The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is a standard developed by the Council of Europe to describe language ability. It introduces six common reference levels (A1 to C2) to standardize language education across Europe. The CEFR provides clear definitions of what language learners can do at each level to facilitate cooperation in language education.

1. The Common European Framework
of Reference for Languages:
Learning, Teaching, Assessment

2. CEFR
• Developed by an international working party (John Trim, Daniel
Coste, Brian North & Joe Sheils) between 1993 and 1996, followed
by review and revision.
• Then, published in 2001, by the Council of Europe (CoE)
• Introduced six Common Reference Levels: A1 (lowest), A2, B1, B2,
C1, C2 (highest) - often expanded to nine with A2+, B1+, and B2+
• Based on earlier CoE work: especially, the Threshold Level (Van
Ek, 1975) and the notional-functional approach (Wilkins, 1976)

3. In order to standardize language education we
need standards
Standards of attainment
• Standard terminology to describe that
For:
– Teacher accreditation
– Curriculum design
– Student learning objectives
– Program evaluation
– Student assessment
– Etc. etc.

4. Historically we have described L2 attainment in
such terms as:
• false beginner?
• intermediate learner?
• advanced learner?
Roughly speaking, we think we know what these mean.
But in reality, such labels are quite meaningless.
We have no clear idea what they can do!
And no clear idea what they cannot do!

5. And that is just talking among our colleagues
Are these the same in:
• Taiwan?
• Canada?
• Chile?
• Etc. etc.
Of course not!
So how do they differ?
• Taiwanese vs Philippine intermediate?
• Mexican vs Indian Advanced?
Most of us have no idea at all.

6. In order to discuss language education …
We need standard terminology:
• That specifies meaningful levels of attainment
• Across the whole ability range
• With precise definitions of each level
• That describe what learners can do
• In meaningful terms

7. The Common European Framework of
Reference does just that … and more!
• Usually called the CEFR

8. First Planned at:
1991 Intergovernment Symposium, Ruschlikon, Switzerland
In order to:
• promote and facilitate cooperation among educational institutions in
different countries;
• provide a sound basis for the mutual recognition of language
qualifications;
• assist learners, teachers, course designers, examining bodies and
educational administrators to situate and co-ordinate their efforts

9. What is CEFR?
• A carefully developed descriptive framework
with the aims to:
– To encourage the development oflanguage skills, so
that people could be working more effectively,
– to examine and define what we can do with a
language,
– to help us compare the language level of individuals
from different countries in an accurate and impartial
way,
– To encourage learner ’s autonomyand lifelong
learning.

10. The six levels of CEFR:
A Basic User
A1 Breakthrough
A2 Waystage
B Independent User
B1 Threshold
B2 Vantage
C Proficient User
C1 Effective Operational Proficiency
C2 Mastery

11. A scale of Common Reference levels
describes learner performance at six
levels (from a ‘basic’ to a ‘proficient’ user)
and five kinds of skill ( listening / spoken
interaction / spoken production / reading /
writing ). The descriptors encourage self-
assessment and have been integral to the
development of the European Language
Portfolio.

12. System Requirements:
• Comprehensive
– covers the full range of possible knowledge, skills and uses
– covers all dimensions on which proficiency is described
– needs a range of reference points on which progress can be calibrated
• Transparent
– clearly formulated, explicit, readily comprehensible
• Coherent - with harmonious relation between uses
– identification of needs
– determination of objectives
– definition of content
– selection or creation of material
– establishment of teaching and learning programs
– teaching and learning methods employed
– evaluation, testing and assessment

13. System Requirements (cont)
• Multipurpose
– Usable for a full variety of purposes
• Flexible
– Adaptable for different circumstances
• Open
– Capable of extension and refinement
• Dynamic
– Continuous evolution
• User-friendly
– Readily understandable
• Non-dogmatic
– not attached to any particular linguistic or educational theory