Plenary 3 Assessment:
The CEFR and its impact on language testing and
assessment in the XXIst century
Neus Figueras - University of Barcelona; Pompeu Fabra;
Department d Educacio, Catalunya
Takala, S.; Erickson, G; Figueras, N. ; Gustafson, J-E. (2016) Future Prospects and
Erickson, G.; Figueras,N;
Gustafsson,
J.E.; Takala, S.J.; (forthcoming) Future prospects and challenges in language
Challenges
in Language
Assessments.
assessments in Banerjee, J. and Tsagari, D..Contemporary Second Language Assessment. Continuum
Outline
• The story so far
• Present challenges
• The need for assessment literacy
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/elp/
The impact of the CEFR on
•
•
•
•
Language Policies
Curriculum Development
Testing and Assessment
Teacher training
Agency that Calls for the Standard
Policy Definition of Standard
Elaborated Description
Test Design and Content
Translation of Policy and Elaborated
Content to Value on Test Score Scale
M.Reckase 2008
Challenges and Controversies
… In various settings and on various levels of discourse
people who talk about the CEFR are actually referring only
to its scales of proficiency and their descriptors. This is a
kind of reverse metonymy: instead of a part’s denoting the
whole (like the old use of “a sail” to mean “a ship”), the
whole designates a part: “the ship” means ”the sail”, and
“the framework” means “the levels of proficiency”. (Coste,
2007)
“The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
(CEFR) and the development of language policies: challenges and
responsibilities”
Intergovernmental Language Policy Forum Strasbourg, 6-8 February 2007
REPORT - Francis Goullier
Recommendation CM/Rec(2008)7 of the Committee of
Ministers to member states on the use of the Council of
Europe’s Common European Framework of promotion of
plurilingualism
(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 2 July 2008 at the 1031st meeting of the
Ministers’ Deputies)
Qualifications
“It is imperative that examinations today are
 Honest
 Reliable
 Valid
 Transparent
 Portable “
John Trim ( 1924-2013)
Address to ACTFL-CEFR Conference in Provo, USA. August 4th, 2011
What is quality?
Quality in Assessment
1. Overall plan
2. Content definition
3. Test specifications
4. Item development
5. Test design and assembly
6. Test production
7. Test administration
8. Scoring test responses
9. Passing scores
10. Reporting test results
11. Item banking
12. Test technical report (Downing and Haladyna 2006; Twelve Steps)
Building an Argument
Familiarisation with the CEFR
Following the best traditions of the
Council of Europe action in promoting
language education, however, the
Manual has wider aims to actively
promote and facilitate co-operation
among relevant institutions and
experts in member countries.
January 2009
Relating Language Examinations to
the Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages: Learning,
Teaching, Assessment (CEFR)
Language Policy Division
www.coe.int/lang
The Manual aims to:
contribute to competence building in the area of linking assessments to
the CEFR;
• encourage increased transparency on the part of examination providers;
• encourage the development of both formal and informal national and
international networks of institutions and experts.
(Manual 2009: 1)
January 2009
Relating Language
Examinations to the Common
European Framework of
Reference for Languages:
Learning, Teaching,
Assessmnet (CEFR)
Language Policy Division
www.coe.int/lang
Teacher Training
http://www.epg-project.eu/en/grid
Interactive, self-assessment Grid.
Assessment and testing as one of the
4 key teacher competences.
http://epostl2.ecml.at/
Assessment as one of the seven
categories for reflection in initial
teacher training.
Development Phase 1
Development Phase 2
Development Phase 3
1.1.
1.2.
2.1.
2.2.
3.1.
3.3.
Can conduct and
mark end of unit
tests from the
coursebook.
Can conduct and
mark progress tests
when given the
material to do so.
Can conduct regular
progress tests
including an oral
component .
Can design materials
and tasks for progress
assessment (oral and
written).
Can conduct oral
tests when given
the material to do
so.
Can identify areas for
students to work on
from the results of
tests and assessment
tasks.
Can select and
conduct regular
assessment tasks to
verify learners’
progress in language
and skills areas.
Can develop
assessment tasks for
all language skills and
language knowledge
at any level.
Can prepare and
conduct
appropriates
revision activities
Can give clear
feedback on the
strengths and
weaknesses identified
and set priorities for
individual work .
Can use an agreed
markin code to
identify different types
of errors in written
work in order to
increase learners’
language awareness.
Can prepare for and
coordinate placement
testing.
Can use video
recordings of learners’
interactions to help
them recognise their
strengths and
weaknesses.
Can apply CEFR criteria
reliably to assess
learners’ proficiency in
speaking and writing .
Can apply CEFR criteria
reliably to assess
learners’ proficiency in
speaking and writing
at all levels and help
less experienced
colleagues to do so.
Can create valid formal
tests to determine
whether learners have
reached a given CEFR
level.
Can run CEFR
standardisation
sessions.
http://epostl2.ecml.at/
Present Challenges
•
•
•
•
Research on real impact
Consolidation of achievements
Dissemination of new developments
In the field of language assessment and
testing (assessment literacy)
CEFR Descriptors
Extended set of descriptors
•
New descriptors for existing scales, particularly at A1,
Pre-A1 and the C levels);
•
New scales to take account of technological changes in
communication;
•
A collation of suitable CEFR-based descriptors for
young learners;
•
Descriptors for mediation (and reactions to literature)
Agency that Calls for the Standard
Policy Definition of Standard
Elaborated Description
Test Design and Content
Translation of Policy and Elaborated
Content to Value on Test Score Scale
M.Reckase 2008
Takala, S.; Erickson, G; Figueras, N. ; Gustafson, J-E. (2016) Future Prospects and
Erickson, G.; Figueras,N; Gustafsson, J.E.; Takala, S.J.; (forthcoming) Future prospects and challenges in language
Challenges
in Language Assessments.
assessments in Banerjee, J. and Tsagari, D..Contemporary Second Language Assessment. Continuum
Who should know what?
Taylor 2013
Special Issue on Language Assessment Literacy – Language Testing 30 (3)
“Knowing about” assessment implies...
• Knowledge (savoir)
+
• Skills (savoir faire)
+
• Principles/Attitudes (savoir être)
Teaching (and testing!) Competence