little bit too
difficult... The exercises based on the chat worked surprisingly
well.’
Tertiary/YL teaching prac. B2
‘The descriptors …helped students focus on the task … They
serve for both students and the professor alike.’

Primary: A1/A2
‘a CLIL project about earthquakes...through a platform (eTwinning)
where students can meet each other (chat, forum, live events),
share materials (presentations on padlet)’
Impact on T&L : ‘More focused on development of
competences’
42
 How to get the CEFR
Companion Volume
www.coe.int/EN/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/
Google: ‘CEFR Council of Europe’

43
 Děkuji!
tgoodier@eurocentres.com
www.eurocentresnetwork.com/
 Selected References / Readings

Beacco, J., Byram, M., Cavalli, M., Coste, D., Cuenat, M., Goullier, F. and Panthier, J. (2018). GUIDE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRICULA FOR PLURILINGUAL AND INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION. [ebook] Strasbourg: Council of Europe Education
Policy Division. Available at: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/tools-for-curricula [Accessed 26 Jan. 2018].
British Council | EAQUALS Core Inventory for General English. (2018). English Agenda, British Council/Eaquals.
Council of Europe (2018). Common European framework of reference for languages: learning, teaching, assessment – Companion volume with new
descriptors. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing. Available at www.coe.int/lang-cefr.
Inventaire linguistique des contenus clés des niveaux du CECRL. (2018). [ebook] Eaquals. Available at: https://www.eaquals.org [Accessed 26 Jan. 2018].
North, B. (2015). The CEFR in practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
The Glossary of Education Reform. (2018). 21st Century Skills Definition. [online] Available at: http://edglossary.org/21st-century-skills/ [Accessed 26 Jan.
2018].
van den Akker J. (2006), “Curriculum development re-invented: evolving challenges”, in Letschert J. (ed.), Curriculum development re-invented, SLO,
Enschede. In Beacco, J., Byram, M., Cavalli, M., Coste, D., Cuenat, M., Goullier, F. and Panthier, J. (2018). GUIDE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRICULA FOR PLURILINGUAL AND INTERCULTURAL EDUCATION. [ebook] Strasbourg: Council of Europe Education
Policy Division. Available at: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/tools-for-curricula [Accessed 26 Jan. 2018].
Wenger, E. (2008). Communities of practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Web resources:
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) home page www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-
languages/home
Platform of resources and references for plurilingual and intercultural education www.coe.int/en/web/platform-plurilingual-intercultural-language-
education/home
European Language Portfolio (ELP) home page www.coe.int/en/web/portfolio

Plurilingual Education, European Centre of Modern Languages of the Council of Europe:

www.ecml.at/Thematicareas/PlurilingualEducation/tabid/1631/Default.aspx
A framework of reference for pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures: http://carap.ecml.at/
Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants home page, Council of Europe: www.coe.int/lang-migrants
45