1. Testing Productive Skills
RELANG Relating language examinations to the common European reference levels of language proficiency: promoting quality assurance in education and facilitating mobility
Testing Productive Skills
European Centre for Modern Languages and European Commission cooperation on Innovative Methodologies And Assessment In Language Learning

2. Writing in the CEFR Actions performed by persons
Illustrative scales for
Written production
Written interaction
Various contexts
CEFR Table 5, Descriptive categories
Communicative competences
Linguistic competence
Sociolinguistic competence
Pragmatic competence

3. Testing Writing

4. The Writing Process
Planning (brainstorming ideas or collecting them from various resources, noting down various ideas),
Drafting a piece of writing (writing out a rough version),
Reviewing a piece of writing (selecting the best ideas for inclusion, deciding on information for each paragraph and the order of paragraphs),
Editing a piece of writing (checking for unnecessary repetition of words and/or information, checking language use, punctuation and spelling).

5. Task characteristics
The stimulus should be as short and clear as possible
It must give an adequate framework for the students´ writing.
Pictures or other visual material can be used as a stimulus (but then there can be difficulties of interpretation).
The test-takers should know who they are writing to and how this information will affect what they write.

6. Macrofunctions and microfunctions
The production of different text types (macrofunctions):
Description
Narration
Argumentation, etc.
The production of texts in different contexts (microfunctions):
Complaints
Requests
Invitations
Reports

7. Checklist for writing tasks
1. Is the topic of the text to be produced accessible to the target candidates and is the context realistic?
2. Is the language in the rubrics accessible to candidates at the target level?
3. Is the purpose of the task clearly indicated?
4. Does the task provide an opportunity for candidates to show their range?
5. Is each task within the word count? Is a word count provided?
6. Is a marking scheme provided?
7. Has a sample answer for each task been provided?

8. Speaking in the CEFR Actions performed by persons
Illustrative scales for
Spoken production
Spoken interaction
Various contexts
CEFR Table 5, Descriptive categories
Communicative competences
Linguistic competence
Sociolinguistic competence

9. Task characteristics
The stimulus should be as short and clear as possible
It must give an adequate framework for the students´ speaking.
Pictures or other visual material can be used as a stimulus (but then there can be difficulties of interpretation).
The test-takers should know who they are speaking to and how this information will affect what they say.

10. CEFR tasks
Factually oriented tasks: description, narration, instruction, comparison
Evaluative tasks: explanation, justification, prediction, decision

11. Role plays
These tasks simulate social and service situations such as buying something or going to the restaurant, which have a fairly predictable structure. The intention is to simulate reality.
Test-takerʼs Role:
You have arrived at a hotel for your holiday. You have lost the suitcase. You think that someone might have taken it to the wrong room by mistake. Ask a receptionist for help.
Examiner/Interlocutorʼs Role:
You are a receptionist at a hotel. A guest asks for help.

12. Checklist for speaking tasks
1. Is the topic of the text to be produced accessible to the target candidates and is the context realistic?
2. Is the language in the rubrics accessible to candidates at the target level?
3. Is the purpose of the task clearly indicated?
4. Does the task provide an opportunity for candidates to show their range?
6. Is a marking scheme provided?