Journal
CEFR Journal - Research and Practice
Volume: CEFR Journal - Research and Practice Volume 8 (February 2026)
Date: 2026
Title: Designing and validating an intertextual reading-into-writing summary task: A CEFR aligned approach using the 2022 Handbook
Page: 18 - 27
Authors: Nathaniel Owen (Oxford University Press, Great Britain), Oliver Bigland (Oxford University Press, Great Britain)
https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.CEFR8-3
NOT YET ACTIVATED
This article is open access and licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.
Abstract: This article reports on the design, development and CEFR-alignment of an innovative intertextual reading-into-writing summary task for the Oxford Test of English Advanced, targeting CEFR levels B2-C1. The summary task requires test takers to read two texts on the same topic (300 words total) and synthesize information into a 100-word summary. The study utilized the 2022 Aligning language education with the CEFR: A handbook (Handbook) to inform methodological decisionmaking throughout the development and alignment process, adopting an examinee-centred approach to validation. Data from a CEFR alignment panel (n = 7) and a larger-scale pilot study (n = 215) were analysed using many-facet Rasch measurement to investigate task performance, assessor reliability, and concurrent validity with a traditional essay task. Results indicate strong reliability (ICC = .87), equivalent to a traditional essay writing task, and demonstrate the task’s effectiveness in distinguishing B2 from C1-level performances. The study provides evidence for the utility of the 2022 Handbook in guiding CEFR alignment methodology and provides evidence that summary writing tasks are a viable alternative to traditional essay writing assessments in high-stakes contexts.
Keywords: CEFR alignment, summary writing, integrated skills, reading-into-writing, mediation, Handbook 2022
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(Update March 10th, 2026 MGS)
