Volume 8

CEFR Journal - Research and Practice

Volume 8 is in layout. It will be published soon (February - March, 2026)

Volume 8 - Special Edition

 (February-March 2026)

Aligning language education with the CEFR: Some examples from the field

Guest Editors: Neus Figueras, David Little, Lynda Taylor

Supported by the Editorial Team: Fergus O'Dwyer, Dmitri Leontjev, Elif Kantarcıoğlu, Morten Hunke, Maria Gabriela Schmidt

Table of Contents

Introduction

 8-1, Title: Introduction

Authors: Neus Figueras, David Little, Lynda Taylor

Page: 5 - nn

DOI:   https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.CEFR8-1 (not yet activated)

Part 1 Language testing and assessment

8-2, Title: Aligning Certit’s written proficiency tests with CEFR Standards 

CEFR Journal - Research and Practice

Volume: CEFR Journal - Research and Practice Volume 7 (March 2025)

Date: 2025

Title: Assessing writing proficiency in a Saudi Arabian university: Comparing students, tutors, and raters’ assessment using selected CEFR scales

Page: 69 - 99

Author: Ebtesam Abdulhaleem, King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, Riyadh, KSA; Claudia Harsch, Universität Bremen, Germany

https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.CEFR7-4

This article is open access and licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.

Abstract: This study explores the writing proficiency levels of Saudi Arabian medical track students after completing a one-year Preparatory Year Programme (PYP), as well as the applicability of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in assessing their proficiency. The standardized writing exam administered at the end of the PYP revealed a ceiling effect, with the majority of students achieving high scores, despite the fact that the PYP teaches English at three different levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced). To obtain a more nuanced understanding of students’ writing skills, alternative assessment methods were explored using selected CEFR scales, including self-assessment, tutor assessment, and assessment by raters recruited from the UK (experts in using CEFR scales). The study aimed to determine if these CEFR-based assessments can reliably differentiate among the three PYP levels, and if the CEFR scales are practical and applicable in this context. The findings show that the CEFR-based scores from all three assessor groups can reliably separate students according to their PYP level. The results highlight that the CEFR can serve as a valuable tool for understanding students' writing proficiency, even in non-European settings. This study encourages further exploration in the use of CEFR scales to assess proficiency levels.

Keywords: Writing proficiency, Preparatory Year Programme (PYP), Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), self-assessment, tutors’ assessment, raters, proficiency levels, CEFR scales

Click here to download the PDF

 * * * * * *

CEFR Journal - Research and Practice

Volume: CEFR Journal - Research and Practice Volume 7 (March 2025)

Date: 2025

Title: Understanding the perspective of plurilingual assessment in teaching English at tertiary level in Ukraine

Page: 19 - 50

Authors: Viktoriia Osidak, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine; Karin Vogt, Heidelberg University of Education, Germany; Maryana Natsiuk, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine

https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.CEFR7-2

This article is open access and licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.

Abstract: Considering the need for improving assessment instruments that measure language proficiency of plurilingual learners in the foreign language classroom, this article investigates the potential of plurilingual assessment in language education in the Ukrainian context. For this purpose, a developmental project has been carried out engaging several universities. The CEFR and its Companion Volume (CEFR/CV) were used as foundational documents to understand goals of language education and approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. The project was implemented in three phases. During phase 1, a focus was put on the analysis of contributed samples of tests (14 tests comprising 70 assessment tasks) to identify prevailing approaches to language assessment at tertiary level in the Ukrainian context. Most of the contributed assessment tasks (87%) were in English, with a smaller portion (12.8%) both in Ukrainian and English, with 11% out of 12.8% being translation tasks. No assessment tasks were in or more (2+) languages. Phase 2 aimed at empowering the teachers (n=16) with the procedures and assessment instruments to facilitate the implementation of plurilingual assessment in teaching English. Phase 3 collected teacher feedback on proposed changes to language assessment in teaching English using a questionnaire and reflection logs. The outcome of the workshops suggested that plurilingual assessment reflects real-life and professional situations that students can find themselves in but does not seem to represent common practice in the teaching context. In addition, participating teachers indicated that plurilingual assessment is of great relevance to the learning goals of their courses.

Keywords: assessment practices, linguistic repertoire, plurilingualism, plurilingual language assessment, CEFR/CV

Click here to download the PDF

 * * * * * *

CEFR Journal - Research and Practice

Volume: CEFR Journal - Research and Practice Volume 7 (March 2025)

Date: 2025

Title: Application of the CEFR to an Arabic Corpus: A Case Study

 Page: 100 - 111

Author: Aziza Zaher, Durham University

https://doi.org/10.37546/JALTSIG.CEFR7-5

This article is open access and licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license.

Abstract: The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR) was developed by the Council of Europe and first published in 2001. It has since evolved significantly and new volumes have been published; most recently, the CEFR Companion Volume (CEFR/CV) in 2020. The CEFR aims to provide the basis for L2 learning, teaching, and assessment of European languages. However, it has been widely used around the world in non-European contexts. This article presents a case study of the application of the CEFR to an Arabic corpus comprising 214 texts produced by first year students at Zayed University in the UAE, which is part of a bilingual corpus in Arabic and English. This article focuses on the application of the CEFR to the Arabic texts which posed specific challenges, including Arabic diglossia whereby there are two distinct varieties of the language used for writing and speaking. Furthermore, the complexities of Arabic grammar include that it has formal features which only appear in writing. There is also some overlap between Arabic and other languages, particularly English, as many English expressions are used in everyday life in Arab societies. These factors, among others, lead to unique issues to consider when applying the CEFR to a written Arabic corpus. However, due to the generic nature of the CEFR descriptors, they have been applied successfully to the assessment of the Arabic written corpus, which provides the basis for further applications of the CEFR to other competencies in Arabic and to other non-European languages. This article describes the process of rating the corpus, outlines the practical implications of the application of the CEFR to an Arabic written corpus and presents an overview of student performance mapped across the six CEFR levels.

Keywords: CEFR, Arabic, written Corpus, Assessment, Non-European languages, Diglossia

Click here to download the PDF

* * * * * *