The Education Policy Division of the Council of Europe organised a webinar on 30 January 2018 to present the CEFR Companion Volume with New Descriptors that adds a number of new illustrative descriptor scales to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment (CEFR).

The CEFR Companion Volume with New Descriptors includes:

• newly developed illustrative descriptor scales that are introduced alongside the existing ones;

• schematic tables which group scales belonging to the same category (communicative language activities or aspects of competence);

• a short rationale for each scale, explaining the thinking behind the categorisation; and

• descriptors that were developed and validated but not subsequently included in the illustrative descriptors are also made available in an appendix.

In addition to the presentation of new descriptor scales the webinar addressed to issues related to exploiting the CEFR Companion Volume to;

• broaden teachers’ conceptualisation of foreign/second language teaching,

• foster enrichment and positive impact through the curriculum, and

• ensure a balanced and principled approach to assessing the language competences of learners.

The videos of the expert presentations and questions & answers sessions are now available on Vimeo.

Access to videos:

  Language-Education-Programme-Qiriazi

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Developing-Validating-Descriptors-Mediation-Related-Concepts-Piccardo&North

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Developing-Validating-Descriptors-Mediation-Related-Concepts-Q&A

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-A-Tool-Teaching-Learning-North&Goodier

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Introduction-Online-Interaction-Scales-Goodier

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Collation-Descriptors-Young-Learners-Goodier

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Updated-Descriptors-Phonological-Control-Piccardo

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Plurilingual-Pluricultural-Competence-Piccardo

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Old-New-Descriptors-Q&A

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Teacher-Education-Implications-Opportunities-Piccardo

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Teacher-Education-Implications-Opportunities-Q&A

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Curriculum-Fostering-Enrichment-Positive-Impact-Goodier

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Curriculum-Fostering-Enrichment-Positive-Impact-Q&A

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Assessment-Ensuring-Balanced-Principled-Approach-North

 CEFR-Companion-Volume-Assessment-Ensuring-Balanced-Principled-Approach-Q&A

Download the presentations:

  Developing and Validating Descriptors for Mediation and Related Concepts (Piccardo & North)

 CEFR-Companion Volume: A Tool for Teaching and Learning (North & Goodier)

 Introduction to the Online Interaction Scales (Goodier)

 The Collation of Validated Portfolio Descriptors for Young Learners (Goodier)

 The New Scale for Phonological Control (Piccardo)

 Plurilingual and Pluricultural Competence (Piccardo)

 Teacher Education: Implications and Opportunities (Piccardo)

 Curriculum: Fostering Enrichment and Positive Impact (Goodier)

 Assessment: Ensuring a Balanced and Principled Approach (North)