Descriptors an CERF

Score descriptors

and alignment WITH THE COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK for reference of languages CEFRL

From the moment of the test conception, item writers and the academic team as a whole, bear in mind the model described in the document The Common European Framework for Languages: Learning, Teaching and Assessment; written by the Language Policy Unit of the Council of Europe, as well as the Companion Volume with New Descriptors published in February of 2018 by the CE.

Item writers thoroughly use the descriptors for the CEFR as a guide for the creation of test items and focus the tasks and difficulty according to the levels described in the framework. The assessment scales are realated to the CEFR accordingly.

Items included in ILTO tests follow a cycle made three stages before their publication.

CREATION

According to the CEFR.

CALIBRATION

According to the difficulty level and descriptors of the CEFR.

VALIDATION

Consisting on the psychometric study that assures that the item being analyzed is assessing the level accordingly.

Test items and the TESC proficiency Stages are aligned to the CEFR, thus assuring that both the English proficiency of the individual and the general level description provide standard information.

THE TECS STAGES AND THEIR RELATION TO THE COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK FOR THE REFERENCE OF LANGUAGES – CEFR.

TECS Stage TECS Stage Name CEFR LEVEL CEFR Name CEFR general Level descriptor
1 Limited proficiency A1 Breakthrough Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
2 Below average proficiency A2 Waystage Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance. Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
3 Average proficiency B1 Threshold Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
4 Above average Proficiency B2 Vantage Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
5 Superior Proficiency C1 Effective Operational Proficiency Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

Following the level descriptors according to each communication skill assessed by the TECS. These descriptors have been updated in agreement with the  Companion Volume with New Descriptors published in February of 2018 by the Council of Europe. It is important to underline that along the item creation process, different communication dimensions suggested by the CEFR are taken into account.

TECS StageTECS Stage NameCEFR LEVELCEFR general Level descriptor
1Limited proficiencyA1Can produce simple mainly isolated phrases about people and places.
2Below average proficiencyA2Can give a simple description or presentation of people, living or working conditions, daily routines. Likes/dislikes etc. as a short series of simple phrases and sentences linked into a list.
3Average proficiencyB1Can reasonably fluently sustain a straightforward description of one of a variety of subjects within his/her field of interest, presenting it as a linear sequence of points.
4Above average ProficiencyB2Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on a wide range of subjects related to his/her field of interest, expanding and supporting ideas with subsidiary points and relevant examples.
5Superior ProficiencyC1Can give clear, detailed descriptions and presentations on complex subjects, integrating sub themes, developing particular points and rounding off with an appropriate conclusion.
TECS Stage TECS Stage Name CEFR LEVEL CEFR general Level descriptor
1 Limited proficiency A1 Can understand very short, simple texts a single phrase at a time, picking up familiar names, words and basic phrases and rereading as required.
2 Below average proficiency A2 Can understand short, simple texts containing the highest frequency vocabulary, including a proportion of shared international vocabulary items.
3 Average proficiency B1 Can read straightforward factual texts on subjects related to his/her field and interests with a satisfactory level of comprehension.
4 Above average Proficiency B2 Can read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to different texts and purposes, and using appropriate reference sources selectively. Has a broad active reading vocabulary, but may experience some difficulty with low-frequency idioms.
5 Superior Proficiency C1 Can understand in detail lengthy, complex texts, whether or not they relate to his/her own area of specialty, provided he/she can reread difficult sections. Can understand a wide variety of texts including literary writings, newspaper or magazine articles, and specialized academic or professional publications, provided that there are opportunities for re-reading and he/she has access to reference tools.
TECS Stage TECS Stage Name CEFR LEVEL CEFR general Level descriptor
1 Limited proficiency A1 Can follow speech that is very slow and carefully articulated, with long pauses for him/her to assimilate meaning.
2 Below average proficiency A2 Can understand phrases and expressions related to areas of most immediate priority (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment), provided speech is clearly and slowly articulated.
3 Average proficiency B1 Can understand straightforward factual information about common every day or job related topics, identifying both general messages and specific details, provided speech is clearly articulated in a generally familiar accent.
4 Above average Proficiency B2 Can understand standard spoken language, live or broadcast on both familiar and unfamiliar topics normally encountered in personal, social, academic or vocational life. Only extreme background noise, inadequate discourse structure and/or idiomatic usage influence the ability to understand.
5 Superior Proficiency C1 Can understand enough to follow extended speech on abstract and complex topics beyond his/her own field, though he/she may need to confirm occasional details, especially if the accent is unfamiliar. Can recognize a wide range of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms, appreciating register shifts. Can follow extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signaled explicitly.
TECS Stage TECS Stage Name CEFR LEVEL CEFR general Level descriptor
1 Limited proficiency A1 Has a very basic range of simple expressions about personal details and needs of a concrete type. Can use some basic structures in one-clause sentences with some omission or reduction of elements.
2 Below average proficiency A2 Has a repertoire of basic language, which enables him/her to deal with everyday situations with predictable content, though he/she will generally have to compromise the message and search for words. Has a limited repertoire of short memorized phrases covering predictable survival situations; frequent breakdowns and misunderstandings occur in non-routine situations.
3 Average proficiency B1 Has enough language to get by, with sufficient vocabulary to express him/herself with some hesitation and circumlocutions on topics such as family, hobbies and interests, work, travel, and current events, but lexical limitations cause repetition and even difficulty with formulation at times.
4 Above average Proficiency B2 Has a sufficient range of language to be able to give clear descriptions, express viewpoints and develop arguments without much conspicuous searching for words, using some complex sentence forms to do so. Can express him/herself clearly and without much sign of having to restrict what he/she wants to say.
5 Superior Proficiency C1 Can use a broad range of complex grammatical structures appropriately and with considerable flexibility. Can select an appropriate formulation from a broad range of language to express him/herself clearly, without having to restrict what he/she wants to say.