Language Policy Division
Division des Politiques linguistiques
POLICY FORUM
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the
development of language policies: challenges and responsibilities
Organised by the Council of Europe Language Policy Division
Strasbourg, 6 – 8 February 2007
GROUP WORK - SESSION 1 on needs related to the use of the CEFR
Groups 1 and 2 : Evaluation
Task for the group work
In the survey carried out in the member states of the Council of Europe in mid
2006 certain needs related to the use of the CEFR at national level were
identified and prioritised.
Using the list of needs derived mostly from the responses to the survey please
discuss and state:



which of the needs you can identify with
which other needs you would wish to be added to the list
how you would prioritise the needs, ranking them from 3 = most urgent, to
1 = less urgent.
Needs related to the use of the CEFR in the planning and the development
of testing / assessment / certification
No.
1
Need
Development of additional descriptors and scales (e.g. intercultural
competence, mediation skills, sub-levels)
Rank
2
13
Development of descriptors and scales for specific groups of learners
(e.g. children from migrant families)
Development of tools showing the most salient features differentiating
the Common Reference Levels
Development of a user friendly executive summary of the CEFR for
language testers
Development of materials illustrating the CEFR levels in different
languages for different contexts and age groups
Development of CEFR-benchmarked reference tools (test items, tasks,
tests)
Organising benchmarking seminars at national and international level
to relate examples of performances (spoken and written) in different
languages to the scales of the CEFR
Development of guidance on the use of the CEFR for the planning and
the development of testing / assessment / certification
Development of training kits on using the CEFR for the planning and
the development of testing / assessment / certification
Training on the use of the CEFR in the planning and the development
of testing / assessment / certification
Ensuring coherent use of the CEFR in curriculum development, teacher
training and assessment
Publishing and disseminating the final version of the Council of Europe
Manual for relating examinations to the CEFR
Publishing case studies on relating examinations to the CEFR
14
Training on relating examinations to the CEFR
15
Development of new tests / examinations related to the CEFR
16
Relating existing tests and examinations to the CEFR
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
17
Verifying and validating claims made on relation of tests and
examinations to the CEFR
18
Setting up a pool of international experts with the necessary expertise
in relating tests / examinations to the CEFR
19
Establishment of an international forum where information on good
practice in the use of the CEFR could be exchanged
20
Harmonisation of foreign language testing / assessment / certification in
Europe
Additional needs related to the use of the CEFR in the planning and the
development of testing / assessment / certification
No.
21
Need
Rank
22
23
24
25