Den gemensamma europeiska referensramen för språk: Lärande, undervisning, bedömning – ett nordiskt perspektiv

Abstract

Den gemensamma europeiska referensramen för språk har sedan den gavs ut av Europarådet år 2001 fått allt större inflytande vad gäller språkutbildning och bedömning, främst i Europa men även i andra delar av världen. I artikeln behandlas referensramen som sådan, liksom den europeiska språkportfolio som kan ses som en didaktisk operationalisering av dokumentet. Efter inledande bakgrundsinformation, som även innehåller ett avsnitt kring diskussioner och dilemman runt referensramen, fokuseras situationen i de nordiska länderna utifrån de tre aspekter som nämns i dokumentets titel, nämligen lärande, undervisning och bedömning. Frågor om mottagande, användning och effekter behandlas från ett såväl deskriptivt som problematiserande perspektiv, baserat på skrivna källor samt upplysningar från informanter i de nordiska länderna. I texten berörs vidare aktuell utveckling och diskussion kring referensramen.Nyckelord: gemensam europeisk referensram för språk; lärande, undervisning och bedömning; europeisk språkportfolio; de nordiska länderna Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment - a nordic perspectiveAbstractSince its publication by the Council of Europe in 2001, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has gained increasing influence, mainly in Europe but also in other parts of the world. In the current article, the Framework of Reference is focused upon, as is the European Language Portfolio that can be seen as an educational operationalization of the document. After some initial background information, including a section on discussions and dilemmas related to the CEFR, the situation in the Nordic countries is focused upon, based on the three aspects mentioned in the title of the document, namely learning, teaching and assessment. Issues related to reception, use and effects are treated from a descriptive as well as a problematizing perspective, based on written sources and reports from informants in the different countries. Further, current developments and discussion related to the CEFR are touched upon. Keywords: Common European Framework of Reference; learning, teaching and assessment; European Language Portfolio; Nordic countries

Learning, teaching and assessment of second foreign languages in Swedish lower secondary school

“…However, both the test results that are actually reported and those generated in large pretesting rounds (c. 400 randomly selected students per task) indicate that the levels achieved are quite reasonable in relation to the intended target level, course 2 in the Swedish system, roughly equivalent to an A2.1 in the CEFR. This is further confirmed by the holistic peer analyses conducted by CEFR-experienced colleagues in other European countries mentioned earlier (Erickson, 2017;Erickson & Pakula, 2017).…”

“…The definition of language competence in the Swedish national syllabuses -that is, what is to be taught and learnt -is clearly communicative and functional. This has been the case since the publication of the national curriculum for lower secondary school in 1980, Lgr 80, the development of which was strongly influenced by the work of the Council of Europe, in which Sweden had an active role (Andered, 2001;Erickson & Pakula, 2017;Söderberg, 2011;Takala, 2013). The functional approach was further emphasized in the 1990s, due to the influence from the early drafts of the Common European Framework of Languages (CEFR, Council of Europe, 2001), in which an action-oriented view of language use is in focus.…”

“…The original intention was to use the six levels of the CEFR, but eventually, after long discussions, it was not deemed possible. This was due to the very different current circumstances prevailing for English on the one hand and other foreign languages on the other, both in the Swedish society and in the curricula, regarding the opportunities for extramural learning as well as the am ount of teaching time stipulated in the national curriculum (Erickson & Pakula, 2017). As pointed out by Erickson and Pakula (2017, p. 16) the CEFR was translated into Swedish in 2009, during the phase of preparation for the most recent curriculum reform.…”

“…The current Swedish syllabuses for English and Modern languages are explicitly linked to the levels of the CEFR, albeit in a tentative way, due to the lack of empirical studies of test results. This alignment has been made by several rounds of textual analyses and holistic peer analyses of national tests (Erickson & Pakula, 2017). In the latter, international experts on the CEFR analysed the national materials and their underlying syllabuses for English and Modern languages in relation to the CEFR from content as well as performance perspectives (Erickson, 2017).…”

Overall, a Good Test, but…—Swedish Lower Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions and Use of National Test Results of English

“…De facto, this has meant that language use and confidence have become focused upon, rather than single elements of language, for example, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, which are seen as important prerequisites rather than goals per se. Further, the connection to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe 2001) has gradually strengthened, although no formal alignment has been determined between the CEFR and the Swedish language syllabuses (Erickson and Pakula 2017).…”