About a Framework for English Teaching in Higher Education in Israel
Benefits of Aligning New Framework with CEFR
- Can-do Statements
- Language Activities
- Communicative Competences
Language activities, communicative competences: How are these connected?
Goals of the new framework include:
1. To equip students with levels of English they need in order to cope with the demands of the 21st century. These demands include the ability to cope with both spoken and written English during their academic studies and in their future careers.
2. To align a new Israeli framework with CEFR in order to conform with European standards while satisfying the requirements of the Israeli Council for Higher Education (MALAG).
3. To provide a smooth transition from secondary level English studies to tertiary level EFL courses.
How is the New Framework Different?
This new framework will broaden the range of curricular options available by:
- expanding focus on reading comprehension to include writing, speaking and interaction with others.
- focusing on integrating language skills in both academic and workplace domains.
- including "survival strategies" - pre-fabricated language users feel sure of to help them interact in public and in workplace situations (turn-taking, disagreeing politely, gaining time while thinking about how to answer difficult questions etc.).
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New EFL framework will focus on |
Current EFL teaching focuses on |
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learners’ communicative needs in both academic and workplace domains
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English for Academic Purposes (EAP) –academic domain only |
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integrating receptive and productive skills – reading, listening writing, speaking and interacting with others |
receptive reading of academic texts in order to answer reading comprehension questions |
Benefits of Aligning New Framework with CEFR
- CEFR is based on current language education research and promotes the adoption of state-of-the-art teaching methods, resources and assessment.
- CEFR encapsulates an action-based approach to language which defines the knowledge of a language as a series of 'can-do' statements that represent learners’ abilities in the real world.
- Alignment with CEFR enables Israeli teachers and students to be part of an internationally recognized framework for teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language.
A Framework for English teaching in Higher Education in Israel will consist of 3 main CEFR components:
- Can-Do Statements
- Language Activities
- Communicative Competences
1. Can-Do Statements
A set of core "can-do" statements describe language activities and communicative competences that learners can typically do at 3 CEFR levels - A2 Elementary, (Besisi), B1 Intermediate (Mitkadmim Aleph) and B2 Upper Intermediate (Mitkadmim Bet).
2. Language Activities
6 types of language activities include:
- Reception / Written - reading comprehension
- Reception / Spoken - listening comprehension – TV, TED talks, lectures.
- Production / Written - reports, essays, creative writing
- Production /Spoken – prepared presentations
- Interaction / Written – at least 2 people participate in a written exchange - emails, electronic forums
- Interaction / Spoken – everyday conversations, class discussions, videoconference calls.
Sets of knowledge, aptitudes, skills and attitudes. All 3 competences contribute in different ways to the learners' ability to communicate.
3 key sets of communicative competences include:
- Linguistic competence
- Socio-linguistic competence
- Pragmatic competence
1. Linguistic Competence
Linguistic competence comprises the knowledge and skills related to dimensions of language as a system:
- lexis – range and quality of lexical knowledge, how this knowledge is stored in routine expressions.
- phonology
- syntax
2. Sociolinguistic Competence
This refers to sociocultural conditions of language use - knowledge and skills in using language in a social context. These include sensitivity to norms and customs that affect communication – social norms that affect rules of address, greetings, politeness etc.
3. Pragmatic Competence
Pragmatic competence involves the functional uses of linguistic resources (scenarios or predetermined scripts of interactional exchanges), mastery of cohesiveness, coherence and discourse.
Language activities, communicative competences: How are these connected?
'Practice makes perfect' - relationship between language activities and communicative competences
According to the CEFR, the relationship between language activities and communicative competences is cyclic: Learners use a range of “toolboxes” or communicative competences to carry out the above six types of language activities.
Performing these 6 types of activities then strengthens the key competences.
From: CEFR: Activities, Competences, Levels by Hodel, (2007).