CEFR for Languages

Activity 3.1

1. What is the CEFR?

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is a document published in 2001 which was designed in order to provide a guide and the basis for the elaboration of curriculim guidelines and language syllabuses, the assessment of a language proficiency and the desing of learning and teaching materials. It is used in other continents too, not only Europe.

2. What are the main aims of the CEFR?

According to the CEFR itself, its main aims are:

- To intensificate language learning and teaching to improve international communication and to obtain greater mobility combined with cultural and identity respect.

- To promote and facilitate co-operation among educational institutions in different countries.

- To provide a sound basis for the mutual recognition of language qualification.

- To assist learners, teachers, course designers, examining bodies and educational administrators to situate and co-ordinate their efforts.

3. How many levels are described in the CEFR?

There are nine levels, six "standard" and three "plus" which are used to recognise language qualifications and to facilitate educational and occupational mobility. The levels are A1, A2, A2+, B1, B1+, B2, B2+, C1 and C2.

4. How would you implement the CEFR descriptors in your classroom?

We think that it is always useful to acknoledge what we "can do", especially if we are talking about a language. 

However, we must realize that this could be frustrating if you are a beginner learner or if you are a teacher and you are supposed to teach them what is included in the CEFR. So, it is important to know that we are human beings and that our learning process is not automatic and it cannot be designed as a software would be.

Because of this, we would not really implement them in our classroom, at least not in a direct way. We could present them and we could debate with the students if the "descriptors" are useful for them but always having in mind that they are an archetype that could be achieved or not and, in the last case, it does not mean that we are not learning English.

Global language, a matter of power.

"A language becomes a global language because of the power of the people who speak it."

David Crystal starts his speech with this premise when he's asked for his opinion on the "global language" concept, which shows us how language is important in History of human kind. According to Mr. Crystal, English has become a global language nowadays but this has been possible thank to the recent history of this language and the people who speaks it.

As a fact, he thinks that this kind of "rank" has nothing to do with the structure of the language. If English has become a global language nowadays is thanks to the political and military power shown by the British Empire throughout 15th century. Of course, other factors are also the main cause of this fact, as the technological power shown a century after, the Industrial Revolution and the fact that English was spoken in both U.S.A and U.K. in the 19th century, where these two nations are known for being the main economic powers in the world. For more information, just check the video.

As for Should English be taught as a 'global' language?, Mr. Crystal presents the dichotomy between teaching production and teaching comprehension. Besides, he continues by saying that it is important to show students different English varieties in a matter of pronunciation and grammar, in order to improve and to develop their listening comprehension. We, as a group, agree with this idea.

Euginne said that it is very important and necessary to expose students to the different accents of English and that this fact would encourage them to discover "diversity" as an essential aspect of languages. In this sense, we should not impose one specific accent which would result in students thinking that there's a "correct" way of pronouncing and the rest of them are "wrong". This must be practiced in vocabulary and phonetics activities, obviously. However, it is also necessary to show them some kind of "fixed" content, especially in grammar, so they can use it as a support for learning and passing the activities proposed.