In response to a growing need expressed by the users of the CEFR, the Language Policy Division developed a manual and a set of accompanying tools to be used to assist in linking local language examinations to the common reference levels of language proficiency. This publication seeks to complement these tools by providing a user-friendly introduction to the process, targeting professionals with a stake in quality language testing who are not necessarily experts in testing and assessment.Relating an examination or test to the CEFR can best be seen as a process of "building an argument". The publication presents five inter-related sets of procedures that users are advised to follow in order to design a linking scheme in terms of self-contained, manageable activities.WHAT IS ITS ADDED VALUE?* The publication assists in raising awareness of the linking process to stakeholders.* Raising awareness among practising and future teachers that claims of links to the CEFR need to be validated.* Teachers can also apply some of the procedures as outlined in the publication when developing their own classroom-based tests.
Foreword
1. The CEFR and the Manual
1.1. The aims of the Manual
1.2. The context of the Manual
2. The linking process
2.1. Approach adopted
2.2. Quality concerns
2.3. Stages of the process
2.4. Use of the CEFR
2.5. Use of the Manual
3. Familiarisation
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Preparatory activities before the seminar
3.3. Introductory activities at the seminar
3.4. Qualitative analysis of the CEFR scales
3.5. Preparation for rating
4. Specification
4.1. Introduction
4.2. General description of the examination
4.3. Available specification tools
4.4. Procedures
4.5. Making the claim: graphical profiling of the relationship of the examination to the CEFR
5. Standardisation training and benchmarking
5.1. Introduction
5.2. The need for training
5.3. Advance planning
5.4. Running the sessions
5.5. Training with oral and written performances
5.6. Training with tasks and items for reading, listening and linguistic competences
5.7. From training to benchmarking
6. Standard setting procedures
6.1. Introduction
6.2. General considerations
6.3. The Body of Work method: examinee centred
6.4. The Tucker-Angoff method: test centred
6.5. The Basket method: test centred
6.6. The Bookmark method: test centred
6.7. Standard setting across skills
6.8. Standard setting and test equating
6.9. Cross language standard setting
6.10. Conclusion
7. Validation
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Prerequisites: the quality of the examination
7.3. Procedural validity of the standardisation training and standard setting
7.4. Internal validity of the standard setting
7.5. External validation
7.6. Conclusion
References and further reading
Glossary
In response to a growing need expressed by the users of the CEFR, the Language Policy Division developed a manual and a set of accompanying tools to be used to assist in linking local language examinations to the common reference levels of language proficiency. This publication seeks to complement these tools by providing a user-friendly introduction to the process, targeting professionals with a stake in quality language testing who are not necessarily experts in testing and assessment.Relating an examination or test to the CEFR can best be seen as a process of "building an argument". The publication presents five inter-related sets of procedures that users are advised to follow in order to design a linking scheme in terms of self-contained, manageable activities.WHAT IS ITS ADDED VALUE?* The publication assists in raising awareness of the linking process to stakeholders.* Raising awareness among practising and future teachers that claims of links to the CEFR need to be validated.* Teachers can also apply some of the procedures as outlined in the publication when developing their own classroom-based tests.
