Changing the way the world learns English 1

Intellectual leadership A few years from now, anyone wanting to know about teaching or learning English will turn to the University of Cambridge

What is EP? Different groups working together on a long-term research programme to understand what the Common European Framework actually means for English to investigate what learner English is really like for different groups at different levels of proficiency to develop a set of level descriptions for all four skills covering all the levels of the CEF

Why do we need English Profile? CEF becoming more widely used around the world We have a broad-brush description in the CEF, now we need specific criteria We need to make the criteria more concrete and more objective

The Common European Framework (CEF) 6 levels A Basic User A1 Breakthrough A2 Waystage C Proficient User C1 Effective operational proficiency C2 Mastery B Independent User B1 ThresholdB2 Vantage

How reliable are the levels? Years of collective expert opinion and judgement (examiners, teachers) but not enough objective verification Using corpora we can look at large numbers of learners pre-assigned to levels and see how they really use language

Can do… Can communicate in … simple tasks… routine matters eg find way to shop With what Functions for imparting / seeking info eg “Please (can you) tell me + subordinate clause/ + NP”

Can do… List of increasingly complex things to do Find the bus stop Answer questions at a press conference With what List of increasingly sophisticated language/lexis Interrogative sentence Expressing regret for not agreeing

Can do… Finite list With what Infinite collection of examples ie EP research data

Can do… A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 With what Examples

1 level descriptions for all levels of the CEF (A1 to C2) in line with the Council of Europe’s recent recommendations 2 a core curriculum for English curriculum and syllabus documents linked to the general principles and approaches of the CEF EP project goals in relation to the CEF levels

How it works: getting the work in and the word out Input Corpus data Questionnaires Papers and reports Working with the network of participants Benefits for participants Feedback from participants Outcomes Web publishing Spin-off books Resources (e.g. corpora)

EP will: Describe English at each level definitively Enhance learning, teaching and assessment worldwide Cambridge business benefits: Unique leadership position Publishing for professionals and learners

English Profile wordlists: Vocabulary development A1-B2 British & American words For use by: test developers materials writers syllabus designers teachers & teacher trainers Developed online Fully searchable The first English Profile ‘product’ For internal use from January 2010 to inform research / publishing Available to general public from 2011

English Profile partners British Council English UK (national association of accredited English language centres) Universities U of Cambridge ESOL CUP Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics (CEAL) Computer Laboratory U of Bedfordshire CRELLA

Sponsor roles Cambridge UP Communication including PR and publishing Corpus Cambridge ESOL Academic coordination and research

English Profile will: Describe English authoritatively Provide the ELT community with a complete description of what it really means to acquire a specific CEF level Enhance learning, teaching and assessment worldwide

The Periodic Table for ELT English Profile: The Periodic Table for ELT Prescriptive Descriptive

‘A few years from now, anyone wanting to know about teaching or learning English will turn to English Profile.’