Training teachers to use the European Language Portfolio ECML-short term project 2008-2009 ELP_TT2 Ülle Türk, Estonia

The common reference levels of the CEFR Developed by Dick Meijer, adapted by Ülle Türk

CEFR levels The Common European Framework of Reference (Council of Europe 2001) defines communicative proficiency At six levels, arranged in three bands A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 in relation to five skills: listening, reading, spoken interaction, spoken production, writing in the form of “can do” statements

Getting to know the levels The self-assessment grid is not enough More specific scales: CEFR Ch 4: descriptors of communicative activities CEFR Ch 5: descriptors of linguistic competence Familiarisation activities: Filling in the gaps Sorting the descriptors

Self-assessment using the CEFR levels Questions to be answered: How do I know which level I am at? How can I prove it?

Working with the CEFR levels Gaining experience with the ELP: Assess your own competence in a foreign language you know but don’t teach What criteria did you apply in assessing yourself? What would you do to improve your competence? What learning activities would help you? What are the three most persuasive solutions in your group?

Steps to be followed in the workshop: Step 1: Complete the checklist on spoken interaction for a foreign language you know but don’t teach. Step 2: Note down the reasons why you think you are at this level. Step 3: Make a note of the evidence you can give to support your self-assessment.

Step 4: Working in groups of three or four, discuss the reasons you have come up with and select those which could be used by teachers introducing the ELP Step 5: Are the different kinds of evidence you noted down related to particular CEF levels? Step 6: ”Translate” the evidence into a learning activity and describe it briefly to the others.