Relating Foreign Language Curricula to the CEFR in the Maltese context

Relating Foreign Language Curricula and Examinations to the CEFR - Learning and Testing To what extent do our foreign language curricula at secondary school level relate to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)? How may the CEFR help us align our own curricula in the various foreign language departments? What principles of FL testing require attention in relation to CEFR notions of foreign language learning and language use?

The scenario of teaching and learning National language – Maltese Official languages – Maltese and English Languages of instruction at school: Maltese and English Foreign language option at secondary level: All learners select a foreign language at age eleven upon entry into secondary education – Year 7 to year 11 Year 9 – select two further option subjects (learners may select another foreign language) Subject Proficiency Assessment Programme (SPA) Foreign Language Awareness Programme (FLAP) at primary school level Foreign languages options: Italian, French, Spanish, German, Arabic and Russian.

The principal aims of the RELANG workshop Workshop 1: 15-17 February, 2016 The workshop sought to help participants: identify to what extent foreign language curricula relate to the CEFR; understand the CEFR model of language use; link attainment targets within the curriculum to the CEFR; analyse summative assessment tasks related to the CEFR.

Participants for workshop 1 Departments of Italian, French, German and Spanish Education Officers within the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education (Foreign language department) - Supporting teachers in teaching and learning Conduct lesson observation and hold discussion meetings with FL teachers Work with Heads of Department on examination papers at national level Organise in-service training for FL teachers Work on curriculum development and implementation Heads of Department for foreign languages Teaching load / work on curriculum matters with the Education Officer Assist in the organisation of in-service training for FL teachers Work with Education Officers as item writers (setting of examinations at national level) Organise subject meetings for FL teachers in schools Representatives from the church school and independent sector were also invited. Assistant Director (DQSE) – Languages

Workshop 1: The standardisation phase Adequate familiarisation with the CEFR 2. Training in rating productive skills 3. Training in rating receptive tasks 4. Benchmarking performance samples 5. Standard setting of receptive tasks

The linking process – validity of curriculum Does the curriculum focus on the relevant foreign language skills it claims to develop? Participants were first familiarised with the CEFR Model of Language use: - Actions performed by persons - individuals and social agents; - A range of competences, both general and in particular communicative language competences; - Various contexts under various conditions and constraints to engage in language activities; - Language processes to produce and/or receive texts in relation to themes in specific domains.

Estimated CEFR levels reached by the end of secondary education After the familiarisation process with CEFR descriptors, participants were asked to give a global judgement of the CEFR level the majority of learners reach at the end of secondary education for each of the four languages under discussion. It was noted that estimated levels reached did not differ much from one foreign language to another: they were all to be found in the A2 - B1 area.

Initial judgements on CEFR levels reached by the end of secondary education Language  Skill Italian Spanish German French Listening A2+ - B1 B1 A2+ A2 Reading Spoken Interaction Spoken production A2 – A2+ Writing

CEFR levels in the Curriculum Specification of outcomes noted in the curriculum in terms of the CEFR and analysis of descriptors in the CEFR addressed. Focus on specifications related to the four language skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Participants were first asked to rank specific descriptors in various subdomains of the four basic skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. They then had to relate the learning outcome descriptors to the CEFR descriptors. This resulted in the considered judgement represented in the following table.

Judgement of links between LOs and CEFR levels Language  SLO descriptors Italian Spanish German French Listening C1 B1+ A2+ Reading B1 Spoken Interaction B2 - C1 A2 Spoken production Writing B2 B1 – B2

The last step in the linking process: judgement reconsidered Participants were asked to reconsider their first judgement of CEFR levels reached by the majority of students at the end of secondary school now that they had analysed the curriculum learning outcomes in terms of the CEFR and had been made even more familiar with the CEFR and its model of language use.   It was noted that the participants now judged that the levels reached are lower than those required in the learning outcomes, but higher than expected in the first global judgement. It was also noted that for all languages the expected levels reached by students is B1, with slight variations in the case of Italian. Lastly it was noted that participants expect their students to be equally proficient in all four skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Again with the exception of the Italian group of participants .

Reconsidered global judgement of CEFR levels reached at the end of secondary education Language  Skill Italian Spanish German French Listening B1 – B1+ B1 Reading Spoken Interaction A2+ - B1 Spoken production Writing

Outcomes of workshop: Participants are able to: Link the Learning Outcomes in the curriculum to the CEFR: familiarisation with the CEFR Model of Language Use. Give a global judgement of the CEFR level the majority of students would reach at the end of secondary education for each of the four languages under discussion. Analyse specification of Learning Outcomes in terms of the CEFR: which descriptors in the CEFR were operationalised in the Learning Outcomes? Link CEFR descriptors to their CEFR level in various subdomains of the four basic skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. Relate the Learning Outcome descriptors to the CEFR descriptors. Reconsider their first judgement of CEFR levels (reached by the majority of students at the end of secondary school) now that they had analysed the Learning Outcomes in terms of the CEFR and had been made even more familiar with the CEFR and its model of language use.

Benchmarking and standard setting Participants were introduced to the principles of benchmarking: providing one or more typical samples to illustrate performance at a given level both for standardisation training and to serve as a point of reference in making future decisions about performances of candidates. General principles of standard setting. Participants were acquainted with a specific method of standard setting – the basket procedure. Participants set a standard for a number of reading tasks. Discussion on item construction, validation, benchmarking and standard- setting.

The way forward - Phase 2: 2016- 2017 November 2016 – April 2017 Monthly working group meetings: Education Officers for Italian, French, German and Spanish Workshop 2: May 2-4, 2017 Education Officers and Heads of Department