Real life needs European standards Presented by Zsuzsa

Real life needs, European standards Presented by Zsuzsa Östör Euro Exam Centre Head of Teacher Training email: ostorzsuzsa @euroexam. org www. euroexam. hu

The Council of Europe. . . drafted the Common European Framework of reference for languages now in use across Europe. Setting the standard across Europe

Common Reference Levels C 2 C 1 B 2 B 1 A 2 A 1 Proficient User Independent User Basic User

Global Descriptors • Can understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. B 2 • 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 viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

Language learning Modern language education is based largely on beliefs that an ability to communicate is more important than a theoretical knowledge of the systems of language. The communicative approach

Learning to communicate • Linguistic competence: lexical, phonological, syntactical knowledge • Sociolinguistic competence: sensitivity to social conventions (e. g. rules of politeness, level of formality, appropriate register) • Pragmatic competence: functional language, discourse management, cohesion and coherence, identifying text types and forms, etc.

The Council of Europe’s Common European Framework. . . view of language use and learning. . . is an action-oriented one … it views users and learners of a language primarily as members of society who have tasks (not exclusively language -related) to accomplish in a given set of circumstances… (The act of communicating) forms part of a wider social context. . .

Tasks A task is defined as any purposeful action considered by an individual as necessary in order to achieve a given result in the context of a problem to be solved, an obligation to fulfil or an objective to be achieved. obtaining certain ordering a meal in a conditions in the restaurant preparing a class negotiation newspaper through writing of a translating a foreign group work contract a book language text playing moving a a game wardrobe of cards

Learning/Teaching: COMMUNICATION Systematic knowledge Placement Tests: Reading/Writing Vocabulary Grammar Phonological Lexical Grammatical Functional / Notional Discoursal Systems Skills Speaking Listening Reading Writing Proficiency Tests: Reading /Writing Vocabulary Grammar

Learning/Teaching: COMMUNICATION Systematic knowledge Placement Tests: ? Phonological Lexical Grammatical Functional / Notional Discoursal Systems Skills Speaking Listening Reading Writing Proficiency Tests ?

Wouldn’t it be good to have exams that are based on an internationally understood system and test communicative competence by testing success in communication as demonstrated by performance in tasks that either reflect real world language needs or provide valid measurement of language competencies necessary for real world communication?

Surely, it can’t be too hard. . . • • …to exchange context-less grammar exercises tasks … for tests that use real-world tasks (or tasks that reflect real world needs) tasks (or tasks that test competencies that underlie tasks real world skills)

What is the syllabus? Our constant aim: to keep the exam relevant to real-world needs What text types represent real world uses? What skills are needed to produce these text types? What are real world reasons for utilising this skill? What classroom practices may lead to more successful use of these skills? What task types best measure the ability to communicate or access information effectively? What exam formats, text types and task types might encourage such classroom work?

2001

Euro Exam Levels C 1 Operational Proficiency B 2 Vantage B 1 Threshold

Two suites of exams: • for General purposes Euro • for Business and Professional purposes Euro. Pro

Structure of the B 1 and B 2 exams in both systems

Structure of the C 1 exam in both systems

2001 • The Council of Europe Framework was published in Strasbourg. • Development and piloting of the Euro and Euro. Pro exam suites in Budapest. • The Hungarian Ministry of Education officially accredited the Euro examinations. • Oxford Brookes University began using the Euro. Pro C 1 exams as part of its entry requirements for students starting MBA courses.

2002 Both suites of the Euro exams were awarded the European Language Label of the European Council.

2003 -2005 • The Euro exams were accredited as the official language testing tools of the International House World Organisation. • Euro Exam Centre in Budapest became the official Assessment Centre of IHWO. • Recognition of the exams in progress in several other countries, e. g. Rumania, Spain, Ukraine. • More than 21 000 candidates in 40 local Euro Exam Centres in Hungary and abroad.

Publications

Real-life Exam Tasks A task is defined as any purposeful action considered by an individual as necessary in order to achieve a desired result. Translate a Make an oral presentation based on data colleague’s letter Ask questions about Fill in forms what your partner Write a has said memo Find where Make notes certain Translate Read a very long text from an information two-way in and extract key ideas extended is within a problem from it monologue texts situation Match text information to the subject (text, picture etc)

Writing CEF Written Interaction Descriptors: “ Can convey information and ideas on abstract as well as concrete topics, check information and ask about or explai problems with reasonable precision. ” (Overall Written Interaction) “ Can write complex letters which present a case with an effective logical structure which helps the recipient to notice and remember significant points. ” (Correspondence)

Writing: Task One – Transactional Task from the Euro DTF • The texts to be produced by item writers: • A number of pieces of written or diagrammatic text (leaflets, notes, letters, maps, timetables) containing: • a context for the tasks • a request for the candidate to write something ( e. g. a reply, an opinion) • information that the candidate needs to complete the task • The texts may be annotated, have “Post-it notes” attached etc. Such annotations count as another “source text”. • The total word count for source texts should be no longer than 300 words, although texts are typically shorter than this.

Writing: Task One – Transactional Task from the Euro DTF • The candidate is set two or more transactional tasks to write. • • • Text types of candidate responses : transactional letter note / message poster / notice classified ad e-mail Report Total length of writing asked for 130 -160 words

Writing: Task One – Transactional Task from the Euro DTF • • Candidate responses will be different genre types require differing levels of formality have different aims (different desired response from target reader) • make different linguistic demands on the writer

Writing: Task One – Transactional Task from the Euro DTF This task tests the candidate’s ability to: • complete a written task appropriately, keeping both the purpose of the letter and the reader in mind • use – broadly speaking – the appropriate level of formality • maintain lexical and grammatical range and accuracy appropriate for this level

Writing criteria Linguistic competence Sociolinguistic competence Pragmatic competence

Mediation Common European Framework “Can convey content / opinions within the original text between two languages” “Can create or mediate a text that is largely clear and shows awareness of the linguistic characteristics and customs of the destination language”

2. Mediation in a problem situation Task 1 – Listen and Translate You are on holiday in Australia with a group of Hungarians. Somebody has asked you to help him buy tickets for the opera. Listen to the dialogue and translate. If the person speaks in English, translate into Hungarian. If the person speaks in Hungarian, translate into English. You will hear each line twice. There will be a fifteen second pause between each line for you to write down the translation

The result • We think we have a suite of exams that reflects contemporary thinking about language learning and teaching and reflects the Council of Europe’s as well as our own school’s approach. • We have taken special care to design tests where the WASHBACK effect on teaching will be hugely positive. • This should encourage a higher quality of work from teachers by requiring use of a communicative syllabus with stated targets.

Real life needs, European standards Presented by Zsuzsa Östör Euro Exam Centre Head of Teacher Training Senior Advisor email: ostorzsuzsa @euroexam. org www. euroexam. hu