Lesson 2

Module: Proficiency tests

Topic: “CEFR, MULTILEVEL national certificates and their assessment system”.
80 minutes
Time: To let students analyse stages of classroom investigation
Aim:
1. Wainryb, R. (1992) Classroom Observation Tasks
Materials:
2. James, P. (2001). Teachers in Action.
Aids: Charts, laptop with speakers, audio recordings, handouts, video clips, white board

Global scale - Table 1 (CEFR 3.3): Common

Reference levels
It is desirable that the common reference points are presented in different ways for different purposes. For some purposes it will however be
appropriate to summarise the set of proposed Common Reference Levels in a holistic summarized table. Such a simple ‘global’ representation
will make it easier to communicate the system to non-specialist users and will provide teachers and curriculum planners with orientation points.

Official translations of the CEFR Global Scale

 Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written
C2 sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very
fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
PROFICIENT
USER Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently
and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social,
C1
academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing
controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in
his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with
B2
native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects
and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
INDEPENDENT
USER
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure,
etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce
B1
simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams,
hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic
personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks
A2
requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms
aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
BASIC
USER
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a
concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where
A1
he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks
slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
Qualitative aspects of spoken language use -
Table 3 (CEFR 3.3): Common Reference levels
The chart in this table was designed to assess spoken performances. It focuses on different qualitative aspects of language use.

RANGE ACCURACY FLUENCY INTERACTION COHERENCE

C2
Shows great flexibility Maintains consistent Can express him/herself Can interact with ease and Can create coherent
reformulating ideas in grammatical control of spontaneously at length skill, picking up and using and cohesive
differing linguistic forms to complex language, even with a natural colloquial non-verbal and intonational discourse making full
convey finer shades of while attention is flow, avoiding or cues apparently effortlessly. and appropriate use of
meaning precisely, to give otherwise engaged (e.g. in backtracking around any Can interweave his/her a variety of
emphasis, to differentiate forward planning, in difficulty so smoothly contribution into the joint organisational patterns
and to eliminate ambiguity. monitoring others' that the interlocutor is discourse with fully natural and a wide range of
Also has a good command reactions). hardly aware of it. turntaking, referencing, connectors and other
of idiomatic expressions allusion making etc. cohesive devices.
and colloquialisms

C1
Has a good command of a Consistently maintains a Can express him/herself Can select a suitable phrase Can produce clear,
broad range of language high degree of fluently and from a readily available smoothly-flowing,
allowing him/her to select a grammatical accuracy; spontaneously, almost range of discourse functions well-structured
formulation to express him/ errors are rare, difficult to effortlessly. Only a to preface his remarks in speech, showing
 herself clearly in an spot and generally conceptually difficult order to get or to keep the controlled use of
appropriate style on a wide corrected when they do subject can hinder a floor and to relate his/her organisational
range of general, academic, occur. natural, smooth flow of own contributions skilfully patterns, connectors
professional or leisure language. to those of other speakers. and cohesive devices.
topics without having to
restrict what he/she wants
to say.

B2
Has a sufficient range of Shows a relatively high Can produce stretches of Can initiate discourse, take Can use a limited
language to be able to give degree of grammatical language with a fairly his/her turn when number of cohesive
clear descriptions, express control. Does not make even tempo; although appropriate and end devices to link his/her
viewpoints on most general errors which cause he/she can be hesitant as conversation when he / she utterances into clear,
topics, without much con- misunderstanding, and he or she searches for needs to, though he /she coherent discourse,
spicuous searching for can correct most of patterns and expressions, may not always do this though there may be
words, using some complex his/her mistakes. there are few noticeably elegantly. Can help the some "jumpiness" in a
sentence forms to do so. long pauses. discussion along on familiar long contribution.
ground confirming
comprehension, inviting
others in, etc.

B1
Has enough language to get Uses reasonably Can keep going Can initiate, maintain and Can link a series of
by, with sufficient accurately a repertoire of comprehensibly, even close simple face-to-face shorter, discrete
vocabulary to express frequently used "routines" though pausing for conversation on topics that simple elements into a
him/herself with some and patterns associated grammatical and lexical are familiar or of personal connected, linear
hesitation and circum- with more predictable planning and repair is interest. Can repeat back sequence of points.
locutions on topics such as situations. very evident, especially part of what someone has
family, hobbies and in longer stretches of free said to confirm mutual
interests, work, travel, and production. understanding.
current events.

A2
Uses basic sentence Uses some simple Can make him/herself Can answer questions and Can link groups of
 patterns with memorised structures correctly, but understood in very short respond to simple words with simple
phrases, groups of a few still systematically makes utterances, even though statements. Can indicate connectors like "and,
words and formulae in basic mistakes. pauses, false starts and when he/she is following "but" and "because".
order to communicate reformulation are very but is rarely able to
limited information in evident. understand enough to keep
simple everyday situations. conversation going of
his/her own accord.

A1
Has a very basic repertoire Shows only limited Can manage very short, Can ask and answer Can link words or
of words and simple control of a few simple isolated, mainly pre- questions about personal groups of words with
phrases related to personal grammatical structures packaged utterances, details. Can interact in a very basic linear
details and particular and sentence patterns in a with much pausing to simple way but connectors like "and"
concrete situations. memorised repertoire. search for expressions, to communication is totally or "then".
articulate less familiar dependent on repetition,
words, and to repair rephrasing and repair.
communication.