Page 47 - Teaching English at Primary Level: From Theory into the Classroom
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The Communicative Approach
that teacher-centred lessons are generally less efficient in developing learn-
ers’ communicative competences.
Common European Framework of Reference
Communicative competence is also an important aspect of The Common Eu-
ropean Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching and Assess-
ment (CEFR) which was developed by the Council of Europe and published
in book form in 2001. The CEFR has two main objectives: on the one hand
to encourage reflection and innovation, and on the other, to provide a com-
mon framework for the description of levels of language competence, course
planning, assessment and certification. We can say that it provides ‘a com-
mon language’ (Byram & Parmenter, 2012) for language educators across Eu-
rope to discuss different aspects of learning a foreign language, such as cur-
riculum development, teacher training, the design of teaching and learning
materials, assessment, certification and others.
The Common European Framework provides a common basis for the
elaboration of language syllabuses, curriculum guidelines, examina-
tions, textbooks, etc. across Europe. It describes in a comprehensive
way what language learners have to learn to do in order to use a lan-
guage for communication and what knowledge and skills they have
to develop so as to be able to act effectively. The description also cov-
ers the cultural context in which language is set. The Framework also
defines levels of proficiency which allow learners’ progress to be mea-
sured at each stage of learning and on a life-long basis. [Council of Eu-
rope,2001, p.1]
The CEFR is also a reference framework that describes various proficiency
levels in foreign language learning. It distinguishes six levels of foreign lan-
guageproficiency:basicuser(A1andA2),independent languageuser(B1and
B2) and proficient language user (C1 and C2). The CEFR’s scales are based on
‘can do’ descriptors to define the learner/user’s proficiency at each level. For
example, the global description of the A1 level reads:
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic
phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can intro-
duce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about
personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and
things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other per-
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