Page 1479 - SUBSEC October 2017_Neat

16. In Canada, the CEFR is used as a tool in support of teaching and evaluation methods with regards
to French as a second language programmes in Ontario. In addition, the Canadian Language Benchmarks
(CLB) is used to guide the teaching and assessment of English as a second Language (ESL) learners in
Canada; and like the CEFR and the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, the CLB focuses on and clearly describes
the successive communicative achievements of ESL learners in four skills, namely listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. The CLB comprises a 12-point scale or benchmark outlining task-based language
proficiency descriptors used to guide the teaching and assessment. Each benchmark is described in terms
of ‘Can do’ statements or ‘Performance Descriptors’ using a system which focuses on the successful
completion of communicative tasks rather than on a strict emphasis on correct linguistic forms, a major
feature of Task-Based Language Learning (TBLL). CLB-based assessments can be both formative and
summative and indicate what the second language speaker can do in each of the four skills. The CLB forms
part of articulation agreements and has been used to identify the level of curricula, course and
requirements for entry into post- secondary education and training in French-speaking areas of Canada
in occupations and professions including nursing where a national test has been developed to verify the
language competency of internationally trained nurses.

17. It was as a result of a comparison of the CEFR to other standards in use in Canada, including
careful examination of the number of hours required to attain the levels of competency and the common
established ‘Can do’ statements or ‘Performance Descriptors’ found in the frameworks, that in 2011 Larry
Vandergrift of the University of Ottawa proposed Canadian adoption of the CEFR and created an
equivalence table which could be regarded as useful to facilitate the portability of qualifications given the
format for reporting learner proficiency. (See Table 2)

Table 2
Equivalence Table showing comparison of the CEFR to other certification standards used in Canada

CEFR ILR ACTFL NB OPS [29] CLB PSC PSC [30]

A1 0/0+/1 Novice (Low/Mid/High) Unrated/0+/1 1/2 A

A2 1+ Intermediate (Low/Mid/High) 1+/2 3/4 B

B1 2 Advanced Low 2+ 5/6 C
B2 2+ Advanced Mid 3 7/8
C1 3/3+ Advanced High 3+ 9/10
C2 4 Superior 4 11/12

4+/5

(Vandergrift, 2011)

18. As a part of the effort to standardise language teaching, learning, assessment and certification,
the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) has developed and recommended a framework of
levels for the comparison of language tests. This framework, bases the test objectives on the ‘Can do
statements’ of CEFR, ACTFL, ILR and CLB, provides descriptions of what candidates can do receptively and
what they can do in terms of production and interaction. The framework is divided into five main levels
for categorising and certifying users, namely Waystage, Threshold, Independent, Competent, and Good.
There is focus on skills, namely Productive (Speaking, and writing) and Receptive (Reading and listening);

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