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Open in new tab Using the CEFR:
Principles of Good Practice
October 2011
‘What [the CEFR] can do is
to stand as a central point of
reference, itself always open
to amendment and further
development, in an interactive
international system of
co-operating institutions …
whose cumulative experience
and expertise produces a
solid structure of knowledge,
understanding and practice
shared by all.’
John Trim (Green in press 2011:xi)
Contents
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2
Section 1: Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
What the CEFR is … and what it is not………………………………………………………………… 4
A brief history of the CEFR……………………………………………………………………………………. 5
How to read the CEFR……………………………………………………………………………………………. 7
The action-oriented approach…………………………………………………………………………. 7
The common reference levels………………………………………………………………………….. 8
Language use and the learner’s competences……………………………………………….. 9
Section 2: Principles and general usage…………………………………………………………….. 11
Principles for teaching and learning…………………………………………………………………….. 12
Using the CEFR in curriculum and syllabus design……………………………………….. 12
Using the CEFR in the classroom: teaching and lesson planning………………… 13
Principles for assessment……………………………………………………………………………………… 16
Using the CEFR to choose or commission appropriate assessments…………. 16
Using the CEFR in the development of assessments……………………………………. 17
Principles for development and use of Reference Level Descriptions……………… 21
Using resources from Reference Level Descriptions in learning,
teaching and assessment…………………………………………………………………………….. 21
Using the CEFR to develop Reference Level Descriptions……………………………. 23
Section 3: Applying the CEFR in practice…………………………………………………………… 25
Applying the CEFR in practice: Aligning Cambridge ESOL examinations
to the CEFR……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 26
Point 1 – Shared origins and long-term engagement ……………………………………. 28
Point 2 – Integrated item banking and calibration systems………………………….. 29
Point 3 – Quality management and validation systems………………………………… 29
Point 4 – Alignment and standard-setting studies………………………………………… 30
Point 5 – Application and extension of the CEFR for English……………………….. 31
Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 31
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 33
Appendix A – Reference Level Descriptions……………………………………………………….. 34
Appendix B – References………………………………………………………………………………………. 36
1
Using.the.CEFR:.Principles.of.Good.Practice
Introduction
The.Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:
Learning, teaching, assessment.(CEFR).was.created.by.the.Council.
of.Europe.to.provide.‘a.common.basis.for.the.elaboration.of.
language.syllabuses,.curriculum.guidelines,.examinations,.
textbooks,.etc..across.Europe’.(2001a:1)..It.was.envisaged.
primarily.as.a.planning.tool.whose.aim.was.to.promote.
‘transparency.and.coherence’.in.language.education.
The.CEFR.is.often.used.by.policy-makers.to.set.minimum.language.requirements.for.a.wide.
range.of.purposes..It.is.also.widely.used.in.curriculum.planning,.preparing.textbooks.and.many.
other.contexts..It.can.be.a.valuable.tool.for.all.of.these.purposes,.but.users.need.to.understand.its.
limitations.and.original.intentions..It.was.intended.to.be.a.‘work.in.progress’,.not.an.international.
standard.or.seal.of.approval..It.should.be.seen.as.a.general.guide.rather.than.a.prescriptive.
instrument.and.does.not.provide.simple,.ready-made.answers.or.a.single.method.for.applying.it…
As.the.authors.state.in.the.‘Notes.for.the.User’:
We.have.NOT.set.out.to.tell.practitioners.what.to.do.or.how.to.do.it..We.are.raising.
questions.not.answering.them..It.is.not.the.function.of.the.CEF(R).to.lay.down.the.
objectives.that.users.should.pursue.or.the.methods.they.should.employ.
(2001a:xi)
The.CEFR.is.useful.to.you.if.you.are.involved.in.learning,.teaching.or.assessing.languages..We.have.
aimed.this.booklet.at.language.professionals.such.as.teachers.and.administrators.rather.than.
candidates.or.language.learners..It.is.based.on.Cambridge.ESOL’s.extensive.experience.of.working.
with.the.CEFR.over.many.years.
The.CEFR.is.a.comprehensive.document,.and.as.such,.individual.users.can.find.it.difficult.to.read.
and.interpret..The.Council.of.Europe.has.created.a.number.of.guidance.documents.to.help.in.this.
interpretation..Helping.you.find.your.way.around.the.CEFR.and.its.supporting.documents.is.one.of.
our.key.aims.in.creating.Using the CEFR: Principles of Good Practice..If.you.want.a.brief.overview.of.the.
CEFR.read.Section.1.of.this.booklet..If.you.are.a.teacher.or.administrator.working.in.an.educational.
setting.and.would.like.guidance.on.using.and.interacting.with.the.CEFR.then.reading.Section.2.will.
be.useful.to.you..If.you.want.to.find.out.about.how.Cambridge.ESOL.works.with.the.CEFR.then.read.
Section.3..Each.section.is.preceded.by.a.page.that.signposts.key.further.reading.
22
Section 1:.Overview
‘The.Framework.aims.to.be.not.only.comprehensive,.
transparent.and.coherent,.but.also.open,.dynamic.
and.non-dogmatic.’.
Council of Europe (2001a:18)
Key Resources
Council of Europe (2001a) Common
European Framework of Reference for
Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment.
In particular ‘Notes for the User’ and
Chapters 3, 4 and 5.