Adapting the CEFR to enhance language graduates’ employability

Marga Menendez-LopezDr. Doris Dippold

University of Surrey

Objectives

to set the context for languages in UK higher education

to present, by way of the case study of an oral module, how the CEFR as a tool and frameworks of communicative competence can be adapted to a curriculum that highlights professional skills

to show how language degrees contribute to employability

Languages & Employability

QAA: languages > multifaceted Intellectual Vocational Transferable

Recent history of language departments Reduction on student numbers Globalised market and student choices

Perception of language degrees language skills vs. subject matter lack of economic impact factor

Language strategy at Surrey

University: professional and international vision statement

Our degrees: languages for the professional world joint language honours or combinations with

other subject (Business, Law or Politics) merge of linguistic + transferable skills experts on communication theory +

expert communicators! all aspects of communicative competence

Common European Framework of Reference

Council of Europe 1989-1996 5 skills: listening, reading,

writing, spoken production & interaction six proficiency levels outcome-based statements of linguistic

skills e.g. “I can give a clear , systematically

developed presentation on a topic in my area of work, study or special interest, highlighting significant points and relevant supporting detail.”

guidelines NOT rules! – need to adapt to specific contexts and to underpin by theory

Critiques to the CEFR

little/unsystematic correlation with aspects of communicative competence

Language levels = age of learner no specific contexts taken into

account static and unnegotiable

Communicative competence numerous models (e.g. Celce-Murcia

et. al. 1995; Bachman 1990; Canale & Swain 1980)

competence (knowledge of language) vs. performance (actual use of language in concrete situations)

communicative competence: some competences negotiable – not taken account by CEFR!

Communicative competence

Celce-Murcia et al. 1995: Discourse competence Linguistic competence Strategic competence Sociocultural competence Actional competence

Adapting the CEFR to an Oral module

Level 1 B2 Oral module (French, German, Spanish)

Bring to life B2 oral descriptors Academic and professional contexts Linguistic theory to underpin language

learning Integration of all competences for these

contexts

Adapting the CEFR to an Oral moduleSample of module content: a product presentation

competence

Genre: product presentation discourse

Schemata: greetings + small talk + main part + discussion and questions

discourse

Vocabulary with positive connotations linguistic

Simple sentences linguistic

Politeness: present your audience in a positive way

sociocultural

Non-verbal communication: openness, honesty and trust, beat gestures for structure

sociocultural

Objective: persuading and selling actional

Dealing with critical questions, nerves, equipment failure and “going blank”

strategic

Benefits & Challenges “Professional professional

communicators” academic language learning

Prescriptive (models) and descriptive (reflection) teaching and research

Generic communication skills: employability! Theoretically underpinned by CEFR and

competence frameworks Linguistic / Sociolinguistic basis:

Authenticity vs. pedagogic requirements language degree for the professional

world: relevant for society and economy

References Bachman, Lyle (1990): Fundamental Considerations in Language

Testing. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Canale, Michael (1983): From Communicative Competence to

Communicative Language Pedagogy. In: Language and Communication. J. Richards and R. Schmidt. New York, Longman: 2-27.

Canale, Michael and Merrill Swain (1980): Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approaches to Second Language Teaching and Testing. Applied Linguistics 1(1): 1-47.

Celce-Murcia et al. (1995): Communicative Competence: A Pedagogically Motivated Model with Content Specifications. Issues in Applied Linguistics 6(2): 5-35.

Coleman, James A. (2004): Modern Languages in British Universities: Past and Present. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education 3: 147-162.

Council for Industry and Higher Education (2008): Graduate employability: what do employers think and want? Available: http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/business/doc/graduate_en.pdf (accessed May 12 2009).

Council of Europe (2001): Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Cambridge: CUP.

Figueras, Neus (2007): The CEFR, a Lever for the Improvement of Language Professionals in Europe. The Modern Language Journal 91: 673-675.

References James, Carl and Peter Garrett (1992): Language Awareness in the Classroom.

London: Longman. Kelly, Michael and Diana Jones (2003): A New Landscape for Languages.

London: Nuffield Foundation. Available: http://languages.nuffieldfoundation.org/filelibrary/pdf/languages_report_48pp_hires.pdf

Krumm, Hans-Jürgen (2007): Profiles Instead of Levels: The CEFR and Its (Ab)Uses in the Context of Migration. The Modern Language Journal 91: 667-669.

Little, David (2005): The Common European Framework and the European Language Portfolio: involving learners and their judgements in the assessment process. Language Testing 22(3): 321-336.

Little, David (2007): The Common European Framework of References for Languages: Perspectives on the Making of Supranational Language Education Policy. The Modern Language Journal 91: 645-655.

North, Brian (2007): The CEFR Illustrative Descriptor Scales. The Modern Language Journal 91: 656-663.

Quality Assurance Agency (2007, 12/2007): Subject benchmark statements: Languages and Related Studies. QAA 208 12/07. Available: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/statements/languages07.pdf (accessed May 12 2009).

Weir, C.J. (2005): Limitations of the Common European Framework for developing comparable examinations and tests. Language Testing 22: 281-300.

Questions

m.menendez-lopez@surrey.ac.ukd.dippold@surrey.ac.uk