Approaches to Approaches to StandardsStandards

Warm-up taskWhat is the standard …

– size of a school ruler?– width of a room door?– height of a bathroom sink?– width of a car (compact,

luxury, SUV)?

• A rule or requirement that is determined by a consensus opinion of users and that prescribes the accepted and (theoretically) the best criteria for a product, process, test, or procedure. 

What is a standard?

Why are standards important?

• The general benefits of a standard are safety, quality, interchangeability of parts or systems, and consistency across international borders.

• What level of English are you currently teaching?

• How do you assess if your students are achieving that level?

• Are you sure you are using the adequate material to help them get to that level?

Why is there a need for

language use and learning standards?

The need for language use and learning standards

• Globalization• Linguistic diversity • Increasing importance of langue skills

e.g. use of L1 + 2 or 3 other languages• Mobility and acquisition of additional

linguistic competences is important for: work, study and leisure (social reasons, tourism, etc.)

THE COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK OF REFERENCE

FOR LANGUAGES (CEFR)By

Background -The Council of Europe• Founded in 1949• 45 member states• Promotes languages for:

• mutual understanding• personal mobility• access to information

Common European Framework of Reference for

Languages Detailed model for describing and

scaling language use and the different kinds of knowledge and skills required.

What is it?• A document which describes in a comprehensive

manner:– the competences necessary for

communication,– the related knowledge and skills and – the situations and domains of communication.

It defines levels of attainment in different aspects of its descriptive scheme with illustrative descriptors scale.

How was it developed?

• Through a process of scientific research (10 years) by leading applied linguists and pedagogical specialists

• Ongoing work on communicative objectives

• Wide consultation

Who is it addressed to?• Course designers • Textbook and materials writers• Testers • Teachers and teacher trainers

(all who are directly involved in language teaching and testing)

What does it provide? • A practical tool for setting clear

standards to be attained at successive stages of learning

• A tool for evaluating outcomes in an internationally comparable manner.

• A basis for the mutual recognition of language qualifications, thus facilitating educational and occupational mobility.

Six Levels of Proficiency

Principles on Language Learning & Teaching derived

from CEFRBase language teaching/learning on learners’ needs, motivations, characteristics, resources

Define worthwhile/realistic/explicit objectives

Develop appropriate methods & materialsDevelop suitable means of evaluating

learning programs

Important Considerations forLanguage Learning

•It is part of a social, political, economic, educational, cultural context

•It is a lifelong endeavour, not just a school subject

How do we standardize language knowledge?

• Look at competences

• Assess those competences

What are competences???• According to the Council of Europe: Competences are the sum of knowledge,

skills and characteristics that allow a person to perform actions

In other words: “the stress is on what learners can do with language rather than on what they

know about it”

Communicative Language Competence:• Linguistic:

– Lexical, phonological, syntactical knowledge and skills

• Socio-linguistic:– Sociocultural conditions of language use

• Pragmatic:– Functional use of linguistic resources

Components of Linguistic Competence

Phonological competence Orthographic competence Lexical competence Orthoepic competence Grammatical competence Semantic competence

Components of Linguistic Competence

1. D2. E3. A4. F5. B6. C

Look at the following exercises from a variety of coursebooks and try to identify what linguistic competence(s) they help to develop.

Orthographic CompetenceOrthographic Competence

Source: English in Mind level 1

Orthoepic competenceOrthoepic competence

Source: English in Mind level 1

Grammatical competenceGrammatical competence

Source: English in Mind level 2

Lexical competenceLexical competence

Source: Touchstone level 1

Semantic competenceSemantic competence

Source: English in Mind level 2

PhonologicPhonological al

competenccompetencee

Source: English in Mind level 2

Orthoepic Orthoepic competenccompetenc

ee

Grammatical Grammatical competencecompetence

Source: face2face level pre-intemediate

Lexical Lexical competenccompetenc

ee

Phonological competencePhonological competence

Source: face2face level pre-intemediate

Lexical competenceLexical competence

Source: Touchstone level 1

Are you familiar with these?• What’s your percentage of

English?

• Is your English level pre-intermediate or high basic?

• Requirement: 70 % English

What is your level of English?

I lived 5 years in the UK. So, it must be

advanced…Not really, I worked as a living statue twelve hours a day.

CEFR Global descriptors• Please match the “global” descriptors

with the CEFR level they correspond to.

1. B22. C13. A2

4. A15. C26. B1

• Do you think these descriptors are helpful for you as an individual? How?

• Are they helpful for you as a teacher or as an English Co-ordinator? How?

• Do you think they could be of any use for your students? How?

Listening

Reading

Writing

Spoken Interaction

Spoken Production

Skills described at each Level

Spoken production task

The context of language use - Domains

personal occupational

public educational

Can do statements• Performance-related scales describing

what learners can actually DO in the foreign language

• There are currently 400 ‘can do’ statements organized into three areas: Social and Tourist, Work, and Study

• They can be used as a checklist of what language users can do and thus define the stage they are at

• Look at the following exercises on screen and try to identify on your handout the multiple choice option that contains the “can do” statement to which each one relates.

Task 3 on handout

1.

A language user at A1 and A2 can:

Source: face2face elementary

Brochures, leaflets, guides.

A language user at A1 and A2 can understand and find simple

information in:

2.

Source: face2face WB elementary

3.

Source: face2face elementary

FormsA language user at A1 and A2 can write:

Understand the main point in short, clear messages and announcements.A language user at A1 and A2 can:4.

.

Source: face2face elementary level

5..

Order a mealA language user at A1 and A2 can:

Source: Interchange level 1

6..

Directions, signs, notices and instructions

A language user at A1 and A2 can understand and find simple information in:

Source: face2face elementary level

7..

Make simple purchases by stating what is wanted and asking the priceA language user at A1 and A2 can:

Source: Interchange level 1

8..

Reply in written form to adverts A language user at level B1 can:

Source: Interchange level 2

9..

Source: Interchange level 1

Personal correspondenceA language user at A1 and A2 can write these simple types of text:

Directions, signs, notices and instructions

A language user at A1 and A2 can understand and find

simple information in:10.

Source: Objective KET

What do these have in common?

Common European Framework

The European Language Portfolio (ELP)

• Devised by the Council of Europe's Modern Languages Division

• Piloted in 15 Council of Europe member countries

• Launched during the European Year of Languages in 2001.

Parts of the Porfolio

• Language Passport• Language Biography• Dossier

• Instructions: look at the following slide of the Language Passport and try to identify the information contained in it.

• gives information about a student's proficiency in one or more languages at given points of time

• students record formal qualifications and give information about their language competencies with regard to the common reference levels in the CEF.

The Language Passport section:

The Language Biography (aims)

• Encourage students to get involved in the planning, reflecting upon and assessing of their own learning process and progress

• Give students an opportunity to state what they can do in their foreign language(s)

• List and reflect upon important language and intercultural learning experiences

• A collection of materials and data put together by students to document and illustrate their proficiency and the learning experiences which are listed and reflected upon in the Language Passport and the Biography

The Dossier

Look at the following slides and identify what part of a Language Portfolio they belong to.

Source: English in Mind level 1

Source: English in Mind level 1

Source: English in Mind level 1

PortfolioPortfolio

• Language Passport• Language Biography• Dossier• Self-assessment• Peer-assessment• Teacher’s assessment

BenefitsBenefits• Demonstrates a learner's

progress in the target language

• Gives learners the opportunity to reflect on their own progress and work

• Promotes collaborative work with peers

• Encourages learners to become active, reflexive learners

• Enhances motivation

The downside

• Think of your own teaching situation. What are the obstacles you could find?

Effects:

• Collaboration between different teachers and subjects

• Bilingual teaching• Language learning outside school• Task-based learning, teaching and

assessment• Self-directed learning• Self-assessment• Lifelong learning• Out-come oriented

Students’ feedback "Creating a kind of booklet is fun and

so I felt like working more actively." "I felt like studying harder

because the portfolio is my own [product]."

"A portfolio is not something you create by yourself. You have to consider others' opinions. You write articles in a group. I think completing a work with others

rather than completing it by yourself is more likely to lead to

active learning."

"I have come to like English and watch NHK English programs,

study independently at home, and so on."

"I thought I would have to work on all the assignments

[in the semester]." Matthew Apple (Dokkyo University) & Etsuko Shimo (Miyazaki University)

Is the CEFR relevant to Latin

America?• Council of Europe has 45 member states:

not just EU• CEFR applies to European languages• Many points in the rationale for developing

CEFR which apply equally outside Europe– need for communication & understanding global issues– stress on functional uses of language– common domains

• Research going on for over 30 years, with a large investment of resources by some of the most experienced researchers

• Widespread adoption by international stake-holders: curriculum developers, publishers, examination providers, Ministries of Education

Mexico• An increasing number of universities are

incorporating the CEFR into their language programmes

• CEFR used and quoted by SEP; current initiative to help all English teachers nationwide reach a minimum of B1 level English

Free diagnostic test (online)www.dialang.org

DIALANG Diagnostic Test

CEF and Cambridge ESOL Exams

Background-Cambridge ESOL Non-profit making department of

Cambridge University Has designed exams for learners of

English since 1913 Largest English language testing agency

in Europe Internationally recognized exams

Cambridge ESOL Examinations• The most comprehensive range of ESOL

examinations in the world• Assessment of all four language skills

(listening, speaking, reading, writing) in practical contexts

• Internationally recognised• Taken by around 1.5 million candidates in

2005 in over 130 countries worldwide

ESOL Examinations• Fill the gaps in the ESOL examinations

chart with the corresponding examination name from the box.

IELTS Starters CPE FlyersKET Movers FCE CAE

PET

CambridgeMain SuiteExaminations

YoungLearnersEnglish

FlyersFlyersMoversMoversStartersStarters

Cambridge Young Learners EnglishCPE CPE Level C2Level C2CAECAE Level C1Level C1

PET PET Level B1Level B1KETKETLevel A2Level A2

FCEFCELevel B2Level B2

DELTA, CELTA, CELTYL, IDLTM, ICELT & TKT

METHODOLOGY

TEACHERS

The Next Step in Standards

What is English Profile?

• A long term, collaborative program of interdisciplinary research, designed to enhance the learning, teaching and assessment of English worldwide.

How does it work?• It builds on existing resources such as the

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages to produce the Reference Level Descriptions for English.

• These will provide a uniquely detailed and objective analysis of what levels of achievement in language learning actually mean (the grammar, vocabulary and discourse features that learners can be expected to have mastered at each level)

For more information…

www.englishprofile.org

Wrap up task• How many levels does the CEF have?• Which are the exams from ESOL main

suite?• For what age range are Cambridge YLE

designed?• To what exam of the main suite is YLE –

Flyers equivalent?• What are the “can do statements”?• How can you make sure English

language teaching materials are aligned with the CEF?

ReferencesCouncil of Europe www.coe.int

Council of Europe (2001) Common European Framework of References for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment Cambridge University Press

Cambridge ESOL Mexico www.CambridgeESOLMexico.org

English Profile www.englishprofile.com

Ramiro Gracia

Academic ConsultantCambridge University Press

rgracia@cambridge.com.mx