The English Profile Research Programme
English Profile is built around three major research strands, involving collaboration among all the partners. The three strands form a coherent long-term research programme, managed by Project Co-ordinator Dr Svetlana Kurtes based at Cambridge ESOL:
- Corpus Linguistics - working with computer scientists in Cambridge to investigate the language which learners actually produce at each level
This work is managed by the Research Centre For English and Applied Linguistics (RCEAL), University of Cambridge.
Read an interview with Professor John Hawkins, Head of RCEAL
Summary of the English Profile research being carried out by RCEAL and the Cambridge Computer Laboratory
(PDF - 479kb)
- Pedagogy - focusing on curricula and materials, with particular attention to the higher levels (B2-C2)
This work is managed by the Centre for Research in English Language Learning and Assessment (CRELLA), University of Bedfordshire, headed by Professor Cyril Weir
Read an interview with Dr Tony Green, Senior Lecturer at CRELLA
- Assessment - focusing on how language skills develop, both in terms of learners knowledge and how they are able to use the language
This work is managed by Cambridge ESOL
The English Profile research programme is the latest stage in a process dating back to the 1970s, when John Trim and Jan van Ek developed the original Threshold series published on behalf of the Council of Europe by Cambridge University Press, which remains a cornerstone of research and materials development in language teaching and testing, and which contributed to the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages {current link}: (CEFR)
Read more on the background to the Threshold series and the CEFR
English Profile works with the functional approach to the CEFR level descriptions.
To date the criterial features of the various levels have been expressed in functional terms ( can-do statements ) that are compatible with numerous grammatical and lexical exponents. Some of the innovative features of the English Profile which distinguish it from previous work in this field include the following:
- it has an empirical dimension, based on research using corpora;
- it incorporates psycholinguistic considerations, in addition to the more traditional linguistic (grammatical/lexical) features;
- it focuses strongly on the impact of different first languages and learning contexts and hence transfer effects.
The empirical approach is being developed to identify criterial differences and developmental sequences which cannot be predicted by acquisition theories alone. The more broadly based analysis of the proficiency levels which emerge from incorporating grammatical and psycholinguistic measures will be more precise and revealing than one based on grammar alone.
In addition, the typological dimension will allow for a detailed analysis of transfer effects in the achievement patterns of different learners of English (i.e. from different L1 background and different learning contexts). These criterial features and transfer effects will be appropriately incorporated into the reference document with practical benefits for users.
In addition to a focus on the existing work in the Threshold series and in similar Reference Level Description projects (such as Profile deutsch), the starting point for the work of the project team has been determined by an attempt to answer the questions – where are the gaps ?
An obvious point is that the existing specifications for English do not cover the C levels (and the A1 level was only ever produced in a draft form). A focus on the C-levels, both in functional and linguistic terms, has therefore been prioritised.
Other research questions the project will address include:
- What distinguishes C Levels from B levels?
- How do you characterise the salient linguistic features?
- What are the criterial differences between each level – B2 to C2 in grammatical and lexical terms?
