CEFR

Familiarisation
Training
Primary

Insert presenter name

Overview
essions 1 and 2

Introducti
on to the
CEFR and
the aims
of the
course

Listening:
Primary
Interlocutor
Perspectives
and the CEFR

The six
referenc
e levels

The
Cambridg
e Baseline
2013

Session 1

Introduction to the CEFR

What do you think the map shows?

CEFR: De facto world standard

Map showing the influence of the Common European

Framework of Reference (CEFR) around the world at national
policy level.

CEFR regional and world impact

Educational language policy in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea,
Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam is aligned to the
CEFR
Countries in South America (Chile, Colombia, Argentina), the
Middle East (Bahrain, Qatar) and Africa (Egypt) are incorporating the
CEFR into their educational systems
Even countries which have developed their own language frameworks,
such as Canada and the USA, are beginning to utilise the CEFR or identify
ways of bringing their own frameworks and the CEFR together.
All of the following countries have undertaken CEFR-related projects:
Albania, Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel,
Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Mexico,
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine

Translated into 40 languages

Terminology
CEFR
Common European Framework
of Reference
CEF
Common European Framework
(of reference)

CFR
Common Framework of
Reference

What is the CEFR and why is

it useful?

Background to the CEFR

need to create a comprehensive, transparent and
coherent basis of understanding as to what being able to
use a language at different
levels means, regardless
of language or location of instruction
growth in European Union membership and processes of
integration and movement
increased mobility of people and need for mutual recognition of
language qualifications obtained from different institutions and
from different countries

developments in language learning: from grammar

translation to functional, notional, communicative
approaches

Aims of the CEFR

to describe in a comprehensive way what language

learners have to learn to do in order to use a language for
communication and what knowledge and skills they have to
develop so as to be able to act effectively.

to provide a common basis for the elaboration of

language syllabuses, curriculum guidelines, examinations
and textbooks.

to define levels of proficiency which allow learners

progress to be measured at each stage of learning and on a
life-long basis

CEFR developmental vision

What [the CEFR] can do is to stand as a central point of
reference, itself always open to amendment and further
development, in an interactive international system of cooperating institutions ... whose cumulative experience and
expertise produces a solid structure of knowledge, understanding
and practice shared by all.
John Trim

CEFR developmental vision

What [the CEFR] can do is to stand as a central point of

reference, itself always open to amendment and further

development, in an interactive international system of

co-operating institutions ... whose cumulative experience

and expertise produces a solid structure of knowledge,
understanding and practice shared by all.
John Trim

What are the common uses of

the CEFR?

Discuss with your

partner

Common uses of the CEFR

evaluating language learning needs
designing courses
teacher training programmes developing
syllabuses informing test development
guiding assessment criteria development
developing learning materials
describing language policies
informing continuous/self-assessment
Handout 1

Aims of this course

to introduce the CEFRs core conception of language learning
to introduce the CEFRs six level framework of language proficiency
to consider salient differences between approaches to teaching young children L2
compared to teenagers and adults relating to literacy onset, linguistic progression
and cognitive and emotional development
to raise awareness of language learning pedagogy perspectives in the CEFR and
interpreting action-oriented perspectives on curriculum, teaching methodology and
assessment in terms of primary-aged children
to induct participants into four skills constructs and consider perspectives on early
enabling skills for children
to induct participants into rating scales for childrens Speaking and Writing related to
CEFR and assessment practices appropriate for testing primary-aged children
to encourage participants to reflect on how CEFR could impact on areas of education
- and more specifically Primary education - in Malaysia

The CEFR:
view of language learning and the six
reference levels

The CEFR: two focuses

CEFR presents the view of communication
as the goal of language learning
CEFR provides a descriptive framework
of levels of language proficiency, enabling
all languages and contexts of learning of what it
means to master a language at a given level

the CEFRs action-oriented / can-do

approach
Handout 2

Defining key notions in the

CEFR

The core view of language learning in the CEFR is that learning a language is essentially
a process of learning to use language to perform communicative acts - either in
social contexts with others or in private contexts in communicating with ourselves.
These are shaped by the different forms of language activity of which they are
comprised, which can be described in terms of four broad categories: reception,
production, interaction and mediation. The process of engaging with texts - spoken or
written - in these different ways requires language users to draw on a range of
communicative language competences [linguistic, socio-linguistic, pragmatic] to
negotiate communication with flexibility in a variety of contexts. Performing tasks in
different contexts, to the extent that these tasks are not routine or automatic and
subject to different conditions and constraints, will require learners to use
different strategies for their successful completion. It is this broad conception of
language use and emergent communicative competences that underpins the action-

oriented approach to language teaching and learning embodied in the CEFR.

A six level framework

C2
C1

Proficient user

B2
B1
A2
A
1

Independent
user
Basic user
Handout 3

The Global Scale

Pr
o
fi
ci
e
nt

C2 Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information
from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a
coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and
precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.
C1 Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit
meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious
searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic
and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex
subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive
devices.

U
se
r

In
d
e
p
e
n
d
e

B2 Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics,

including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. 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.
B1 Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly
encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise
whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple
connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe
Handout 4a/b
experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and
explanations for opinions and plans.

Global Scale: Activity

Pr
o
fi
ci
e
nt
U
se

C2 Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise
information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and
accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently
and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex
situations.
C1 Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit
meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious
searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social,
academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text
on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and
cohesive devices.

In
d
e
p
e
n
d

B2 Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract
topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. 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.
B1 Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly
encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to
arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple
connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe
experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and

A driving metaphor
The mechanics of
driving
Core linguistic
knowledge

A range of driving
situations
A range of communicative
situations

A six level framework

C2
C1

Proficient user

B2
B1
A2
A
1

Independent
user
Basic user
Handout 5

Distinguishing between levels

B
1

A
2

A
1

Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar

matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can
deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area
where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text
on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe
experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly
give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas
of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family
information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in
simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of
information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms
aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas
of immediate need.
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic
phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce
him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal
details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she
has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and
clearly and is prepared to help.

Extensive range of scales

helping teachers, learners, course
designers, assessors to conceptualise the

language competences

and
strategies exhibited by learners at different
levels in relation to different

language

activities

Handout 6

Extensive range of scales

teachers, learners, course designers,
assessors to conceptualise the language
competences and strategies exhibited by learners
helping

at different levels in relation to different

language

activities

Handout 7

Reflection
Go back to your KWL chart:
1. Can you move any post-it notes from
W to L on your chart?
2. What are the key aspects that may be
challenging for you to apply in your
classrooms?
3. Which aspects do you find helpful.
How do you think you can apply these
to your own classrooms?

Overview
Session 2

The
Cambridg
e
Baseline
2013

Spoken
interact
ion

Qualitative
aspects of
speaking

Spoken
productio
n

Session 2

Cambridge Baseline 2013

1. What are the key

aspirations for
English language
learning in Malaysia?
2. What are the key
challenges to
learning English in
Malaysia?

Key aims
Undertake a comprehensive
review to understand the
current performance and
challenges
Create a 2013 baseline in
order to:

Establish a clear vision

and aspirations

Create an evidence-based
language policy and
strategy

Participants
5.2m students,
10,000 schools,
70,000 teachers

End of Pre-school,
Year 6, Form 3, Form
5, Form 6

Results by state,
school type,
location, grade,
Two-stage
stratified
gender
sample design

16 states, 426
schools, 20,000+
students, 1,000+
teachers

Schools, classes and

students randomly
selected to create a
representative
sample

41 schools, 78
classes visited.
Speaking tests,
classroom
observations,
interviews

Methodology

Comprehensive: pre-school to preuniversity

Comprehensive: learning, teaching,
assessment
Evidence-based
Mixed-method
International standards

Students: language levels, 4 skills

Teachers: language levels, 4 skills
Teachers: teaching knowledge
Teachers: teaching practice
National curricula, assessments, and learning
materials reviewed
Questionnaires, interviews

Positive findings
Approximately 85% of students
agree that they like their English
classes at school
Approximately 95% of teachers
agree that they like teaching
English
Many sampled teachers have a
high level of English and a good
knowledge of teaching
Some students have a high level of
English

Policy is moving in the right

direction

Student language levels

41% at A1/A2 and below; 53% at B1/B2; 6% at

C1/C2
55% at A1/A2 and below; 43% at B1/B2; 2% at
C1/C2
12% below A1, 57% at A1/A2, 30% at B1/B2;
1% at C1/C2

Form 6

At A2/B1

Form 5

At A2

Form 3

At A2

Year 6

At A1

32% below A1, 56% at A1/A2, 13% at B1/B2

Preschool

Below
A1

78% below A1, 22% at A1/A2

Students: levels B1 and above

70%

59%

60%

50%
45%
40%
31%
30%

27%

19%

20%
14%

13%
10%

6%
1%

0%

0%
0% 0%
Pre-school

Year 6 0%

B1 and above

1%

Form 3

B2 and above

2%

Form 5

C1 and above

Form 6

Students: levels A2 and below

100%

100%
94%
88%

90%
80%

70%

70%

66%

60%

56%

50%
41%

40%

41%

30%

27%

20%

14%

10%
0%

Pre-school

Year 6

A2 and below

Form 3

Form 5

A1 and below

Form 6

Achievement gaps
60%
53%
50%
40%
% learners at C EFR level

Urban schools perform best

34%

30%

24%

20%
11%

10%

2%1%

0%

Female students outperform boys

60%
49%

50%
40%

39%

30%
20%

17%

20%

Science specialists outdo those in

Arts

10%
0%

1%

2%

Students: weakest skill is speaking

Speaking emerged as the weakest skill for students at all
school grades
Students reported that they would most like to improve their
speaking skills

Attitudinal and background factors

Students report that they enjoy learning

English
However, not all students recognise the
importance of English
Learners report that they rarely use English in the
classroom
Learners have little exposure to English outside
the classroom
English-speaking parents have
positive impact

Teaching knowledge and practice

Teaching knowledge
Strong on establishing a good rapport with
students
Weaker in planning, managing and
monitoring learning
A range of classroom management
techniques from teacher-dominated to
learner-centred
Some excellent examples observed

Teaching practice

Factors influencing teaching and

learning

Teachers like teaching English

Teachers want more professional
development
Teachers need differentiation strategies
Students need an English-friendly
environment
Parents need support to participate more
Handout 8

Reflection
Discuss in groups what the
implications of these findings are
for you and your teaching.
In what way can the CEFR help
you address some of the issues
raised in the study?

Session 2

LISTENING: primary interlocutor

perspectives and CEFR scales

Questions related to key

issues this session that
trainers will address

a) Why is spoken input so important in Pre-school

Language learning?
b)How can teachers change input and
instructions so students can understand them?
c) What type of listening activities within CEFR
Pre-A1 and A1 ranges will most probably
interest very young learners?
d)What does a CEFR-based, action-oriented
English only classroom look like ?
Rank them according to which you can answer in
the fullest detail.

Key concepts and approaches

in SLA
SLA: Second
Language
Acquisition

Concepts

Approaches

Interlanguage
Language transfer
The input
hypothesis
Comprehensible
output
The silent period

Cognitive
Sociocultural
Individual factors
Adult and child
learners

L1 early oral development

Input

Output

Language of the
carer
Child-directed
speech (CDS) or
baby talk
Language of the
immediate
environment
Language routines
in the home

Optimum
opportunity to try
out
Opportunity to
work out
(comprehensible
output)
Evolving
interlanguage

L2 early oral development

Input

Output

Teacher modified
language (TML)
Language of the
school or home
environment
Language routines
in the classroom
Reformulated and
repeated language

Opportunity to try
out
Opportunity to
work out
(comprehensible
output)
Silent period

The CEFR action-oriented

The core goal inclassroom
a CEFR action-oriented classroom
is:

co-opting the learner into the process of

making English the medium as well as the
goal of all their learning
which means co-opting teachers into this
too.
Teachers can provide exposure to sounds and
contribute to the development of
phonological processing through:
Contextualised classroom routines
Teacher modified language or input
Use of methods like Total Physical Response

Whole child learning

utilise the experiences, knowledge and
interests children bring to learning
make tasks meaningful, purposeful
and fun
think of an embedded rather than an
explicit language focus
make sense from the learners
perspective
add elements of performance
display outcomes

Sample activity: Hand shadow

shapes

Teacher talk
contextualised language
language contingent on gesture, picture
and action
support of class routines
Teacher Modified Language (TML)
appeal of methods like TPR
positive reinforcement
affectively engage
power of song and movement.

CEFR can do perspectives

Learning outcomes are framed as a
progressive can-do sequence.
This encourages the use of learner-centred,
activity-based approaches by teachers in
targeting learning outcomes or results related
to CEFR

Overall Listening
Comprehension Scale

A2
Can understand enough to be able to meet needs of a
concrete type provided speech is clearly and slowly
articulated.
Can understand phrases and expressions related to areas
of most immediate priority (e.g. very basic personal and
family information, shopping, local geography,
employment) provided speech is clearly and slowly
articulated.
A1
Can follow speech which is very slow and carefully
articulated, with long pauses for him/her to assimilate
meaning

Listening to announcements
and instructions
B1
Can understand simple technical information, such as
operating instructions for everyday equipment.
Can follow detailed directions.
A2
Can catch the main point in short, clear, simple
messages and announcements.
Can understand simple directions relating to how to get
from X to Y, by foot or public transport.
A1
Can understand instructions addressed carefully and
slowly to him/her and follow short, simple directions.

Now I can ... listen and

follow simple instructions

draw simple shapes
write words that are spelled out
join in with songs
follow simple directions
match conversations to pictures
answer simple questions

learning objectives related to CEFR A1 Listening

comprehension descriptors

Meaning-focused early
listening input formats
Instructions

Direct questions

Teacher gives learners

worksheet with animal
outlines to colour.
Learners listen and
colour animals according
to teacher instructions.

Learners are given

worksheets with
numbers 1 to 10 written
on and options y/n (for
yes/no). Teacher reads
out ten questions.

e.g. Colour the monkey

blue and red. Thats
right. The monkey is
blue and red.

e.g. Do cats like milk?

Do cows eat eggs ?

Early listening input formats

Listen and do

Listen and identify

Listening and putting

objects on and colouring
different parts of a
getting to school
transport scene card.

Learners given
worksheet and tick the
correct option of three
according to teachers
descriptions.

e.g. Write number 10 on

the bus. Colour the bike
blue. Put the cat in the
car.

e.g. There are two black

cats under a chair.

Combining Listening and

Speaking
Watch, Listen and Speak, Make,
Decorate and Fly a paper plane

Listening input/output challenges and grading

length of text
language in text
sentence length
number of distractors
picture support
language needed for
answers
Handout 9

Listening input/output challenges

and grading
Just a few of the contingent language input
opportunities a medium like YouTube represents:

wrap a present
learn a dance step
sing along
how to sign
perform a trick
make projected puppet
shapes
draw cartoon characters
making paper hats

Primary Classroom: Methodological implications

Learning: high-quality interaction with

the teacher as facilitator of language
development encouraging active use.
Interactive full class teaching:
challenging and careful use of
questioning, elicitation and positive
reinforcement.
Pair and group work: high levels of
participation and language use.

Reflection
Look at the questions we began this session with:
1. Why is spoken input so important in Primary
Language learning?
2. How can teachers modify input, instructions to
make them comprehensible?
3. What type of listening activities within CEFR PreA1, A1 and A2 ranges are most likely to engage
young learners?
4. What does a CEFR-based, action-oriented English
only classroom look like ?
Which question would you most like to research
more?

Round-up and reflection

Handouts 10 and 11

Overview
Sessions 3 -6

Primary
Learner
Speaking
Competen
ces

CEFR
Reading
scales and
early
literacy
breakthroug
CEFR
h
scales and
early
written
productio
n

Text level
Reading
Activities and
CEFR

Session 3

Primary Learner Speaking

Competencies and strategies

Speaking Competences and Strategies

Lets watch three video

clips
Handout 12

Spoken Interaction
A1

A2

Can interact in a simple

way but communication is
totally dependent on
repetition at a slower rate
of speech, rephrasing and
repair.
Can ask and answer
simple questions, initiate
and respond to simple
statements in areas of
immediate need or on
very familiar topics.

can communicate in
simple and routine tasks
requiring a simple and
direct exchange of
information on familiar
topics and activities.
can handle very short
social exchanges even
though I cant usually
understand enough to
keep the conversation
going myself.

Handout 13

CEFR Spoken Production

A1
Can produce simple
mainly isolated
phrases about people
and places.

A2
Can give a simple
description or
presentation of people,
living or working
conditions, daily
routines,likes/dislikes,
etc. as a short series of
simple phrases and
sentences linked into a
list.
Handout
14

Speaking construct
Two Way

Three-way

What type of talk does neither diagram

accurately represent ?

Handout 15

Qualitative aspects of spoken

language use

INTERACTION
RANGE

FLUENCY

ACCURACY
COHERENCE
Handout 16

Generating spoken language

in the Primary classroom :
questioning and eliciting
techniques
Matching and ordering
Put it together
Put in the right place
Draw and colour it
Same or different
Odd-one-out
Whats missing?
Whats the question?

Handout
17

Wait-time with children

Sufficient wait-time is needed after the question for learners to

c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the question
f _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ an answer
p _ _ _ _ _ _ language
r _ _ _ _ _ _.
Wait-time before nominating and after the initial response
encourages
longer _______
______ from the learners
self-_________
level of learner _______.

Correction/recasting
techniques

Positive reinforcement
Finger correction
Correction images/symbols/spaces
Recasting
Avoid echoing

Drilling

Energise and focus

Model
Chorus drill
Highlight
Individual drill
Pair/group drill
Chorus repeat
Back-chaining, change emotions, change
accents

Pair and group work

gives learners more speaking time

changes the speed of the lesson
focus off you and onto the learner
mix with everyone in the group
sense of achievement when reaching a team goal
leading and being led by someone [not teacher]
teacher monitors, moves and listens to learners
language
improves sense of challenge, performance and can-do.
Think: seating, change of scene, group dynamics

Primary teacher toolkit

visuals
gesture
instructional (semantically contingent) language
L1 cognates
songs and rhymes
in school/out of school environment: international
words/names/symbols/shapes/numbers
positive reinforcement (recasts, not corrections/echoes)
easily identifiable formats: gaming, puzzles, riddles, jokes, spot the
difference, odd-one-out.

Aspects of child spoken

output not necessarily
reflected in CEFR

Trade-off between control of learner output and

authenticity of tasks in primary language classrooms
Scaffolding of tasks prevalent in pre-school learning
Learning to learn, enabling skills very prominent
in primary classrooms
Limits to childrens cognition, linguistic progress,
psychological, emotional, social development not
acknowledged in CEFR
In pre-school/early primary learning no task
should tax childrens cognition by requiring them to
deal with multiple perspectives other than their own

Session 4

CEFR Reading Scales and

early literacy breakthrough

Questions related to issues in

this session
In this session trainers will address:

What is alphabet knowledge and how

might this affect early literacy ?
What are some of the barriers to early
effective L2 [English code] literacy for
children ?
What are good ways for helping children
to decode ?
What does a multi-sensory Reading
classroom look like?

CEFR six-level Reading scale

Begins at A1 level and does not talk
about issues of early literacy
onset/breakthrough (learning to read)
in children.

Handout 18

Reading construct model

This scale, however, is just as valid in
primary
learning as it is secondary
learning contexts. We just need to
consider issues and approaches as
young pre-school learners work
towards A1.

Handout 19

A simplified version

A model of
Reading

Word
recognition
Lexical search
Syntactic
parsing
Meaning
construction
Discourse
construction

(adapted from Field 2013: 97,101,104)

Quick quiz
1. How many sounds are there in English ?
2. How many characters are there in the
English alphabet?
3. How many consonant clusters are there in
English?
4. How many consonant clusters can occur
both at beginning and end of English
words?
5. What is a digraph?
6. Why have UPPER CASE letters increased
in importance in the last few years?

Early Primary literacy issues

Why teach the alphabet?
When should you teach the alphabet?
What can cause confusion with alphabet
teaching?
Can we teach English spelling/decoding
systematically?

a e i o u
Sounding and sound
pictures

bdtpmgcfh

Spot check: sound / i : /

tree

Frequency
me

key

beach

me

tree

pony

key

beach

pony

Spot check: sound / k : /

duck

Frequency
cat

kitten

kitten

queen

duck

school

school

cat

queen

We can show this knowledge as:

For sound / s /
sun dress

horse city ice

sound picture chart - THRASS chart

Early literacy sequence

introduce most common sound pictures first

single letter consonant pictures b p t d l m and most frequent
single letter vowel pictures a e i o
move to consonant blends: st br
move to digraphs: sh ch
move to split vowel digraphs: m a d e
r ide

Mid-Primary
move to proper vowel digraphs:
r ai n
make learners aware of initial, mid- and final position sound
picture potential:
st o p
l o st

Higher Primary
present variation: dog egg
present overlap: snow now

Key skills
Blending:
Blend sound pictures (letters) to make words
h o t
t r y
Segmenting:
Segment words in to sound pictures
th / a / t
l / igh / t
Phoneme manipulation:
Manipulate sounds in and out of words.
__ a p
c a __
These skills are reversible: they work for both reading
and spelling.

Phono graphix
Four principles
English is a sound to grapheme code: think
sound pictures:
t g
Some sound pictures are represented by more
than one letter: ch sh ae
There is variation in the code - some sounds are
represented by more than one sound picture: g
gh gg
There is overlap in the code - some sound
pictures represent more than sound: h ea t gr
ea t

Following a phonographic
approach means:
you teach sound - sound picture
relationships in a fixed order
you teach encoding and decoding at the
same time
key skills are reversible
you reject the idea of silent letters,
exceptions to rules
you can add a sight word approach which
allows early access to meaning through
texts and books

Sight-words: may be kept in a

different place

Skills framework
sounds and sound pictures
motor skills
names
sight words/environment words
be multi-sensory: hear look say touch move
write
letter patterns and spelling
integrate with wider listening and speaking work
following stories being read (whole books)

Reflection
Lets return to our question:
What are effective approaches for
helping children to decode?
Discuss these terms in small groups:
sound picture
blending
sounding
encoding
segmenting
sight-word phoneme
manipulation digraph

Session 5

CEFR scales and early

writing

Orthographic control
A1
Can copy familiar words and short phrases e.g.
simple signs or instructions, names of everyday
objects, names of shops and set phrases used
regularly.
Can spell his/her address, nationality and other
personal details.

Grammatical Accuracy
A1
Shows only limited control of a few
simple grammatical structures and
sentence patterns in a learnt
repertoire.

Overall Written production

C2
scale
Can write clear, smoothly flowing, complex texts in an appropriate and effective style
and a logical structure which helps the reader to find significant points.
C1
Can write clear, well-structured texts of complex subjects, underlining the relevant
salient issues, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary
points, reasons and relevant examples, and rounding off with an appropriate
conclusion.
B2
Can write clear, detailed texts on a variety of subjects related to his/her field of
interest, synthesising and evaluating information and arguments from a number of
sources.
B1
Can write straightforward connected texts on a range of familiar subjects within his
field of interest, by linking a series of shorter discrete elements into a linear sequence.
A2
Can write a series of simple phrases and sentences linked with simple connectors like
and, but and because.
A1
Can write simple isolated phrases and sentences.

Issues in this session for

participants to reflect upon
What do we consider as early motor skills in
learning to write as learners work towards
CEFR A1?
How can we make strong connections
between decoding and encoding [spelling]?
Can we help young learners to visualise and
remember spellings?
If we took Malaysian early primary learners
to a spelling clinic what words would be
their common problems?

English spelling is polysystemic

phonologi
cal
lexic
al

morphologi
cal

Spelli
ng

graphe
mic

etymologi
cal

Almost all top 100 words

come from Old English roots
wh-

kn-

-gh
igh
ow

aw

are all Old English orthographical

patterns.

Learning these common

patterns

Learners who expect to -gh are less likely to

hg
Learners have fewer strange patterns to
learn when they start to see these patterns,
e.g. start to chunk: th- sh- -ion
Permits silent letter approach when we
know k / w at beginning of words used to
be pronounced.

Split digraph: magic e

(incredibly wide-ranging)
Tim - time

mad - made

us

- use

Sam - same

not

- note

hat

- hate

Link to sound picture approach

Opposites

igh

day
low
wrong
loose
heavy

r
l
t
h
n

Pass the pattern

ch
ou
st
ing
igh
al

ee
ea
le
es
ck
tion

Spelling: graphemic knowledge

Possible environment for letter strings
Useful graphemic patterns which can help
learners:
syllables
word length
CVC doubling
illegal endings
letters that dont double
-f / -ves

Sticks and tails

Key:
Letters with sticks b d f h k l t
Letters with tails
gjpqy
In-line letters
aceimnorsuvwxz

which

bicycle

Visualising: ps and bs

Piaget discovery
get learners into the habit of looking with intent
point out that print is all around them
take an interest in words as you read/ come across
them (sounds like/looks like but.../word families)
encourage learners to take mental photos of
words/hold the image in their mind/break it down into
sound pictures
get learners to write down words and see if it looks
right
air write / back-write words
be multi-sensory: hear look say touch move
sound write

Lets return to our question

If we took your learners to a spelling clinic, what
words would be their common complaints?
Do any of these strategies help with the problems?

Sticks and
Tails (word
shape)
Mnemonic
recording

Word
within a
word
Pattern log

Highlightin
g the
problem
phoneme

Emotive
Spelling

Handout 20

Sultan Mustafa was born in1639

and died in 1667. He had 542
children. All of them boys!!

Session 6
Text level reading activities and the
CEFR: Extending to the primary context

Reading purpose

Reading activities, purposes

and strategies

Readin
g
activitie
s

What is the difference? Can

you think of some
examples?

Reading
strategi
es
Reading
purpose
s

Handout 21

Global reading scale

A2

Can understand short simple texts

containing the highest frequency
vocabulary, including a proportion of
shared international vocabulary items.

Handout 22

A simplified version

A model of
Reading

Word
recognition
Lexical search
Syntactic
parsing
Meaning
construction
Discourse
construction

(adapted from Field 2013:97,101,104)

Handout 23

Reading [not aloud]

Skills involved include:

perceptual skills
memory
decoding skills
inferencing
predicting
imagination
rapid scanning
referring back and forth
interpreting

Towards a reading construct

READING FOR INFORMATION AND
ARGUMENT
C2

as in C1

C1

Can understand in detail a wide range of lengthy, complex texts likely to be

encountered in social, professional or academic life, identifying finer points of detail
including attitudes and implied as well as stated opinions

B2

Can obtain information, ideas and opinions from highly specialised sources within
his/her field.
Can understand specialised articles outside his/her field, provided he/she can use a
dictionary occasionally to confirm his/her interpretation of terminology.
Can understand articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in
which the writers adopt particular stances or viewpoints.

B1

Can identify the main conclusions in clearly signalled argumentative texts. Can
recognise the line of argument in the treatment of the issue presented, though not
necessarily in detail.
Can recognise significant points in straightforward newspaper articles on familiar
subjects.

A2

Can identify specific information in simpler written material he/she encounters such
as letters, brochures
and short newspaper articles describingHandout
events. 24

A1

Can get an idea of the content of simpler informational material and short simple

1.Magazines.There are lots of great magazines for kids, both at the

newsstand and available for digital downloads.
2.Comics.Don't discount the power of comics to hook kids on reading.
They are a great way to teach your children about the back and forth of
dialog.
3.Manuals.For kids who want to know how things work, manuals for
things like cars, lawnmowers, and appliances can be great options -- and
they build vocabulary, too.
4.Newspapers.If you are worried about exposing your child to news
articles about crime or traumatic events, choose a local community
newspaper or give your child a specific section to read that you've
already vetted.
5.Poetry.Grab a collection of poems or sit down and write some with
your children. Rhyming is an important skill for reading, and having your
children write poems on their own is a great way to build that skill.
6.Travel Brochures.They can plan fantasy vacations and learn a bit of
geography, too.
7.Encyclopedias.Did you read encyclopedias as a kid? Your child might
have to read them online, but that's OK, too. Start with a subject and see
where it takes the two of you.

1.Sports Programs.Hold on to the programs that you are given at

sporting events and let your kids read and reread about their favorite
athletes and teams.
2.Catalogs.Many catalogs now are so much more than just products
and quick descriptions. Have your child make wish lists and fit in a little
writing, too.
3.Recipes.Cook with your kids and take turns reading the ingredients
and instructions. This is a great example of real-life reading for kids of
any age.
4.Dictionaries.You might be hard pressed to convince your children to
read a dictionary from cover to cover, but give them a challenge like:
"Find a new word that starts with 'r'" or "Find a word with 13 letters" and
they will end up doing a lot of reading with a plain old dictionary.
5.Play Scripts.Explore what it might be like to be on screen or stage by
reading a few scripts together. You can even put on a play after reading
them.
6.Atlases.Atlases are packed with a wealth of reference information.
Not only can your child map out a great adventure, but she can also read
about land formations, population, and more.
7.Road Signs.Kids start recognizing familiar signs at an early age. Keep
that knowledge of environmental print going by playing sign games on
road trips.
8.Books They Write!Nothing is as powerful as reading their own

Top-down and bottom-up

processing
When we misread
something or come
across something
unfamiliar we adjust
our strategy
A large part of
reading
effectively is
reading
information at an
appropriate
speed for a
reading purpose

We read different
texts or parts of texts
differently according
to the type of reading
activity we are
engaged in

Which are more likely to

involve top-down processes?

finding specific words/numbers in a text

extracting main ideas in a text
using a dictionary to check the meaning of a word
using context to guess the meaning of an unknown
word
using word shape/lexical clues to guess meaning of
a word
stating explicit and implicit meaning of text
highlighting direct speech in a text
predicting outcomes in a text
summarising ideas in a text

[ These different types of skills are described across the CEFR illustrative reading
scales ]

Whole child: Reading

Perspectives
emotional needs
engaging with environment
emergent (developing) literacies and
languages (different literacies)
cognitive abilities
citizenship
emergent cultural identity and
understanding

Active learning
Broad early reading activity types:
Listen , Follow and Read
read and use computer menus
activities
word patterns

whole books
read and do digital

picture dictionaries

read, research, write for display

read and do

read and predict

read and solve puzzles

Active learning
Picture dictionary quest
Find the animal by looking in the dictionary.

1. It begins with c. It lives on a farm. It has got four

legs.
2. It lives on a farm. It begins with sh. It ends in p.
3. They live in the sea. They begin with f. They lay
eggs.
4. Its a bird. It begins with p. It cannot fly.

Whole child: cognitive abilities,

participation, sharing - reading and
listening quiz
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Can camels swim?

How many legs has a spider got?
Do snakes lay eggs?
Can ducks fly?
Does a chicken foot have three or four toes?
Can frogs walk?
Can chickens say quack quack?
Do penguins lay eggs?
Name two animals we get milk from?
Can cows jump?
How many legs has a frog got?
Can you spell bee aloud in two ways?

Active learning
Key class phases in story activity
Pre:
pre-teaching/eliciting vocabulary
introducing characters
story-telling setting: mat, props, hats, puppets, signs,
etc.
While:
images, animation, reinforcing language
listening and reading along
audience participation/pantomime
Post:
show feeling for character/voice consolidation
consolidating language
drama, craft, display

Active learning
CEFR can-do oriented early
Reading ideas
Now I can:
solve letter puzzles
read and write my name
read and make labels for display
spell CVC words aloud
read and make English signs
use a picture dictionary
read and point
read and say what comes next
read and follow picture stories
read and do crosswords
read and follow animations with subtitles
read cartoons and add/match captions

Reflection
What are key concepts from sessions
3 - 6 that may be challenging for
teachers to grasp? What, if any,
additional activities would you need
to do to help teachers understand
these aspects?

Session 3 - 6 concept
review
Discuss in groups how these ideas are
connected to the CEFR:
orientation
clues

integrated tasks

enabling skills

range

discourse construction

lexical

daily routines
sight-word

Overview
Session 7

Text level
Writing
activities
and CEFR

Communicativ
e language
pedagogy and
the role of
assessment
CEFR
language
knowledg
e scales

CEFR and
assessment :
Assessing
Primary
Learner
Speaking and
Writing

Session 7

Text level writing activities and the

CEFR: Extending to the primary context

Overall Written production

C2
scale
Can write clear, smoothly flowing, complex texts in an appropriate and effective style
and a logical structure which helps the reader to find significant points.
C1
Can write clear, well-structured texts of complex subjects, underlining the relevant
salient issues, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary
points, reasons and relevant examples, and rounding off with an appropriate
conclusion.
B2
Can write clear, detailed texts on a variety of subjects related to his/her field of
interest, synthesising and evaluating information and arguments from a number of
sources.
B1
Can write straightforward connected texts on a range of familiar subjects within his
field of interest, by linking a series of shorter discrete elements into a linear sequence.
A2
Can write a series of simple phrases and sentences linked with simple connectors like
and, but and because.
A1
Can write simple isolated phrases and sentences.

Creative Writing descriptors

C2
Can write clear, smoothly flowing, and fully engrossing stories and descriptions of experience in a style
appropriate to the genre adopted.
C1
Can write clear, detailed, well-structured and developed descriptions and imaginative texts in an
assured, personal, natural style appropriate to the reader in mind.
B2
Can write clear, detailed descriptions of real or imaginary events and experiences, marking the relationship
between ideas in clear connected text, and following established conventions of the genre concerned.
Can write clear, detailed descriptions on a variety of subjects related to his/her field of interest.
Can write a review of a film, book or play.
B1
A2
A1

Handout 25

Overall Written Interaction

Scale
B1
Can convey information and ideas on abstract as well as concrete
topics, check information and ask about or explain problems with
reasonable precision.
Can write personal letters and notes asking for or conveying
simple information of immediate relevance, getting across the
point he/she feels to be important.
A2
Can write short, simple formulaic notes relating to matters in
areas of immediate need.
A1
Can ask for or pass on personal details in written form.
Handout 26

Written text types

Handout
27

Multi-sensory writing
air writing
back writing techniques

directional letter writing

pattern within a word:
making mnemonics
making string words
completing CVC words
rhyming words : guess
and write

caption
matching/completion

sight word gaming

story prediction
letter change dictation
making string letters
multiple blank
summaries

Typical early curriculum integrated writing focus

School

The world around us

[P] Give learners a blank

diagram/floorplan of their school. Give
learners different images, e.g. car park,
hall, toilet, gym, office, classrooms,
canteen or library to cut out and stick on
their diagram according to school layout.

[D] Teacher demonstrates different

things signs can typically mean

[W] Walk learners around school to find

and copy down names of different parts
of school in English
[P] Learners label their diagram with
words they have found around school.

Here Danger Please Stop This way

Dont
[P] Learners read different signs in
English and say which one of above each
one means.
[W] or [P] Online interactive sign
reading. Learners read signs and
complete short sentences either as whole
class to board or on computers.
[P] Learners draw/make signs using
guided templates to put around
school/classroom. All signs placed on a
wall and other learners say what they
mean and where you would put them.

Session 8

Communicative language pedagogy

and the role of assessment

Language learning classroom

environment
What do you like or dislike
about this classroom?
What dimensions of a
CEFR-oriented curriculum
would be hard to deliver in
this environment?

Handout 28

Pedagogic principles and

communicative language
learning
Modelling

Cross-curricular links

Active learning

Responding to learners
needs

Learning
conversations

Collaborative learning

Differentiation

E-learning

Attitudes to learner error

Which best represents your perspective?
errors and mistakes are evidence of failure to learn
errors and mistakes are evidence of inefficient
teaching
errors and mistakes are evidence of the learners
willingness to communicate despite risks
errors are an inevitable, transient product of the
learners developing interlanguage
mistakes are inevitable in all language use,
including that of native speakers

Error correction
all errors and mistakes should be immediately corrected by the
teacher
immediate peer-correction should be systematically
encouraged to eradicate errors
all errors should be noted and corrected at a time when doing
so does not interfere with communication
errors should not be simply corrected, but also analysed and
explained at an appropriate time
Discuss
mistakes which are mere slips should be passed over, but your
systematic errors should be eradicated
view in
errors should be corrected only when they interfere with groups ?
communication
errors should be accepted as transitional interlanguage and
ignored.

Developing teacher
assessment literacy

Handout 29

Developing learning-oriented
assessment practices
Basic principles

school learning proceeds within a community it is a social process

learning concerns personal development, consisting in attitudes,
dispositions and skills which are key to present and future learning
teaching goals and assessment goals must be closely aligned to
specific desirable outcomes (communicative ability in the case of
languages)
language learning concerns the purposeful use of language to
communicate personally significant meanings
tasks must have interactional authenticity, that is, learners must
engage with the task at hand, not the winning of positive appraisal
of performance
evidence drawn from classroom interaction if systematically
recorded could be usefully fed back to promote further learning
Handout 30

Learning-oriented
assessment

Put the learner at the

centre

Learning Oriented Assessment

A Question:

(LOA)

After a day at school, which of the

statements below are you more
likely to think of?
Today what I taught was
Today what my student learned
was

Today what mySetting

students learned
clear
was
learner

objectives

Adjusting
teaching
cycle

Interpreta
tion

Performa
nce

Observati
on

Adjust
teaching
cycle

Set clear
learner
objectives
(by the
end of the
lesson my
students
will be
able to)

Using a
framewor
k of
reference
(e.g.
Provide
feedback CEFR)

or
encourage
selfassessme
nt

Set tasks
to elicit a
Performa
nce

Collect
and
interpret
evidence

LOA: Key features

Setting goals
Collecting evidence
Giving feedback

An informed and systematic approach

keeping the learner at the centre

Differentiated learning in
practice
It is not just about:
individualising instruction e.g. through
worksheets or homework tasks

OR
balancing group work with individual work
so as to support different learners differently

Effective differentiated
learning
Effective differentiated learning is more about noticing how
different learners react to different techniques...responding
and adapting to thismodifying and varying activities within
the teaching mix, keeping all learners involved in lesson
outcomes.

Differentiated by support
Different amounts of support can be offered
to learners in many ways.
Weaker learners can be supported through
instruction modification
The stronger learners will need to feel
challenged too. Their input could provide
help for weaker learners; they could be
given more challenging instructional tasks,
or they could be given additional
contextualised problems.

Differentiated success criteria

The success criteria specified could be
differentiated by indicating what proportion of
the class will finish which criteria:
ALL every learner in the class will achieve
this
MOST a large proportion of the class will
achieve this
SOME a few of the more able will achieve
this. Some learners will not try to do this but
instead focus on earlier success criteria.

Differentiated by task
Tasks are set according to learners abilities.
What they can do may differ in content or
structure.
This may be as simple as having a choice
between a variety of questions getting
progressively more difficult, or learners can
try completely different tasks on the same
topic.

Learning styles or modes are

also a way of picturing
differentiation by task

Digital
Virtual

Differentiated by outcome
Each learner is set the same investigative, creative and/or openended task. Learners produce a variety of solutions/designs
dependent on their ability, strengths and preferences in learning.
Pre-school learners could be given tasks of different complexity
in the production of a group class display that teacher then talks
about in English
Pre-school learners can keep their own English portfolio using
pictures to record what they can do in English

http://elp-implementation.ecml.at/

Session 9

CEFR: Language knowledge

scales

Language awareness
I want to sell many dolls. (a lot of)
Why do you give those information
in an advertis(e)ment? (this)
I will move to other city so I want to
sell it. (another)
It was really interesting to hear about
all the different people and theirs
[backgrounds]. (their)

General Scales for Language

Knowledge
Vocabulary Range

Grammatical Accuracy

A2
Has a sufficient vocabulary
for the expression of basic
communicative needs.
Has a sufficient vocabulary
for coping with simple
survival needs.
A1
Has a basic vocabulary
repertoire of isolated words
and phrases related to
particular concrete situations

A2

Uses some simple structures

correctly, but still systematically
makes basic mistakes for
example tends to mix up tenses
and forget to mark agreement;
nevertheless, it is usually clear
what he/she is trying to say.

A1

Shows only limited control of a

few simple grammatical
structures and sentence
patterns in a learnt repertoire.

CEFR is not supported by a

language syllabus
specification

However there are many important projects

linked to CEFR that have given insight into
the language areas that are implied in its
skills specification;
Breakthough [A1] Waystage [A2] and
Threshold [B1] specification
English Profile [ Cambridge English
Language Assessment ]
Cambridge English YLE lexical and
structural syllabus

Handout 31

English Vocabulary Profile

(EVP)
http://www.englishprofile.org

Handout 32

Lexical progression

TAKE
[tr.]

A1

A2

B1

B2

C1

Take a
book

Take a bus

Take part

Take a
deep
breath

Take the
matter
further

Take a
picture

Take an
exam

Take a nap Take a

chance

Take care

Take place

Take
sb/sth
seriously
Take a
keen
interest

Starters: working towards A1

correct adj
cousin n
cow n
crocodile n
cross n + v
cupboard n
D
dad(dy) n
day n
desk n
dining room n
dinner n
dirty adj

Pedagogic Grammar
Can you say at which level
Starters working towards A1
Movers A1
Flyers
A2
These structures would first appear as part of the specification:
If clauses (in zero conditionals)
If its sunny, we go swimming.
Adjectives Including possessive adjectives
Hes a small boy. His name is Bill

Handouts 33 &
34

Session 10
CEFR and assessment scales:
Assessing Primary Speaking and Writing
skills

Teacher/Interlocutor frameworks with younger

children
Teacher

Learner

Sets the scene and ______ action

_______ to items in a scene picture

_______ cards while talking

_______ an object card in a group of

cards by _______

Gives example and _____ task

_______ object cards to places in a scene

picture

Asks _____ questions

Asks closed _______ questions

_______ about things in a scene picture

Asks questions and ____ learner

wait-time

Answering questions about ________

object cards

________ to learner that focus of

questions has changed

Answering personalized questions

_________ to object cards

_________ clear eye contact with

learner

Answering personal questions without

__________
Handout 35

Speaking Assessment Tasks

Lets watch the video clip

At what level on the CEFR scale was the
learner in the video clip operating?
Which parts of the CEFR Spoken
Interaction and Production scales point to

Speaking Competence at Pre A1 level

Lets watch the video clip

again and assess the
candidates performance

Handout 36

CEFR Written Production Scales:

Assessing Primary Writing

Overall Written production

C2
scale
Can write clear, smoothly flowing, complex texts in an appropriate and effective style
and a logical structure which helps the reader to find significant points.
C1
Can write clear, well-structured texts of complex subjects, underlining the relevant
salient issues, expanding and supporting points of view at some length with subsidiary
points, reasons and relevant examples, and rounding off with an appropriate
conclusion.
B2
Can write clear, detailed texts on a variety of subjects related to his/her field of
interest, synthesising and evaluating information and arguments from a number of
sources.
B1
Can write straightforward connected texts on a range of familiar subjects within his
field of interest, by linking a series of shorter discrete elements into a linear sequence.
A2
Can write a series of simple phrases and sentences linked with simple connectors like
and, but and because.
A1
Can write simple isolated phrases and sentences.

Overall Written Interaction Scale

B1
Can convey information and ideas on abstract as well as concrete
topics, check information and ask about or explain problems with
reasonable precision.
Can write personal letters and notes asking for or conveying
simple information of immediate relevance, getting across the
point he/she feels to be important.
A2
Can write short, simple formulaic notes relating to matters in
areas of immediate need.
A1
Can ask for or pass on personal details in written form.

Criteria in the scales

Look at the scales on the next slide
for assessing A2 writing. The rating
descriptors relate to three broad
criteria.
What are they?
Handout
37

A2 writing scale

Band
5

Marking criteria
Very good attempt at the task.
No effort is required of the reader.
All elements of the message are fully communicated
Good attempt at the task.
Minimal effort is required of the reader.
All elements of the message are communicated
Satisfactory attempt at the task.
Some effort is required of the reader.
All elements of the message are communicated. OR
One content element omitted but others clearly communicated

Inadequate attempt at the task.

Significant effort may be required of the reader.
Content elements omitted, or unsuccessfully dealt with, so the
message is only partly communicated

Poor attempt at the task.

Excessive effort is required of the reader.
Very little of the message is communicated
Content is totally irrelevant or incomprehensible. OR
Too little language to assess.

Plenary and round up

Look at some of the images and icons from the recent

sessions. Which CEFR-related things are likely to most
impact on your work ? Explain to another participant.
Reception
Pronunciation
Production

CEFR Online http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/cadre1_en.asp

Useful areas to go to:

The CEFR and language examinations: a toolkit
Towards plurilingual education:Two Guides and Studies
40 languages including a Chinese version:

LANGUAGE EDUCATION POLICY PROFILES