Instituto de Educación Superior N° 6 – El Carmen Carrera: PROFESORADO DE INGLÉS Ciclo Lectivo: 2020

Espacio Curricular: RESIDENCIA PEDAGÓGICA Curso: 4to año Profesor: Reyes, Ernesto

Reading activity

ELT Specific Terminology

As future EFL Professional Teachers, you need to incorporate the specific terminology of your field.

To organize a class you have to know the Level of English of your students in order to choose an
appropriate methodology, the correct teaching material, and the English you will use in class.

How to level the English Language

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

Assessment (CEFRL)

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment,
abbreviated in English as CEFR or CEF or CEFRL, is a guideline used to describe achievements of
learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries.  Its main aim is to
provide a method of learning, teaching, and assessing which applies to all languages in Europe. In
November 2001, a European Union Council Resolution recommended using the CEFR to set up
systems of validation of language ability. The six reference levels (see below) are becoming widely
accepted as the European and international standards for grading an individual's language
proficiency.

The six reference English levels are widely accepted as the global standard for grading an
individual’s language proficiency.

CEFR English levels are used by all modern English language books and English language schools.
It is recommended to use CEFR levels in job resumes (curriculum vitae, CV, Europass CV) and
other English levels references.

We list here the CEFR descriptors for language proficiency level with the approximate equivalent to
other global English evaluation schemes: Cambridge ESOL, Canadian Language Benchmarks /
Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CLB/CELPIP), Canadian Academic
English Language Assessment (CAEL), BULATS, IELTS, and TOEFL.

Some years ago, the only English levels known were:

1. Beginner
2. Elementary English
3. Intermediate English
4. Upper-Intermediate
5. Advanced English
6. Proficiency

What is the equivalent between the traditional English Levels and CEFRL Levels?

If you read the information in the table attached, you will be able to answer this question.

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment

Structured overview of all CEFR scales Common Reference Levels -Global scale
Instituto de Educación Superior N° 6 – El Carmen Carrera: PROFESORADO DE INGLÉS Ciclo Lectivo: 2020
Espacio Curricular: RESIDENCIA PEDAGÓGICA Curso: 4to año Profesor: Reyes, Ernesto

Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise
C2
information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing
arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself
Proficient User

spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of

meaning even in more complex situations.

Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise

C1
implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without
much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and
effectively for social, 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
B2
topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can
interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular
interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a
Independent User

viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of

various options.

Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters
B1
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 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

A2
of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information,
shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and
routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on
familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her
Basic User

background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate

need.

Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases
A1
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 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.
Instituto de Educación Superior N° 6 – El Carmen Carrera: PROFESORADO DE INGLÉS Ciclo
Lectivo: 2020
Espacio Curricular: RESIDENCIA PEDAGÓGICA Curso: 4to año Profesor: Reyes, Ernesto

ANSWER:

The equivalence is the level of understanding and comprehension of a language from being
beginners and proficiency. In each level, students can manage specific contents and they are
restricted/ limited to do specific tasks. Certainly, we can notice a variety of learning options
planning around students’ different abilities and knowledge.

Traditional English Levels as well as CEFRL Levels offer the students different stages to
comprehend and interact with the language and to perform each task successfully. Otherwise,
the learner will not produce the effects expected by the teacher.

In this way, we can make a parallelism in order to point out the equivalences between thee
CEFRL Levels and the Traditional English Levels:

Basic Users A1 – A2 ________________ Beginner and Elementary English

At these levels, students can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic
phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. They also can interact in a simple
way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Basic relevant areas are learnt (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local
geography, employment) and students can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring
a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.

Independent user B1 – B2 ____________________ Intermediate and Upper Intermediate

At these levels, B1 or Intermediate students can understand the main points of clear standard
input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. They also can
produce simple connected text on topics, which are familiar, or of personal interest and
describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and
explanations for opinions and plans

Upper intermediate or B2 Independent users can understand the main ideas of complex text
on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of
specialisation. And interaction with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular
interaction with native speakers is quite possible.

Proficient user C1 – C2 ____________________________ Advanced English, Proficiency

We as teachers have to take into consideration the different students’ levels in order to tailor
the material and respond to their specific needs at the same time. Therefore, learners will be
able to interpret all the information themselves.