CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests. What needs to be built upon it? Eric Atkinson

1. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests What needs to be built upon it? Eric Atkinson

2. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson What is CEFR? (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment) “A comprehensive description of what language learners have to learn to do in order to use a language for communication and what knowledge and skills they have to develop so as to be able to act effectively.” “A description of the cultural context in which language is set.” “Definitions of levels of proficiency”

3. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson The CEFR levels A B C Basic User Independent User Proficient User A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 Breakthrough Waystage Threshold Vantage Effective Mastery Operational Proficiency

4. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson Information about the CEFR and a synopsis and full text can be found here http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/cadre_EN.asp

5. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson Test taker Text Task Method of evaluation

6. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson What test writers need to consider about the test taker Age Level of English General Education Profession Reasons for learning English Interests

7. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson What test writers need to consider when deciding on texts both engaged with (reading and listening) and constructed (spoken and written) Genre Content Subject Intellectual demands Background knowledge required Interest level Function Length Lexical Complexity Frequency Density Grammatical Complexity Frequency Density

8. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson What test writers need to consider when thinking about tasks Task Type Task Familiarity Task Complexity Number of tasks Ratio of tasks to text (listening and reading) Support to producing the text (speaking and writing) Language of task Length of time given to do the tasks

9. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson What test writers need to consider about evaluation Scoring system Weighting Criteria (for speaking and writing) Assessors experience training

10. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson B1:Overall Speaking Can communicate with some confidence on familiar routine and non-routine matters related to his/her interests and professional field. Can exchange, check and confirm information, deal with less routine situations and explain why something is a problem. Can express thoughts on more abstract, cultural topics such as films, books, music etc.

11. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson B1: Speaking: Sustained Monologue (Describing Experience) Can give straightforward descriptions on a variety of familiar subjects within his/her field of interest. Can reasonably fluently relate a straightforward narrative or description as a linear sequence of points. Can give detailed accounts of experiences, describing feelings and reactions. Can relate details of unpredictable occurrences, e.g. an accident. Can relate the plot of a book or film and describe his/her reactions. Can describe dreams, hopes and ambitions. Can describe events, real or imagined. Can narrate a story

12. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson B1 Speaking: Conversation Can enter unprepared into conversations on familiar topics Can follow clearly articulated speech directed at him/her in everyday conversation, though will sometimes have to ask for repetition of particular words and phrases Can maintain a conversation or discussion but may sometimes be difficult to follow when trying to say exactly what he/she would like to Can express and respond to feelings such as surprise, happiness, sadness, interest and indifference.

13. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson B1 Speaking: Formal Discussions and Meetings Can follow much of what is said that is related to his/her field, provided interlocutors avoid very idiomatic usage and articulate clearly. Can put over a point of view clearly, but has difficulty engaging in debate. Can take part in routine formal discussion of familiar subjects which is conducted in clearly articulated speech in the standard dialect and which involves the exchange of factual information, receiving instructions or the discussion of solutions to practical problems

14. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson There area also Descriptors for Sustained Monologues (Putting a case in a Debate) Public Announcements Addressing Audiences Informal Discussions with Friends Goal Orientated Co-operation Transactions to obtain Good and Services Information Exchange Interviewing and Being Interviewed Taking the floor Cooperating Asking for Clarification

15. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson B1: Performance descriptions. Vocabulary Range Has a sufficient vocabulary to express him/herself with some circumlocutions on most topics pertinent to his/her everyday life such as family, hobbies and interests, work, travel, and current events. Vocabulary Control Shows good control of elementary vocabulary but major errors still occur when expressing more complex thoughts or handling unfamiliar topics and situations. Grammatical Accuracy Communicates with reasonable accuracy in familiar contexts; generally good control though with noticeable mother tongue influence. Errors occur, but it is clear what he/she is trying to express. Phonological Control Pronunciation is clearly intelligible even if a foreign accent is sometimes evident and occasional mispronunciations occur.

16. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson B1: Performance Descriptions Spoken Fluency Can express him/herself with relative ease. Despite some problems with formulation resulting in pauses and ‘cul-de-sacs’, he/she is able to keep going effectively without help. Can keep going comprehensibly, even though pausing for grammatical and lexical planning and repair is very evident, especially in longer stretches of free production. Propositional Precision Can explain the main points in an idea or problem with reasonable precision. Can convey simple, straightforward information of immediate relevance, getting across which point he/she feels is most important. Can express the main point he/she wants to make comprehensibly.

17. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson B1: Qualitative Aspects of Spoken Language Use Range: Has enough language to get by, with sufficient vocabulary to express him/herself with some hesitation and circumlocution on topics such as family, hobbies and interests, work, travel, and current events. Accuracy: Uses reasonably accurately a repertoire of frequently used “routines” and patterns associated with more predictable situations. Fluency: Can keep going comprehensibly, even though pausing for grammatical and lexical planning and repair is evident, especially in longer stretches of free production. Interaction: Can initiate, maintain and close simple face-to-face conversation on topics that are familiar or of personal interest. Can repeat back part of what someone has said to confirm mutual understanding. Coherence: Can link a series of shorter, discrete simple elements into a connected, linear sequence of points.

18. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson Conclusion Knowledge of the test takers is the biggest factor in determining what texts and tasks to use. Knowledge of the purpose of the test helps define the evaluation processes used. With this information in mind, CEFR helps to point the way to what texts to use and what evaluation criteria is used But the language is vague and more detailed descriptions need to be agreed on. Since the CEFR was completed, test designers have been working on providing those detailed descriptions. A booklet that relates CEFR to language exams can be found here http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/ManualRevision-proofread-FINAL_en.pdf Two DVDs with samples of spoken production illustrating the European reference levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages are available at the Language Policy Division of the Council of Europe (DECS-LANG@coe.int).

19. CEFR as the foundation stone for EFL tests.What needs to be built upon it?Eric Atkinson For this PowerPoint presentation and for any questions you may have, please contact me eric.atkinson@britishcouncil.pl