10/05/2021
The ongoing importance of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for English language learning, teaching and assessment was highlighted at an online event hosted by experts from Cambridge Assessment English.
English Proficiency: Myths and Facts about CEFR brought together 350 English language teaching professionals including school directors, managers and English teachers from across Brazil. Alberto Costa, Cambridge Assessment’s Senior Assessment Manager in Brazil, led the event. He covered the continuing importance of the standard for schools, teachers and learners, and how the CEFR was first published by Cambridge University Press in 2001.
Speaking at the event Alberto Costa said:
‘It’s been two decades since the CEFR was first published by Cambridge University Press and it has become the gold standard for measuring English language ability. Although its origins were in Europe, the CEFR has gone strength to strength and is now used all over the world. Today’s event comes at a time when the Ministry of Education in Brazil is looking into new regulations for plurilingual education. The means standards such as the CEFR will play an even greater role in the future in helping to raise English language standards in schools across the country’.
During the event Costa traced the history of the framework and how it was first discussed in 1991 at a Symposium organized by the Council of Europe, the Swiss federal authorities and various institutions and research centres. Following extensive development between 1995 and 2000, the English version was published by Cambridge University Press in 2001 – to coincide with the European Year of Languages.
He also explained how the Cambridge English Qualifications embody the CEFR and gave a really in-depth overview of what an individual can achieve at each level from the basic level of A1 to C2, which characterises the degree of precision, appropriateness and ease with the language of those who have been highly successful learners.
English Proficiency: Myths and Facts about CEFR was held on the 28 April and is available here.