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Transcript of Approaches to standardsalex
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