CEFR Language Testing Courses
We offer the following highly practical training courses in CEFR-related language testing:

• Introduction to Language Testing & the CEFR
• Practical Item-writing (Reading & Use of English)
• The CEFR – Item-writer and Rater Training
• Designing CEFR-related Listening Tests
• Designing CEFR-related Speaking Tests
• Language Testing & the CEFR (Closed Group)

 

The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and Language Testing

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) was developed by the Council of Europe as a reference document for language education including assessment. Its influence, however, is not restricted to the European context. Increasingly, countries worldwide are using the framework within their own specific national contexts.


The Council of Europe has also produced a detailed Pilot Manual for Relating Language Examinations to the CEFR, together with a companion reference supplement to assist member states, national and international providers of examinations in relating their certificates and diplomas to the Framework. The Manual, however, is not intended to serve as a general guide as to how to construct good language tests or examinations, nor does it advocate any single approach to constructing language tests or examinations. Its aim, rather, is limited to focussing on procedures involved in the validation of a claim that a certain examination or test is linked to the CEFR.

 

Testing according to the CEFR

As the Pilot Manual itself points out, ‘relating an examination or test to the CEFR is a complex endeavour. The existence of such a relation is not a simple observable fact, but is an assertion for which the examination provider needs to provide both theoretical and empirical evidence.’

However, not all examination providers are language testing specialists. Rather, many are ministry officials and managers who, unaware of the complex nature of language testing, look to university and secondary school language teachers to produce high-stakes tests on their behalf.

More often than not, it is such teachers, not highly trained specialist language testers, who are expected to produce valid and reliable tests in line with the CEFR. As non-specialists in high-stakes testing, their first port of call is understandably the Council of Europe’s official website.

A visit to the site will provide the visitor with a wealth of materials relating to the CEFR and language testing. Indeed, there is a veritable embarras de richesses: instruments and standards, users’ guides, case studies, principles and guidelines, accredited ELP models, overviews, reports and national studies, publications and web links. It is little wonder then, that non-testing specialists can initially find themselves overwhelmed, wondering where to start, and with what.

If this sounds familiar, please don’t despair. We know exactly how you feel. We have considerable experience in language tester training at all levels. To help you interpret the CEFR, we will highlight key publications and discuss Framework-related testing research so that you can make informed decisions on the best way forward for you.

We will guide you, not spoon-feed you, and help you to relate the CEFR to your own specific testing situation, be that for secondary school, vocational, university or organisational purposes. Whether your current or proposed test is general English (ESOL), English for Specific Purposes (ESP), English for Academic Purposes (EAP), or EAL (English as an Additional Language), we can help you.

 

Our experience with the CEFR

• Delaso’s testers have designed the following tests:
  
  IN2ENGLISH
  Online level tests for the British Council/BBC, China (A1 – C2)
  
  Learn English
  Online level tests for the British Council (A1 – C2)
  
  Learn English Professionals
  Online level tests for the British Council (A1 – C2)
   

• We have provided several intensive CEFR-related tester training courses for secondary school and university teachers:

               2007 British Council, Ukraine

           2006 British Council, Ukraine

           2006 British Council/National Centre for the External Evaluation of Education, Croatia
 

What teachers said about our tester training courses

• I now know that what we have been doing in testing has almost nothing to do with what should have been done.

• I would describe the training as demanding and highly effective. It changed my beliefs not only about testing, but about teaching in general.

• What I value most of all is your willingness to choose the most useful materials for us and readiness to share your knowledge and experience with us.

• Thank you for all your efforts to lead the horses to water. And you would never have made us drink that water until we had the desire to do so. You inspired my desire to drink the water from the ocean of assessment... You led us to our mistakes and through them. And though, sometimes, we felt very frustrated about not having produced anything valid and reliable, we are aware now that this is the way to learn. The more we learn, the less we know and the more questions we have to answer. Thank you for not giving us ready-made recipes... for making us find our own way.

• Thank you very much for introducing me to this miraculous world of testing. I feel like Alice in Wonderland...

 

CEFR Tester Training Courses

We currently offer the following language tester training courses related to the CEFR both in the UK and internationally:

CE1   Introduction to Language Testing & the CEFR

If any of the questions below sound familiar, you may want to consider this course.

• Where do we start? How can we go about relating our language tests to the CEFR?

• What exactly is the CEFR all about?

• To what extent is it possible to claim that our tests are actually testing according to the CEFR?

• How have other countries and organisations gone about relating their tests to the CEFR levels?

• We think this item is level B1, but we’re not sure. What if it’s actually B2?

• I’ve downloaded materials from the COE website that give advice on relating tests to the CEFR, but how do I go about making the most of them?

• Are there any support materials available to help us develop our CEFR-related tests?

• Just how is it possible for commercial language tests to be so different yet to claim to be aligned to the CEFR?

• What research has been done on the CEFR and language testing?

This course is for those of you with little or no previous training in language test design and development who would like to gain experience in test construction and item-writing. It is extremely practical, with lots of workshops offering extensive practice in test item writing and evaluation.

We aim to give you an important introduction to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and to encourage critical analysis of the Framework as a basis from which to construct and develop modern English language tests.

During the course, you will…

• be introduced to the testing cycle and key testing terminology

• learn to write explicit instructions and rubrics

• understand the importance of test specifications

• be introduced to the CEFR in relation to language testing

• develop an appreciation of CEFR terminology

• understand what the CEFR is and what it isn’t

• be introduced to, and critically analyse, skill-specific CEFR level descriptors

• discuss problems in interpreting the CEFR descriptor scales

• consider the DIALANG scales and the ALTE Can Do statements

• critically analyse tests/test items that claim to be linked to the CEFR

• focus on task formats most prevalent in modern English exams

• draft reading and use of English tasks/items

• be introduced to issues affecting test reliability and validity

• get plenty of individual and group feedback

We also invite you to bring along your test designer and user specifications, as well as any materials you’d like to work on.

Pre-course Task

All participants will be expected to carry out a pre-course task.

Entry Requirements:      Qualified teacher status

Course Length:                3 weeks

Tuition Fees:                     £1,500 per participant

Places Available:             12

Course Dates 2007:        Available as required on a closed course basis

Book this course

 

 

CE2   Practical Item-writing (Reading & Use of English)

Are you writing CEFR-related tests? Would you like to improve your language test item-writing skills? Our course considers a wide selection of task formats and item types found in modern high-stakes English tests and gives you hands-on practice in task and item construction.

We start by taking your test designer specifications and guidelines for item writers and then consider ways in which you might operationalise your construct(s) through communicative task formats for reading and use of English.

Each morning, we begin with a tutorial focusing on a particular task format or item type, practical item writing advice, or major CEFR-related language testing projects such as DIALANG and EBAFLS. We then investigate ways in which various task formats and item types are intended to perform, as well as possible problems with each.

Each afternoon is given over to hands-on item-writing with your colleagues. At the end of the afternoon, the items are collected by your tutors and serve as the basis for professional and peer feedback the following day.

You will leave the course with a large number of tasks and items ready for initial piloting.

During the course, you will…

• consider issues involved in text and task selection for modern communicative tests

• gain valuable practice in the design of communicative task formats and items including multiple choice, matching, limited response, sequencing, gap-fill and error identification

• look at possible task format/item design pitfalls

• learn to design clear task rubrics

• learn how to evaluate critically, both tasks and items

• revise and refine items

• learn about anchor items and calibration

• consider item discrimination

• add to your guidelines for item writers

• consider the impact of the CEFR on modern English tests and testing

The course is also suitable for teachers with no previous experience in item-writing.

All participants should bring their test designer specifications with them and will work from these during the course.

Entry Requirements:     Qualified teacher status.

                                           Knowledge of fundamental principles and practice of language test construction would

                                           be an advantage.

Course Length:               3 weeks

Tuition Fees:                    £1,500 per participant

Places Available:           12

Course Dates 2007:      Available as required on a closed course basis

Book this course

 

 

CE3   CEFR – Item-writer and Rater Training

This is the kind of course that struggling item-writers will wish had been available years ago, that those on DIY testing projects are sorely in need of, and that will be warmly welcomed by anyone responsible for test development.

Everyone makes mistakes – we’re only human – but wouldn’t it be nice if someone would tell us what we’re doing right, what we’re doing wrong, and how we could be doing things better?

We’ve designed this intensive course to focus on practical item-writing for those involved in designing CEFR-related tests. However, we haven’t forgotten about rating and rater training. These areas often don’t receive the care and attention they should, which is rather unfortunate when you think that the measuring power and precision of the most carefully designed valid and reliable test could easily be lost because of the human factor that’s inevitably present in the rating process.

We know it’s a lot to get through in a short space of time, but during the course, our trainers will help you to…

• work on developing your test designer and user specifications (where necessary)

• write (reading, use of English) test items according to your specifications

• produce practical guidelines for item-writers

• consider issues involved in text and task selection: copyright, authenticity, language difficulty, technical problems, etc.

• design marking schemes

• learn the importance of feedback, impact and washback

• look at the possible pitfalls in task selection and design

• learn how to design task rubrics

• learn how to refine items following pre-testing

• consider the issue of test-wiseness

• design tasks for writing

• critically assess a number of rating scales for assessing writing

• construct CEFR-related rating scales for writing

• investigate inter-/intra-rater reliability

• consider issues affecting the standardisation of raters

The course is very practical and will appeal to you if you’d like to develop and fine-tune your item-writing and rating skills. It will be especially useful if you’ve been working on a CEFR-related testing project for some time, but would welcome some additional guidance and practical advice.

It is not an introductory course in language testing, so we will expect you to have a basic grasp of core testing concepts and vocabulary such as validity, reliability, test specifications, and construct. We will also expect you to be ‘broadly familiar’ with both global and skill-specific CEFR level descriptors.

We also invite you to bring along your test designer and user specifications, as well as any materials you’d like to work on.

Pre-course Task

All participants will be expected to carry out a pre-course task.

Entry Requirements:  Qualified teacher status

                                         At least 3 years’ experience of English teaching

                                         Knowledge of fundamental principles and practice of language test construction

Course Length:            3 weeks

Tuition Fees:                  £1,500 per participant

Places Available:          12

Course Dates 2007:      Available as required on a closed course basis

Book this course

 

 

CE4    Designing CEFR-related Listening Tests

When it comes to designing listening tests, there is often a belief that they are more difficult to construct than, say, reading or use of English tests, but this is by no means the case.

If you’d like to learn more about constructing CEFR-related listening tests, then why not join us for a two-week intensive course that deals with the following:

• The nature of listening

• Features of spoken language (redundancy, accent, hesitation etc.)

• Reasons for listening and issues in testing listening

• The CEFR and listening

• The DIALANG Scales and ALTE skill levels for listening

• Developing a listening construct

• Developing your test specifications for listening

• Selecting listening texts

• The Little Shoppe of Listening Test Horrors

• Task formats in high-stakes CEFR-related listening assessments

• Issues in task design for listening (practicality, validity, Target Language Use)

• The technical dimension - Recording and audio equipment

• Test paper construction - Playing listening tasks: once or twice?

• Developing guidelines for item-writers

• Analysis and critical discussion of listening tasks at different CEFR levels

• Evaluation of CEFR anchor items for listening

• Listening test administration

 

Course emphasis, as always, is firmly on the practical. However, we’ll also be investigating test theory and CEFR-related testing research to enable you to put everything into context. During your course, we cordially invite you to step into the Little Shoppe of Listening Test Horrors, where you can leave those test construction mistakes and glitches of the past behind you.

We invite you to bring your test designer and user specifications with you, as well as any items you have been working on.

Entry Requirements:    Qualified teacher status

                                           At least 3 years’ experience of English teaching

                                           Knowledge of fundamental principles and practice of language test construction

Course Length:              2 weeks

Tuition Fees:                    £1,000 per participant

Places Available:            12

Course Dates 2007:      Available as required on a closed course basis

Book this course

 

 

CE5   Designing CEFR-related Speaking Tests

• Just how do we go about designing a speaking test?

• How do we ensure our speaking test is in line with the CEFR?

• Which task formats should we include in a modern English speaking test?

• How do we go about developing a rating scale (or scales) for speaking tests?

• What exactly is an interlocutor frame and how do we design one?

• Is there anything that can be done to make our speaking test more reliable?

• What does the CEFR say about speaking?

• How do constructor, assessor and user scales differ?

• What kind of pitfalls should we be aware of when conducting our speaking tests?

• Why does the behaviour of some raters differ so starkly from others?

• How have high-stakes testing organisations designed CEFR-related speaking tests?

• How do we go about benchmarking candidates’ spoken performances?

• How do we move from test specifications to task design?

• We only ever test half the elements in our speaking construct. Is this a problem?

• Do we really need to make provision for interlocutor and assessor training?

• How do we go about validating our speaking test?

 

Designing high-stakes speaking tests is no simple matter. If you would like some answers to the above questions, but focussing on your particular testing circumstances, you may wish to follow this two-week course.

We won’t promise you that you’ll be a position to design a valid and reliable speaking test after just two weeks of training, but you will leave with a heightened awareness of what is required to do so. You’ll learn about operationalising your speaking construct, designing effective tasks, developing analytic rating scales, rater and assessor standardisation, developing interlocutor frames, and much more besides.

You will observe benchmarked CEFR–related speaking performances, as well as how to conduct and how not to conduct a speaking test. Finally, after your visit the Little Shoppe of Speaking Test Horrors, you will learn how any weaknesses in your current speaking tests can become a thing of the past.

Entry Requirements:     Qualified teacher status

                                            At least 3 years’ experience of English teaching

                                            Knowledge of fundamental principles and practice of language test construction

Course Length:              2 weeks

Tuition Fees:                    £1,000 per participant

Places Available:           12

Course Dates 2007:      Available as required on a closed course basis

Book this course

 

 

 

CE6   Language Testing & the CEFR (Closed Group)

If you’re already working as part of a national or organisational testing team developing tests in line with the CEFR, and would like to have a course that meets your team’s very specific needs, then you might like to consider a closed group course.

The contents of each course will be negotiated in advance with one of our testing specialists to reflect your particular requirements and to focus on CEFR test-related issues in your national or organisational context.

Among other things, a closed CEFR-related language testing course could help you to…

• relate your general/ESP/vocational tests to the CEFR levels

• differentiate between user-oriented and constructor-oriented scales

• iron out particular national/organisational-related testing issues

• reach a common standardised interpretation of the CEFR

• clarify inconsistencies in terminology, (lack of) definitions and gaps in the CEFR

• benefit from academic and empirical research into the CEFR

• evaluate current test specifications from a CEFR perspective

• consider organisational/national washback and impact issues

• develop an agreed methodology for CEFR construct retrieval

• focus on the skill(s) of your choice

• design rating scales and interlocutor frames for your particular test(s)

• get the hands-on practice and practical advice you’ve been looking for

 

Don’t worry if the above list doesn’t contain specific areas or issues that you’d like to work on. Whether you’d like to focus on a single skill, on issues in benchmarking performances, or on test validation, just talk to us and tell us what you want. Share your concerns with us and let us suggest ways of taking your project further.

Courses can be as practical as you like, with plenty of workshop activities, hands-on item writing practice, and feedback. After carefully talking through your needs with you, we’ll design an initial course programme that’s both realistic and flexible. Whatever your chosen content, our tester trainers will work at your speed and will provide the professional advice and support you require.

Our courses can be delivered either in the UK or internationally.

Course Length:            2- 3 weeks

UK Tuition Fees:          £1,000 (2 weeks) per participant

                                        £1,500 (3 weeks) per participant

Email us to discuss your requirements, or talk to us on +44 (0)1700 500 020

 

Back to top