Reference level descriptions (RLDs)
The first specification of a so called “threshold level” was formulated for the English language (Threshold level, 1975), quickly followed by French (Un Niveau Seuil, 1976). These two “instruments” were produced subsequently for other languages, but in each case they were adapted to suit the peculiar features of that language. While these threshold levels have gradually changed over the last 30 years, they still play a role in language teaching and are used as the basis for new national teaching programmes.
A compilation of Introductions and Prefaces to the series of level descriptions developed over a period of 30 years (1975 to 2005) provides insights into the development and adaptation for individual languages. Each specification was developed by national teams, usually with guidance from Dr J.L.M. Trim who was Director of the Council of Europe’s Modern Languages projects between 1974 and 1997.
A lower level specification known as Waystage was created for English in the 1970s, and in the 1990s, a level situated above the threshold, also starting with English, was added (i.e. Vantage Level). As for the threshold, other language versions then followed.
The three ascending level descriptions (Waystage, Threshold and Vantage) provided a basis for designing programmes and producing multimedia courses and were developed in parallel with the CEFR. These proficiency levels constitute one of the origins of the
six-level scale of the CEFR.
Learning target specifications (for the threshold and/or other levels) have been produced or updated for over 20 languages (including Basque, Catalan, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovene, Spanish and Welsh).
The following diagram shows the relationship between Council of Europe reference instruments for language teaching and learning.
This has become known as “the toolkit”.
A seminar was held in Strasbourg in December 2005 for teams reporting on RLDs that have been finalised, being developed, or are planned. Seventeen languages were represented including English. Nick Saville (Cambridge ESOL) presented the early plans for English Profile on behalf of the English Profile Team. There were also presentations from several other members of ALTE at the seminar who described their own projects for French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
The German language project was in fact the first to adopt the new approach to the development of RLDs. On the initiative of the Goethe Institute a tri-national authoring team produced Profile deutsch and it was published by Langenscheidt (2005).
Profile deutsch identifies the linguistic elements of German corresponding to the can-do descriptors of all 6 CEFR levels and is available on CD-ROM together with a reference manual. It provides an overview of the language elements dealt with at each level and the relevant facts needed for examinations. It is also notable as the first reference level description to cover all 6 levels of the CEFR. This was done in two stages: stage one covering the A and B levels and stage 2 adding the C level. The English Profile is taking a lead from the German approach in this respect in that all 6 levels will be described, but the coverage is likely to evolve over time (i.e. it is not envisaged that all levels will be described in the same degree of detail from the beginning).
The seminar in December 2005 examined various approaches to designing RLDs and the representatives were encouraged to exchange ideas and know-how as they develop their own descriptions. The Council of Europe’s Language Policy Division has also developed a Guide for the production of RLDs aimed at assisting teams in developing an RLD for a national or regional language and this has been used as one of the inputs to the English Profile. This is available from the Council of Europe website.
A key point is that the individual language reference level descriptions of the CEFR should follow on from the Threshold
levels series, putting that experience to good use, but differing in that
they hinge directly on the CEFR.
RLDs should follow some general principles, including:
- Each reference level description or set of reference level descriptions for a given language implements solutions and makes choices adapted to the language concerned.
- Each set of reference level descriptions may take advantage of descriptions already developed for other languages, but not by simply translating the inventories used for another language.
- Each reference level description specifies what its function is and what it is not in order to prevent misuse.
- Each set of reference level descriptions for a given language is aimed at those in charge of designing curricula. It should be made clear whether the descriptions are also meant for specific user groups and whether they were prepared with particular learners in mind.
- For each reference level description the coherence between the different component inventories should be verified.
- Each reference level description provides for means of adjusting the proposed inventories with time (as the language changes, for example).
- Each reference level description states what is considered as an open inventory and what is not.
- The descriptions are meant to serve as a starting point for the preparation of teaching programmes for the language concerned and take readers and users into account.
Each description for each language should refer to a level of the Framework and its descriptors and provide inventories of the linguistic material necessary to implement the competences thus defined and explain the choice of forms.
For a given level, all the linguistic material identified in the descriptions for that level and the levels below it, and only those levels should be included (e.g. B2 includes everything contained in levels B1, A2 and A1).
It is strongly recommended that the developers of the RLDs should account for their decisions in developing their work in particular ways, and be prepared to explain what theories or other principles they applied in making choices.
For example, in using the CEFR descriptors, or other descriptors, the RLD developers should explain exactly how they arrived at the inventories of linguistic forms. In addition they should provide a description of the approach(es) used to establish such inventories
of forms.
RLDs may also include other common features, such as the following inventories:
- communication fields and situations concerned;
- text forms expected at the level with a distinction between reception (input to the learner) and production (output from the learner);
- types of discourse concerned (e.g. predictable oral exchange patterns);
- cultural and intercultural knowledge and competences concerned;
- phonetic and intonation skills it is considered necessary to command at this level;
- graphical forms;
- learning and self-learning strategies;
- a general index.
RLDs under development (PDF)
Council of Europe RLD development guidelines (PDF)
